Admissions advisers and employers are sending the same signal: traditional application missteps still cost candidates admission offers while employers increasingly prize short, demonstrable credentials. Admissions veterans at INSEAD warn seven common mistakes — inconsistent narratives, weak recommendations and over‑polished ‘what schools want’ essays — remain decisive in MBA decisions. Parallel to that, employers now favor microcredentials for early‑career hires. Coursera’s CEO told hiring trends favor demonstrable skills in AI, data and project management, with employers often preferring candidates who have stacked role‑relevant certificates over those who rely on degree prestige alone.