Any applicant who’s done their research will discover that questions typically revolve around background and work experience, career aspirations, knowledge of that particular school’s program and what makes it a good fit.
We asked our MBAs how best to approach interview preparation. There seems to be an art to succeeding at these interviews. Read on for some valuable tips!
Questions to expect
Joy Hunhammer was first to tell us about her experience of interviewing for a place on Copenhagen Business School full-time MBA program.
Joy grew up in Norway and worked as a branch manager and as a senior human resources advisor for Sparebanken Vest before heading to Copenhagen Business School.
In her MBA admissions interview, Joy was asked about her reasons for applying to the program. The admissions manager was keen to know if she wanted to do the MBA for the potential salary rise or to really develop herself in the long-run. She was also asked about her future career plans.
Her advice for applicants is to really reflect on why they want to study the MBA. She said: “Reflect! Why do you want to do this? Why here and not somewhere else? Make a list of the most important points and arguments for your choice, and be sure to bring that with you as a back-up note if or when you start questioning yourself.”
Prayer Trairatvorakul, a current MBA at IESE Business School, Spain stressed that your motivation for applying for the program has to be clear. At the interview, Prayer recalled being asked for her short and long term plans after the MBA; how the MBA could prepare her for it; why IESE; what other schools she had applied to; and the quintessential "Tell me about yourself" question.
These were questions relating to the written application, so Prayer didn’t find them too difficult.
On the questions of why IESE, Prayer talked about the diversity in the program, her personal motivation to continue with her knowledge of Spanish and pursue a bilingual MBA, a couple of professors she looked forward to taking classes with, the emphasis on ethics as stated in the school’s mission statement and, of course, Barcelona.
To the ‘Tell me about yourself’ question, Prayer talked about the different places she had lived and grown up, her former life as a poetry major and advertising creative, and aligning that with reasons for pursuing an MBA.
She wanted to move herself into decision-making roles on the business side that would be almost impossible for a person of her educational and professional background to do without additional skills and qualifications.
Check out our podcast The Business School Question.
Episode 6: How Should You Answer Those Common MBA Interview Questions?
Dario Maglione recalls being asked why he wanted to join Lancaster, if he was aware of the live projects, why he would make a good fit, what sort of experiences he could bring to the table, why he deserved a scholarship from the school, and what he felt would be the likely business and economic climate when he graduated in a year.
Dario worked as an engineer before heading to Lancaster University Management School.
He recently graduated from the full-time MBA and when we spoke he was deciding between four job offers.
He remembered how he spent over a year and a half getting into the habit of following current business and economics issues. He was a regular reader of papers like the Financial Times so at his interview was able to speak confidently about foreseeing fewer opportunities in the financial services sector and more in fast-growing Asia and the BRIC markets. Because Dario did not have a lot of business exposure, he was keen to show off his interest in the...
Claus Jensen told us that the toughest question in his interview with University of Bath School of Management was why he wanted to get an MBA. Claus already had a Masters in Strategic Management. He replied that he took the strategic management degree because he wanted to build on his business understanding but did a lot only on strategy and innovation.
He felt he still had little knowledge of topics like marketing, accounting and finance, and economics. Getting this knowledge would help fill the gap, and help in achieving his goal of moving into a consulting role.
Additionally, he clearly outlined how the MBA would help him achieve his short and long term goals. Claus’s top tip for interviewees is to dress smartly. “No matter if the interview is by telephone, video (Skype), or face-to-face, dress in formal business attire to get into the role as this helps in delivering a good result!” he said.
Some Preparation Strategies
Doing your research about the school and its programs is the only way to answer admissions questions properly, said Nanyang Business School MBA Nguyen Truong Giang. During the entire MBA admissions process, Nguyen made sure he showed that he was aware of Nanyang’s MBA curriculum. The school’s new curriculum focuses on leadership development, pan-Asian industry perspectives, and corporate governance and social responsibility.
Nguyen had experience in the energy and petroleum industry in Vietnam and so was able to align his values and aspirations with those of Nanyang. His advice to applicants was to make sure their answers showed honesty, an understanding of sustainability and leadership abilities, drawing examples from previous experiences.
Of course, all this talk about selling yourself might tempt people to put on a persona in order to please the interviewer, but our MBAs strongly advise against that.
Ariadna Peretz's interview with Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) was rather informal and, although it lasted almost two hours, had very few questions. Before the interview, she’d written down a list of questions and their answers and practiced saying them out loud. She also re-read the CUHK MBA website and took notes on anything that stood out.
The interview asked the typical questions expected but it quickly turned quite personal. “Ultimately, I think the goal of the interview was to see if I had the right mindset to complete the MBA and to understand what kind of person I am,” she said.
This meant that although Ariadna could speak easily about her experience of growing up in Vancouver, Canada, majoring in Political Science, and working in investor relations for mining firm NovaGold, she had to take into account what kind of message she wanted to leave with the interviewer.
She practiced questions relating to areas she felt she was weak in—hers was the GMAT. She did this because she wanted to leave the interview on a positive note. She said: “It's important to be conscious of our weaknesses and prepare answers relating to them because these are the topics we're least comfortable talking about.”
How to practice effectively
Prayer advises perfecting your narrative by practicing with many different people. She said: “The key here is to make the interviewer remember you as a person, so you should prepare to convey positive differentiating points that he or she can attach to your name.”
“Doing a mock interview with different people was also extremely helpful for me to get over nerves. It is easier sometimes to make a 100-person presentation about a work topic than to tell your story to one person.”
Joy’s tactic was to talk with her former bosses and people who knew her well. She discussed the motivation for her application and found it useful to see how other people perceived her, especially in terms of what they saw as her strengths and weaknesses.
“Turns out we had different opinions sometimes, who would have guessed?! That made me more aware of what I needed to work on and where to challenge myself”, she said.
Ariadna visited CUHK’s campus in 2011 when she was in the city on holiday and made an appointment with Becky Tsang (assistant manager, marketing & student recruiting). She also attended information sessions and met with faculty and students. They all gave her insight into CUHK that made her application process easier.
Read: How To Answer Common MBA Admission Questions
So, is it possible to fail at an MBA admissions interview? The general consensus is that it’s impossible to fail if you prepare well and let your personality shine through. Ariadna said: “I think it would be very hard to ‘bomb’ an MBA admissions interview as long as the candidate is honest. It's important to stay true to who you are. Pretending to be someone you are not will most probably backfire.”
Not being sure about what you want and making things up are two of the biggest faux pas a person can commit at an admissions interview, said Smirdhi Dhingra, a Grenoble Ecole de Management MBA student.
"The questions are quite straight forward and it all depends on how clear you are about what you want to achieve. Keeping it short and interesting may however be a challenge. One must aim at keeping the interviewer awake", said Smirrdhi.
Smirrdhi was born and brought up in Kenya but she went to India to study for her Bachelors in Pharmacy. She then worked at in the marketing department of Biocon, an Indian pharmaceutical company handling brand management projects focused on doctor and patient engagement.
For Smirrdhi, being successful at an admissions interview is determined by having a clear understanding of why you want the MBA and what you want to gain from the experience. She said: "Clearly defining an objective is not only important for the interview process but also to give yourself a clear sense of direction about where you want to go."
Finally, she says, have a few questions prepared for when it’s all over. After all that talking about yourself the interviewer would like their turn to speak too!
NEW MBA INTERVIEW TIPS ADDED: JUNE 2018
Mustapha El Akkari, University of Oxford Saïd Business School, MBA ‘18
Format: I had one interview in San Francisco at Swiss Bank. I waited in the lobby for about 20 minutes before I got called in. The interview was supposed to be 30 minutes but mine lasted for 45 minutes. It was actually one of my favorite interviews, if not my favorite. It was a very deep conversation and got the best out of me.
Questions: They asked me ‘why Oxford?’ and how I would see myself living in the UK for a year. But most of the interview was based around personal and professional goals, ethics, morals, and my purpose in life, and less centered around the MBA itself.
Advice: Know why you’re coming to Oxford in comparison to other big brand universities. My best recommendation is to understand who you are, what you stand for, and how you can add value to Oxford rather than just focusing on what the institution could offer you.
Cheney Li, Duke University Fuqua School of Business, MBA ‘18
Format: Interviews are very conversational. Whether with an admissions fellow or an admissions officer, the interviewer just wants to know YOU! The interviews are structured in a friendly way to encourage the interviewees to talk about themselves and their understanding of Fuqua. At the end of the interview, the interviewee also has the chance to ask the interviewer any questions they may have.
Questions: Since the interview is focused on understanding what is unique and special about the interviewee, questions are geared towards the interviewee's work experience, leadership and teamwork stories, their understanding of Fuqua and Team Fuqua, and why they are excited about getting an MBA at Fuqua. Overall, the questions are structured in a way to provide the interviewers a better sense of whether the interviewee will have a transformative two years at Fuqua and whether the Fuqua community will be stronger for having the interviewee.
Advice: It may sound cheesy, but BE YOURSELF! The interviews are super conversational and all interviewers there are eager to know you. So, relax and tell your stories. However, given it is still a professional interviewer, interviewees may benefit from some front work such as ensuring answers are clear and concise, thinking about why you want to join Fuqua, and what excites you about getting an MBA at Fuqua. Candidates who aced the interviews typically have a good understanding of why they need an MBA, why they need to do it at Fuqua, and what they can bring to the Fuqua community.
Pranay Puranik, HEC Paris, MBA ‘19
Format: Pranay explained that once his application had been submitted, a pre-selection jury comprising an admissions team, alumni, and a consultant screened his application. This jury plays an important part throughout the admission process, to ensure all candidates are treated fairly and that applications are reviewed according to specific guidelines.
Once Pranay’s application passed the initial screening phase, he was invited to attend an interview with two HEC Paris MBA alumni. The admissions team normally try to schedule an interview with alumni based in your current region. In order to keep the application cycle short, this process has to be completed within 10 business days. The interviews can be conducted in a formal environment or in a more casual setting.
In addition to the interview, you are also expected to prepare a presentation on a topic of your choice. Pranay recalled that during these interviews the alumni try to gage whether you would be a good fit for the school, as well taking your post-MBA goals, values and motivation into consideration. This is where he believes your real story becomes of great importance.
Questions: Pranay felt that the main focus of the alumni interviewers was on getting to know him. There were no questions on his hard-skills or number crunching abilities. “Rather than an interview, it was more of an informal conversation” said Pranay. He advised to have your answers prepared and to be able to clearly explain why you are interested in HEC and their MBA program. “You know you are on the right track when an interview turns into a conversation and the interviewer is at ease drawing parallels between their life and yours,” he said.
Advice: Pranay advised to make sure your application is complete and you have provided all the necessary documents. He also recommended to make sure you always check for spelling mistakes and not to provide any contradictory information. “Whilst everyone indulges in window-dressing their CVs, goals and achievements, do ensure that your essays reflect who you really are and what you believe in,” he said.
Pranay spent a considerable amount of time practicing the standard interview questions. He made sure he was comfortable answering questions about himself, his strengths and weaknesses, and why he would make a good fit. He had several mock interviews with a diverse set of people—family, close friends, business school alumni, and even a few complete strangers. Another way to find out more about the school, Pranay suggested, is to attend networking events and participate in online information sessions.
Mohammed Saad Fayyaz, University of Edinburgh Business School, MBA ‘18
Format: I had a telephone interview, which explored my background and my intensions after the degree, covering my undergraduate degree, my time at Deloitte, and what I want to use the MBA for. We also discussed what I was most excited about learning about in the MBA program. I found out soon after that the interviewer was delighted with the answers I gave. A week later, I found that I had an offer, which was subjective to passing the English language test for my visa.
Advice: Allow enough time; don’t miss the application dates; be patient as it can be an overwhelming experience; and make sure your personal statement reflects who you are in a well-structured and cohesive way. I also recommend you learn as much about the MBA program, and the various modules, as you possibly can before the interview.
Another thing that applicants should be aware of is scholarships and deadlines for them. MBAs can be expensive and the fees and other expenses can be worrisome. Keep an eye out for the deadlines for all the different types of scholarships available at your choices and the prerequisites. Scholarships are competitive and competition is tough, so be prepared. I had applied for the ‘Diversity Scholarship’ and had to write a 300-word personal statement about why I should get this, I had to make sure that my personal statement was as honest as possible and showed why I deserved it.
Irshad Paurobally, Durham University Business School, MBA ‘18
Format: After scheduling the date for this, a one-to-one interview was carried out via Skype. The process was a very straightforward and efficient one and lasted for around twenty minutes.
Questions: Could you talk about your background? Why do you want to earn an MBA? Why did you choose Durham University Business School? What interests you most in the program? Could you speak about a challenge you faced and how you overcame it? What responsibilities do you look for in your teams? How do you handle team conflicts? What are your main strengths and weaknesses? Why should we admit you?
Advice: In preparing for the interview, introspection and a heightened sense of awareness is key to be successful. The interview process is an opportunity to convey your journey and it is important to map your accomplishments thus far and to be able to articulate your desired vision for the future. Additionally, I found that it was helpful to practice mock interviews, especially if English is not your first language.
Matt Averna, ESMT Berlin, MBA ‘18
My interview experience at the school consisted of two interviews. The first was a very relaxed conversation during my initial visit, where we discussed the school’s values and the unique elements to the curricula and program. The second was a more formal video interview and the conclusion to my application process. There was, of course, a lot of focus on my professional background and career goals, but also quite a bit on my motivations, personal values and outside interests.
This was a change for me compared to other schools that I was considering and it reflected a much more holistic view of the MBA experience on the part of ESMT. I felt really comfortable being genuine about my goals and interests and the faculty was the same on their end. At the end, there was a sense of agreement where both sides recognized a good fit for both professional and personal development.
Maen Dabat, Vlerick Business School, MBA ‘18
Format: After applying for the MBA online, I managed to secure an interview for the program. This could have been conducted online via Skype, but I decided to take the opportunity to interview in person at Vlerick’s campus and couple this with a vacation to Europe. There, I had a face-to-face interview with a panel of three, including the school’s head of MBA programs, which lasted around 30 minutes. Straight after this, I then went and took my Vlerick Business School Admissions Test (VBAT), also on-campus.
Questions: The panel made me feel extremely comfortable and relaxed in the interview, and asked me to answer questions like: What skills do you have that are relevant to the MBA program? What skills do you hope to develop on the program? Why do you want to do an MBA? Why Vlerick? Why now? What do you want to do after the MBA?
Advice: Be yourself. If you try too hard to be something you’re not, you may come across as arrogant or cocky, which the interviewers will not look upon favorably. Try to relax and be comfortable in the interview process. And make sure you review common MBA interview questions online. These will help you understand the type of questions that you will be asked and give you the opportunity to plan and prepare accordingly.
Sabrina Hearn, Imperial College Business School, MBA ‘18
Format: The interview process for Imperial included a combination of the typical questions you would expect to be asked from any business school, such as questions around leadership and your future short and long term goals, and questions that were more specific to the school’s mind set and ethos. The interview questions tended to focus on firstly, whether you will gain from and contribute significantly to the program, and secondly, if you are a good fit for the school.
Advice: Be genuine. I think, ultimately, the reason why I gained a place on the course is because I was genuine in my enthusiasm both for the wider school and for the MBA course and mind-set. I had done my research on the particular institutes within the school that aligned with my background and aspirations, and I had a clear but flexible goal of what I was hoping to get out of my MBA experience.
Imperial students are known for their entrepreneurial mind set, regardless of whether they are planning to be an entrepreneur or to work for a larger company, so think about how you currently employ this mind set and why you think it’s important for your future career. Imperial is also very forward-thinking on issues such as diversity, business ethics and environmental and social innovation. Think about the way in which you want to become successful, not just how much money you want to make.
The interview process is a two-way experience to help you figure out if you will thrive during your time at the school. So, do your research, consider how you align with the school’s ethos and be yourself.
This article was updated on June 12th 2018
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