When the time comes for you to interview with your target MBA program(s), you may inevitably find yourself fretting and wondering, “What if I don’t know the answers to my interviewer’s questions?” The admissions officer, alumnus/alumna or student who interviews you will not ask you about esoteric topics and will not expect you to answer questions pertaining to management disciplines. The vast majority of the questions you will encounter in your interview will pertain to your life and experiences.
As your first step in preparing for your interviews, take time to reacquaint yourself with your own story, especially as you have presented it to the school thus far in your application. Go back and reread your essays, contemplate pivotal moments in your life and consider your major accomplishments and failures. By doing so, you can perform at your very best during your interview.
While most business school interviews are straightforward opportunities for an admissions representative to learn more about a candidate’s personal and professional background, goals, reasons for selecting a specific school and leadership/team experiences, interviews can vary dramatically from school to school and sometimes include a few peculiarities.
So, what constitutes a “tough” interview, and how can you best navigate one?
Stoic interviewer: Some interviewers can be unemotional, refusing to give the candidate any indication as to whether he/she is making a positive impression or not. Of course, when an applicant is under intense pressure, this perceived lack of approval can be misunderstood as a sign of disapproval. The key in managing such an interview is to tune out the interviewer’s lack of emotion. Focus on your answers and do your best to not be distracted by anything about the interviewer. “Reading” the interviewer in real time can be challenging—concentrate instead on showcasing your strengths.
Philosophical questions: Most candidates expect to discuss their experiences and accomplishments in their admissions interview, but not their values and philosophy on life. Harvard Business School in particular likes to understand applicants’ motivations and will ask questions like “What is your motivation to succeed?,” “What drives you?” and “What gives you purpose in life?” The key to answering these sorts of questions is pretty simple: expect and prepare for them in advance .Do not assume that all the questions you will receive during your interview will be experiential.
Persistent questioning: Sometimes a tough interviewer will continuously delve deeper into a subject, such as by repeatedly asking, “Can you be more specific?” or “Can you tell me more about that?” These kinds of pressure tactics can be disconcerting, but the key is to simply stay on topic. No matter how persistent he/she is, the interviewer is always essentially asking you about a subject that you know quite well—you! Just stick to your agenda, and you will be fine.
Be comfortable and relaxed and start preparing!
This article is contributed by mbaMission