MBA Admission Interviews: How to answer in winning style

QS TopMBA.com worked with www.mbapodcaster.com on how to prepare for an MBA interview. We talked to the MBA admissions directors from two top business schools - Michigan Ross School of Business and Chicago Graduate School of Business, to find out what they like to see and hear when they talk to a candidate.

Interview policies

Top business schools have various interview policies so be sure to find out what the process is at the schools you’re applying to. Some schools want to talk to all their applicants, like at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. MBA Admissions Director Jim Hayes says they strongly encourage all of their applicants to interview prior to the application deadline. “That’s not always possible, so it’s not an absolute requirement for the application. It is, however, a requirement for anyone that we’re going to admit. In other words, we don’t admit anyone who hasn’t been interviewed.”

Other schools may select you for an interview. Rose Martinelli, Associate Dean for Student Recruitment and Admissions at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business says they use an interview-by-invitation policy. “This means that once we receive an application, it will go through a full review process, whereby it’s analyzed on a number of metrics by a student reader and then by one of the associate directors. At that point, we will either invite them to interview or deny them from further consideration. So, about 50-60 per cent of our pool will receive an interview invitation. It really is based on the quality of the applicant.”

An interview with MBA admissions directors is a chance for you to talk about your background, your career path, how you discovered the MBA and why it makes sense for you to embark on one. Rose Martinelli says while a candidate is talking about the above criteria it’s a chance for the school to assess a candidate’s communication skills, passion, charisma, and their ability to effectively communicate a message. “It’s a really important source of information, but by no means is it the deal breaker. No final decision comes solely from that component,” she says.

The interviewer will only have 30 minutes to an hour with you and in this short window you not only want to leave a good impression, but a lasting one as well. To do this, you need to know all of the basics. Why do you want an MBA? What are your future goals? And, essentially, why is this particular school the one for you?

Practice before you preach

“Speaking about yourself is a lot different from writing, so it’s probably a good idea to practice aloud,” says Rose Martinelli. “What I think is really helpful is for candidates to sit down with friends or colleagues and discuss their path, plans and dreams. Really get into a mock interview experience. The more you interview, the better you become.”

Chicago GSB conducts blind interviews. That means the admissions directors will only have your resume in front of them and they won’t have even read your application. “It’s really important for the student to talk to the interviewer about their path and plan. It’s one of the ways that the applicant introduces themselves to the interviewer. The interviewer will explain a little bit about themselves as well, so it equalizes the information and helps create a sense of rapport when you first begin your interview.”

At the Ross School, Jim Hayes says the admissions committee will check to see if what a candidate says in the interview matches what they wrote in their essays. “A very important part of the preparation is to know the school’s essay questions because from a personal approach I will often grab questions from our essays just to see what response you get in the interview, and then later on, look for consistency in those responses.”

Remember that an interview is meant to be a conversation. Rose Martinelli mentions some common mistakes candidates make. “I’ve seen a number of people come in with such fixed descriptions of what they want to say that it’s no longer a conversation, but a regurgitation of things they’ve memorized. And that’s not helpful. Neither is the short response—yes, no— or the blank deer-in-the-headlight look.

“Another common mistake is going on and on talking about accomplishments but not allowing the conversation to form. The interview is really a dialogue, and there has got to be some interest by the candidate to understand the interviewer and vice versa. It’s important that the common pleasantries really do take place and that a conversation can ensue.

“I think the final thing is that people are so nervous that they can’t think straight. I would encourage people to practice and to relax once they get in there. If they need to crack a joke, or if they need to admit that they’re pretty nervous, some of those techniques can help break that crazy atmosphere that sometimes happens during the interview. But most importantly, be yourself and know yourself. Don’t try to be more than you are and don’t try to be less than you are. You have to believe in yourself as well.”

Source: www.topmba.com