MBA is one of the top courses in India which every student wants to pursue. More than 3,00,000 applicants apply for various MBA programs in India. To get into the best business schools in India the candidate needs to clear CAT, NMAT, XAT, SNAP, GMAT, or any other authorized MBA entrance exams.
Apart from that students have to take a Written Test and GD/PI. But the final deal comes to a point where you meet the interviewer face to face at the top MBA colleges in India. So, here we are with some kick-ass tricks to crack an MBA Interview for all the aspirants.
5 MBA interview tips to get admission into a dream business school
- Start early-
The key to success is always to start early and not wait for the results. When you have already decided to pursue an MBA, you should start preparing for interviews once you submit your application. Do not wait for any interview call and waste time. You must be proactive and not reactive. If you keep waiting for an interview call to prepare for the interview, in the end, you will not get enough time to prepare well.
- Understanding your target business school’s Interview process-
Every business school has its interview pattern. While some business schools may conduct only a round of interviews, others might have more.
Similarly, one business school may have only one person as an interviewer, while others may have more interviewers in the panel. Also, the duration of the interviews may vary from 30 minutes to 1 hour or even more.
Therefore you must be clear about the process; it will help you manage your time in the interview and avoid confusion. You should also be aware of the types of questions that the interviewers might ask you in the interview and prepare accordingly.
- Prepare well for the most common MBA interview questions-
Every interview involves a few very basic questions to check your confidence, way of thought and way of presenting yourself. Similarly, every MBA interview has a set of common questions that are asked to almost everyone. These help the interviewer to know you and to know how dedicated you are towards your goal.
These could be just very common questions asked for everyone, or they could be specific questions asked only to those candidates who have a similar profile like yours. These common MBA interview questions involve the following:
- Tell us something about yourself?
- Why do you wish to pursue an MBA?
- Why did you choose this particular business school?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- What makes you different from others for this business school, and why should we choose you?
- Do you have any further queries regarding the business school or the program?
- Where do you see yourself after passing out from this business school?
- What are your interests and hobbies?
- Which companies do you follow outside of your industry?
- How did your passion for your industry develop?
- From which did you get to know about this particular business school?
- Name any personality in your industry whom you follow and admire?
- What will be your next step if you do not get selected?
You can also find ideas about types of questions in the transcripts of MBA interviews shared by the business schools. Although the transcripts are slightly modified, they will give you a gist of how an MBA interview is and what are some good resume and non-resume interview questions.
Once you are well aware of the types of questions that might be asked, the next step will be to prepare all the answers to these questions.
- Prepare and practice best answers for MBA interview questions-
One of the best ways to prepare any answer for the Master in Business interview questions is to check with the resume and essay you’ve got already submitted. The secret is identifying your crucial mercantilism points and anecdotes to support them.
While preparing answers for Master in Business interview questions, detain in your mind the business school’s core beliefs. It’s vital that you simply relate your critical strengths with their core beliefs to elucidate your program fit.
However, throughout this method, don’t forget to prepare substantive questions for your interviewers. The questions ought to be thoughtful and should demonstrate your genuine interest in the business school.
If you’ve got alumni in your interview panel, it’s an excellent chance to raise questions about their post-MBA experiences and the way that business school shaped their careers. You’ll be able to additionally ask admission officers specific questions about on-campus culture and the way their business school community nurtures growth.
The actual interview might not go the way you anticipated, and thus, be ready for the important questions. The most effective way to answer vital questions is, to be honest and how those experiences made you better. This may place you in a positive light and highlight your ability to ponder and focus on personal growth.
- Conduct Mock interviews –
As we all know, practices make a man perfect! This applies here when we talk about preparing for any interview. Now that you have a list of MBA interview questions and answers, you should dedicate time to work on your presentation and delivery.
Conducting mock interviews can help in this situation. The answers should be so well prepared and should come out in a very natural way that when you speak in front of the interviewers, you don’t sound hesitant, blank or confused. At the same time, it should not look like you have just memorized the answers.
If you have a family member or a friend who can help you, then the best way is to ask someone to perform a mock MBA interview with you. While you conduct the mock interview, you should record it in order to know where you lack and then work on it.
The primary purpose of this is not just to know how well you are speaking but also to check if you are diverting from the topic. While conducting mock interviews, also practice your presentation, i.e. dress code, body language etc.
After conducting your mock interview, analyze the recording; this will make you aware of your strengths and weaknesses and will give you a chance to work on them. You can also take the help of a professional interview coach in this process if you feel the need.
These tips and tricks will surely help you get admission to your dream business school. If you are an aspirant and have given an MBA entrance exam, you must be well prepared with common questions asked in the interview. You should be authentic and should be honest in your answers as this is the most empowering action, and it will convey your passion for your career goals.