The Wall Street Journal’s College Journal portal (a free site) has just published an interesting article entitled How to Answer Any Interview Question. Although the article is mostly aimed at job interviews, there are a handful of key takeaways that should be of use to MBA applicants.
In essence, the article boils down to four key interview prep tips:
1) Do your homework. In the case of a job interview this obviously means gathering extensive information on the company and why you would like to work there. Of course, the same holds true for MBA interviews – since most schools are very interested in understanding not only your background but also your interest in their program.
2) Direct your answers. It can be a huge faux pas to avoid answering the questions posed in favor of talking about a subject of your choosing. Having said that, the Journal article offers some interesting tips about how to structure your answers to help move the discussion in the direction you choose.
3) Prepare your examples. Just as you might think carefully about your accomplishments, leadership examples, and other great stories before drafting an MBA application essay, it’s absolutely critical that you prepare several anecdotes prior to interviewing. The article talks about how to choose flexible stories that fit several broad themes. [We'll actually add a bit of our own advice here and stress the importance of practicing your delivery of these anecdotes. This is why Clear Admit spends so much time quizzing our clients with mock interview questions to help them prepare for their MBA interviews.]
4) Don’t avoid questions about failure or weaknesses. It’s never a good idea to avoid questions about failure or weaknesses – since most interviewers can see right through this sort of thing. Even worse is to present a strength/success disguised as a weakness/failure! The key with these questions is to share a legitimate story that highlights the ways in which your failure might have been a valuable learning experience.
Read the Journal’s article for more details – or simply browse the Clear Admit MBA Admissions Wiki for hundreds of MBA interview reports and tips from the leading schools.
