For many, the next step in the journey to your MBA will be the interview. This may actually be one of the most challenging interviews of your career. Business schools want to know if you will be a good fit for the program and are also looking for indicators of how you will continue to represent the school after graduation.
I have taken part in hundreds (maybe thousands by now) of job and admissions interviews on both sides of the table, and there are some tips I want to share with you to help you relax and present with confidence the key messages you want to leave with the admissions team. These tips are relevant whether the interview is in-person, by phone, or by Skype.
Be Prepared. The worst thing you can do in an interview is to give the impression that you have done nothing to understand the school or the MBA program and what makes it unique. Review the school’s website, understand what the value proposition is for the MBA program, and connect that with your own career goals. Then take the time to define what these things mean for you in a very personal way. Doing research and then simply reiterating content from the website will do little to present you as a thoughtful candidate who understands the impact of this decision on your long-term career.
Ask good questions that help you to understand what to expect in the program and show that you recognize and can address any challenges you might anticipate. This is also a time for you to get to know the school and whether it fits with your goals. If you do not have questions for the interviewer, it can be understood as apathy or poor preparation — neither leaving a good impression that will get you admission into the program of your choice.
Practice is also essential to ensuring that you are sharing the stories and perspectives you really want to. Thinking about the questions the interviewer may ask and being confident of the messages you want to convey are sure strategies that will ensure you leave the interview feeling like you said what you needed to say clearly, and that you weren’t misunderstood.
Have someone give you a mock interview, tape it, and then review it and ask for feedback. Pay attention to your non-verbal communication (be careful with rolling your eyes or gesturing that appears contrived). As with any music or sports training, the more you practise the more you will be comfortable when you need to actually execute.
Be Yourself. But most importantly know yourself. Be professional, but let the interviewer get to know you. Conveying your strengths, as well as the areas you are developing, with honesty and integrity will leave you feeling good about your messages and help the interviewer feel confident that this was a real conversation, not a performance. Practise sharing specific examples in which you have exhibited leadership, teamwork, and had both successes and failures (what did you learn from each?). Also know your goals (long and short term) and be able to state them clearly and explain why they are meaningful to you.
Be a groupie with your industry. If you have a favourite music group you probably know all the words to their songs as well as trivia about members of the group. If you’re a real groupie you might even have pictures of them.
Similarly, hockey and baseball fans usually know all the statistics of their favourite players and teams. This works for your desired profession as well. You need to know details about your industry — from current events to important leaders in the industry and why you feel they are leaders. Being able to talk about where you have been and what you are passionate about pursuing will help you demonstrate a thoughtfulness and maturity about the MBA decision and where it fits in with your past and your future goals.
The interview is an invaluable opportunity and an essential component of a thorough MBA admissions process. Be thoughtful about what you want the interviewer (and the school) to know about you, be yourself, and try to have fun meeting someone from a school you may well be a part of soon. Good luck!