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HISPANIC NETWORK MAGAZINE www.hnmagazine.com
HIGHER EDUCATION
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n MBA interview is usually a 30 to 45-minute affair - a pretty standard timing that applies to most jobs too. Smart dress, hair well kempt, a friendly demeanor and turning up in advance of your allocated interview time are basics that every reader will, or most certainly should, be aware of. Acceptance rates at top business schools vary broadly. If youre thinking of applying to Stanford Graduate School of Business, for example, be advised that only 417 admitted students enrolled in its class of 2018 out of a total of more than 8,000 appli- cants - this is held as being the hardest MBA admissions team to please in the U.S. Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan School of Management, UC Berkeley-Haas School of Business and Columbia Business School fol- low in having some of the lowest acceptance rates around. This emphasizes the importance of the MBA interview, both from your perspective and that of the business school seeking to identify the most talented applicants before them. In the interview, top business schools will probably be assessing four things; per- sonality traits, knowledge, goal clarity and communication skills. Here are five tips to help you succeed in an MBA interview, sup- ported by feedback provided to us by admis- sions managers and directors from some of the worlds top business schools.
Know the top business schools and programs to which you're applying
Research and planning are at the core of almost any successful project, and if youre aiming for the top business schools, youve really got to know your stuff. We want applicants to come into the interview, comfortable and prepared. Show us that youve done your homework and fully researched our program, says Michael Holaday, UBC Sauder School of Business director of recruitment and admissions. With the goal of coming across well versed
5 MBA Interview Tips to Impress the Best Admissions Teams
By Karen Turtle
(but not over-rehearsed), go through the schools websites, read related media, watch online seminars and discover the business schools faculty. Professors may be teaching subjects that you have a particular interest in, or that relate to your post-MBA career ambi- tions. Assess how each school talks about itself - this is language you can incorporate into the MBA interview. Gauging the schools culture is also impor- tant. Reach out to current students and alumni to find out more about the student experience and different classes, what teaching methods the school uses and so on. Through direct feedback, you might also get firsthand views on the MBA admissions process and who con- ducts the interviews.
Prove to MBA admissions that you've got the skills and knowhow
A common first request made by MBA admissions (or it could be a student or alum- nus of the school) is to run them through your rsum, or make the simple request for you to tell me about yourself. Try to keep the answer to these sorts of question relevant to the needs of the MBA, concise, but also natu- ral (yes, its easy to say). Once the interviewer has that general over- view, they will likely want to target aspects of your experience to evaluate how you work in a team, lead a team, handle conflict, problem solve, set goals and so on. A typical request is, for example, to explain how you delivered a project within a very tight deadline. In cases such as this, Michigan State Universitys admissions director, Paul North suggests that you, use the STAR (situation, task, action, result) approach and keep your answers to less than two minutes.
Know the questions that are particular to MBA admissions
Tough questions may be fired your way, questions pertaining to your choice of recom- menders, to the timing of your application and to your future career ambitions. A review of your rsum might also incite the MBA admis- sions team to ask about changes in your career - so be prepared. In addition, its important to look at your application objectively for weaknesses - get a good friend to review it, if thats any help. Once youve highlighted what these weaknesses might be, strategize on how youre going to present these positively. Useful advice from James Holmen, the Kelly School of Business' director of admissions and financial aid is to, review your application and essays prior to your interview. Consistency between what you say in your application and what you say during your interview will be beneficial.
The MBA interview is a dialogue: Ask intelligent questions
Dont forget that the interview is a two- way dialogue, an opportunity for you to get to know [us] better and thus, ensure that you are choosing a program which is right for you, states Pejay Belland, director of marketing, admissions and financial aid at INSEAD. If you dont ask questions dur- ing interview, the school may think youre not interested in them. Try to veer away from ask- ing questions that can be answered easily on the school website. Instead, think of questions that relate to your professional and personal interests.
Rehearse
The key is to rehearse to the point where you dont sound rehearsed, but sure of your- self, and sure of your experience, knowl- edge and goals. You want to come across as a good communicator and listener. Write up all of the questions you think youll be asked and record yourself (smartphones are perfect for this). Practicing helps you to hone your answers, to work on your manner and your tone - this way there will be less garble and fewer digressions, making you come across in your MBA interview as prepared and polished as you can be.
Source: TopMBA
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