Preparing For MBA Interviews

An interview is the final step in the MBA admission process. Have you reached this stage? Congratulations! You have worked hard. You are 90% there. The final 10% will depend on how you stand out from other aspirants.

Now pragmatically speaking, 'standing out' here doesn't mean how different you are. We are wired to believe that the more unique you are, the better you will stand out. But here's the thing - you are ALREADY UNIQUE. All you need to do is prove that you are 'capable' of making the most of your career. MBA colleges have a responsibility to nurture the best professionals; hence, they look for candidates with potential, the kind who add value to their alumni circle and establish the university's name further in the real world.

Everyone has the potential to earn an MBA from a prestigious institution, and it can be achieved with the right guidance tailored to your needs. We Commquestians are here to help you with that.

MBA Interviews Are All About Good Communication Skills & Knowing Yourself Well

MBA interviews can go broadly in either of the following directions:

• Technical questions: relating to the field of the course, current affairs, problem-solving scenarios, critical thinking skills, etc.

• Personal questions: Freshers are usually a good target for this; you will be questioned about your future goals, soft skills, decision-making skills, etc.

Based on your resume, the panellist will decide which route to take. Experienced professionals who already have extensive work experience know themselves decently well and have established goals. They have a fair idea of where they'd like to be in the long and short term.

Freshers, on the other hand, are new to the real world. Hence, they are discovering who they are, what they want from life and where they wish to be in the future. This is why they are bombarded with personal questions, with a few technical questions to check their knowledge.

Now, please note: your interview is not limited to just the above. It can go any way possible, so it's best to be prepared for both technical and personal questions.

The best place to start is by knowing who you are, how you operate, how you think and how you judge. The more you get to know yourself well, the better equipped you will be with your answers.

Keep An Eye Out For Current Affairs

Source: Unsplash

I understand how tedious the current affairs can be; I used to hate them too. But trust me, bro, you will soon start gaining interest in them once you realise how important they are to an MBA professional.

Some of the things you can look out for are:

• News

• Industry trends

• Yearly budget

• New government schemes

• Old government schemes and their impact

• Technology disruptions (e.g. AI, machine learning, automation, natural language processing, etc)

• Geo politics

• Any latest developments in your respective industry

A pro tip here: it's great to learn new things, but it's even better if you can analyse them, break them down through critical thinking skills and draw your conclusions. This skill will help you not just in interviews but also in the real world.

Here Are Some Practice Sample MBA Questions For You

Personal and Background

1. Tell me about yourself.

2. Walk me through your resume.

3. What are your strengths and weaknesses?

4. How would your friends/colleagues describe you?

5. What is the biggest challenge you've faced in your life or career?

6. What achievement are you most proud of?

Career Goals & Motivation

7. Why do you want to pursue an MBA?

8. Why now?

9. What are your short-term and long-term career goals?

10. How does this MBA program fit into your career plan?

11. What would you do if your post-MBA goals don’t work out?

12. Why this particular business school?

Leadership, Teamwork, and Conflict

13. Tell me about a time you led a team.

14. Describe a time you worked in a team and faced conflict. How did you handle it?

15. How do you typically handle criticism?

16. Tell me about a time you failed. What did you learn?

17. Give an example of a time when you motivated others.

Decision Making & Problem Solving

18. Describe a difficult decision you've had to make.

19. Tell me about a time you had to convince someone of your point of view.

20. Share an instance where you had to solve a complex problem with limited information.

B-School Fit and Contribution

21. What can you contribute to the class?

22. How do you plan to get involved on campus?

23. What clubs or activities are you interested in?

24. What do you expect to gain from your MBA?

25. Who do you admire (a leader, entrepreneur, etc.) and why?

Behavioral & Hypotheticals

26. Tell me about a time you had to step out of your comfort zone.

27. Describe a time you had to work with someone very different from you.

28. What would you do if you were the CEO of your company for a day?

29. How do you handle stress and deadlines?

30. Tell me about a time when you had competing priorities.

Get In Touch With Us

We truly hope that the above tips can help you get started with your MBA interview prep. If you have any questions or need help crafting answers personal to you, then get in touch with us!

Our team is always here for you. Good luck!