The MBA Interview

Feeling apprehensive about your MBA interview? Here are some quick tips to provide insight and alleviate anxiety about what to say and how to say it.

Who’s interviewing you and for how long? Keep in mind that more than likely, your interview will be somewhere between 30 minutes to an hour. Most schools will either have an admissions committee member interview you or a former graduate who is selected especially for this purpose.

Should you prepare? Most certainly! You should rehearse your interview as if you were an actor preparing for opening night. While there is spontaneity to a candidate if there is no preparation, eloquence will more than likely come with practice, which is more important than spontaneity in your MBA interview.

Formal or Informal? Always stay on the formal side of things, as our tendency when we grow informal, as if talking amongst friends, is to express doubts or hesitations in regards to the MBA program or ourselves. Stay on the safe side, even the interview grows more and more relaxed or when interviewing with a former student. The MBA interview is not the place to express your fears or hesitations!

Should I do my homework? Yes – you should most definitely do your homework. Interviewers will want to see that you know everything there is to know about their program when it’s time for you to ask questions. And remember; try to avoid generic questions or answers when it’s finally your turn to speak.

Hopefully, these four tips will be helpful when approaching the MBA interview process. Don’t forget that the first impression is often the only impression!