With CAT and SNAP results being out, all the top colleges will start rolling out their shortlist and that means the further processes will be coming up soon. Clearing CAT or XAT or any other entrance exam was definitely a milestone to be celebrated, but do not get laid back, as interviews are major deal-breakers or deal-makers for your final MBA admission. It is partly true that there is no certainty as to what questions are usually asked in MBA interviews, and it varies a lot from college to college. However, there is surely a list of questions that you should prepare diligently, irrespective of the college you are sitting for the interview. This article will highlight the most Common Questions Asked in MBA Interviews and also suggest how to tackle them. Understand the very fact that these questions may seem to be simple but each and everything you speak is highly evaluated. Most of the time, these questions become a talking point in your interview and the direction is completely changed based on these. Therefore, it is important to prepare and craft these answers carefully, so that you have a better chance of converting your dream B-School.
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1. Most Commonly Question Asked in MBA – “Tell Me About Yourself”
Irrespective of the setting, this is the most predictable question that you can think of. The question seems to be very straightforward, however, a well-rounded answer to it is definitely a challenging task. Understand that it should include your academic and professional journey so far and subtly hint towards your next ambition or goal.
Why It’s Asked: Institutes and interviewers want to gauge your communication skills through this. Additionally, they also want to learn the different aspects of your background and what you value most. It also highlights the candidate’s ability to present themselves and create a first impression in front of the panel.
How to Answer: Start with your city where you have spent most of your time. Then narrate your academic journey and professional journey (ignore if a fresher). Highlight achievements in your journey so far and use instances to solidify your stance. Finally include your personal interests and hobbies that define you as a person. And end on a note that subtly hints why an MBA is the best thing for you. Avoid fillers and do not repeat situations as that makes the panel lose interest in listening.
2. Question Asked in MBA Interview – “Why Do You Want to Pursue an MBA?”
This is needless to say that this is the heart of all the behavioural questions that you may encounter in the interview. Prepare a solid answer which clearly shows your motivation and should very authentic. Do not give the same vanilla answer which everyone gives, instead add personal elements to it.
Why It’s Asked: The interviewer here wants to understand your motivation and also determine if an MBA is the next right step for your career goals and aspirations. Furthermore, they also are likely to check if that program fits well with your life so far and with your future goals.
How to Answer: Be specific about what you want to achieve through an MBA. Discuss how it fits into your short-term and long-term career goals. The reason could be switching into a new industry, advancement in the same industry or as simple as skill and personality development. Use elements which are unique to the college where you answer like courses, faculties, any clubs or committees, etc. to make your answer more appealing and authentic.
3. MBA Interview Question – “Why This Business School?”
All of these management institutes want to know why you are interested in their program specifically. Remember that you cannot use one generic answer in all of these colleges. That will definitely backfire and will not create a good impression about you.
Why It’s Asked: This question helps the interviewer and panellists assess whether you have done enough research and genuinely understand what sets your program apart from other competing business schools. It is also a way to evaluate how well you are likely to fit into that particular B-School’s culture.
How to Answer: Highlight the most unique features of the program that also resonate with you. This could be specific courses, faculties, networking opportunities or even just the college’s culture and community it holds. Show some enthusiasm and mould your response back to your career goals. For example, you can easily mention how the college’s focus on entrepreneurship will help you build your dream startup, few years down the line.
4. Common Question Asked in MBA Interview – “What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?”
Again a very classic interview question, this one can be a bit tricky because it requires honesty and self-awareness yet not being overly critical about yourself such that it goes against your way.
Why It’s Asked: Interviewers here do not want perfectionists. They know that everyone comes with some flaw. They want to understand the strengths and how you have been using it. Similarly, they want self-aware aspirants who show their weaknesses and are continuously working on improving themselves.
How to Answer: Choose around two to three strengths that are relevant to your MBA journey and have exhibited in the past. For example, you might want to highlight your leadership skills or your ability to work under time pressure. When discussing weaknesses, focus on areas you are actively working to improve and mention what exactly you are doing. Avoid clichéd answers like “I’m a perfectionist,” and instead say something genuine, such as struggling with delegation. Always then mention what you are doing to overcome it.
5. Common Interview Question in MBA – “Describe a Time You Demonstrated Leadership”
It is also one of the most Common Questions Asked in MBA Interviews. As we all know and understand MBA programs are designed to develop future leaders, so this question is very important.
Why It’s Asked: The admissions team wants to see evidence of your leadership qualities and understand your style of leadership. Instead of being generic about it, they want to know particular incidents and might want to dig further.
How to Answer: Use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method to structure your response. First, briefly describe the situation to the panel and set the background or context. Then focus on the task that you are given upon, be specific here. Then describe what you did and why it was necessary then and finally conclude your answer with the results yielded from that incident. Do not forget to reflect on what you learned from the experience and how you still use it in other aspects of life.
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6. “What Are Your Short-Term and Long-Term Career Goals?”
it is one of the common Questions Asked in MBA Interviews and articulating your goals clearly is again very important. This demonstrates that you have thought about your career trajectory and only then have decided to pursue an MBA and not under some kind of peer pressure.
Why It’s Asked: The interviewer here wants to know if their program aligns with your career plans and do you really have a realistic vision of your future.
How to Answer: For short-term goals, mention how you want to utilise the MBA program and what all expectations you have from the program. You can be a bit specific here. For long-term goals, explain you want to see yourself in a leadership position at a reputed where your actions and decisions will contribute to the firm’s success. Additionally, you can also a personal touch to your long-term goals by addressing what you want to achieve at personal front. It could be any act of philanthropy or social responsibility or something similar.
7. “What Is Your Greatest Achievement?”
This is the best opportunity to highlight the biggest achievement you had so far in life. Highlight again in the very way how you want to steer the direction of the interview.
Why It’s Asked: The panel here want to know what you value the most in your life. They want to evaluate how you articulate your flow of thoughts clearly and convince them as to why that event is so important for you.
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How to Answer: Again here, you can use the STAR framework to frame your answer. Remember that majorly aspirants want to talk about their academic or professional achievements, but it is not a hard and fast rule. You can also mention something which is personal to you. Achievement can have a different meaning to different individuals. What is most important here is that you highlight your role, the actions you undertook and finally results and learnings out of that event.
8. “What Are Your Hobbies or Interests Outside of Work?”
It is one of the Common Questions Asked in MBA Interviews as life is not all about academics and professional career. As a human, you will have some interest other than your routine life. Highlight them here and show authenticity here.
Why It’s Asked: MBA is all about multitasking and individuals who are good in multiple aspects will be appreciated and preferred.
How to Answer: Share hobbies or interests that showcase your creativity, teamwork or dedication. For example, if you are someone who sings, mention all the details there. Start with since when you are pursuing, professional level of learning, type of songs you sing, favourite and your inspiration. All of these aspects make the answer very personal and enjoyable for the interviewer to know.
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