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Background
Fresher, B.A. (Foundations in Management) (IPM, IIM Indore)
CAT 99.67%ile (99.97, 96.2, 96.96)
10th - 10.0 CGPA, 12th - 94.0%, UG - 85.4%
IIMA Interview Experience
27 February 2021 | HSR Layout, Bangalore | Afternoon Slot (1 pm)
AWT (20 minutes, 250 words, one A4 sheet with backside for rough work)
It centered around how advertisements for children should be banned since they are manipulated easily into unnecessarily buying items. We were asked to dissect the argument, provide an example of a study that would counter the argument, and give our take on it.
I was extremely excited since marketing was my area of interest, and I loved reading about and analyzing ads. I tried to answer every question they had posed sequentially in my response and form a coherent whole.
Interview
There were two panels. I was the first candidate in the second panel. Around 20 minutes after submitting the AWT I was called in. My legs were shaking in anticipation. There were 2 panelists (P1 and P2) at the video conference. Both were male, probably in their 40s.
P1 - Hello Sejal.
Me - Good afternoon Sir! Should I take off my mask?
P1 - Yes that would make you more comfortable
Me - Sure
(I tried to take off the mask, but it got stuck in the clip at the back of my head…oops! I struggled with it for over a minute while they just stared at me…embarrassment reached the roof)
P1 - (seeing me struggle, probably felt pity) It’s okay, take your time! Get comfortable.
Me - Sir I think this will remain stuck for a while. We can start the interview.
P2 - Are you sure you’re comfortable? We can wait.
Me - No Sir, it's alright.
P1 - Okay then Sejal (reading off my AWT) you have mentioned in your AWT that marketing is needed in monopolies. What is a monopoly? Do monopolies really need marketing?
Me - Answered. Also clarified that I mentioned monopolistic competition in my response and that marketing is essential in that scenario to differentiate products from competitors.
(I was hoping for more economics questions since I’d prepared hard, but alas! None came)
P2 - So are you interested in marketing?
Me - Yes Sir, I love reading about brands and as of today, I do see myself pursuing Marketing after my MBA. However, I do understand that the goal is a moving target that evolves with time and further exposure may change my outlook. I haven’t had any formal courses in Marketing, but I have taken up allied electives in Media Literacy. The subjects in my course are the foundational subjects of management - Economics, Philosophy, Statistics, Sociology, etc.
(I was naming subjects I had prepared, hoping they would ask me academic questions, but they didn’t want to give me what I expected!)
P2 - Is advertising the same as marketing?
Me - Answered
P2 - If I gave you an advertising budget, and asked you to advertise a product, how would you go about it?
Me - Spoke about understanding the target demographic for the product (mentioned Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning framework) and choosing the advertising medium most suited to them.
P2 - (cutting me off) Say it’s a product for rural masses. Which medium would you use?
Me - Probably billboards or TV.
P2 - How do you know if your ad is serving its purpose?
Me - Spoke about neurological methods to assess consumer response to various types of ads (didn’t know details), disguised surveys, etc.
P2 - (looking disappointed) No no no, you can’t use all that to measure the actual impact. How would you actually measure the impact of an ad you’ve placed on a medium?
Me - (slightly confused) TV ads can be measured by TRP probably, although that still wouldn’t tell you how many people are actually buying your product after looking at the ad. So maybe you can correlate sales in a certain region with an ad that was played on TV in that region, or a billboard placed in that region to gauge its impact (I was rambling at this point, didn’t really know how much sense I was making. They continued looking at me like I was talking gibberish)
P2 - Any other way?
Me - Sir I can’t think of any.
P1 - Okay then how would you advertise a luxury car?
Me - Spoke about how luxury brands sell based on their brand value more than actual features. Spoke about advertising it as a status symbol.
P2 - So you’ve mentioned Kahneman and Tversky’s work in your AWT. About System 1 and System 2 thinking?
Me - Yes Sir
P2 - So are buyers of luxury cars using System 1 or System 2?
Me - System 2 Sir, because their purchase decision is made after active thinking.
(They asked me some more questions, and I tried to give an example of Spotify’s advertisements, but they cut me off before I started and said that can’t be compared with a consumer durable like cars. They looked at me like I was crazy. My confidence was running extremely low, but I kept smiling).
P1 - What was the theory that Kahneman and Tversky gave?
Me - Sir I don’t recollect the exact name of the theory but they spoke about various biases in our thinking.
P1 - (looking alarmed) Have you even read their work? How can you not remember the theory?
Me - (sure that I’m doomed, but smiling nonetheless) Sir I read the book 3 years ago and remembered certain ideas from it, which I mentioned in my AWT. I am unable to recollect the exact theory.
P2 - Okay so what biases did they talk about?
Me - Mentioned confirmation bias and availability bias with examples. They looked like they wanted me to continue, so I told them this was all I recollected
P2 - (disappointment had become perpetual on his face by this time) What is a bias?
Me - An error in thinking
P2 - That’s all?
Me - I think so, Sir (they were cross-questioning and grilling on every answer :/)
P2 - (he went into Prof mode, I loved this bit!) So if I have a cup on this table. And I throw a ball. Sometimes it will fall into the cup, sometimes it won’t. Can I call every instance of it not falling in a bias?
Me - No Sir. It would have to be systematically weighted in one direction. Right, so a bias is a systematic error in thinking.
P2 seemed (slightly) satisfied
P1 - Okay so you’ve done a research project in Psychology, and presented it at a conference. What was it about?
Me - Explained
P1 - What methodology did you use?
Me - Surveys
P1 - How many people did you survey?
Me - We had 120 responses
P1 - And how do you know all of them were legitimate? How do you know people didn’t just tick random options in all questions?
Me - Sir we ask the same question in multiple ways and check if the answers match. In one question the answer can be 1 on the Likert scale, and the same question in another way can be 5. So we ruled out those whose responses didn’t match and came down to 90 legitimate responses.
P1 - What is this called?
Me - I can’t recollect Sir (I was really really nervous by this time, and forgot something basic to my research! I remembered it the moment I left the room, alas!)
P2 - (looking perplexed) So how did you even get these responses? Did you send out a mail?
Me - Honestly speaking,
P2 - (laughing) You should never be dishonest.
Me - (smiling) No Sir, I wasn’t dishonest earlier, I am just explaining in detail now. Spoke about low responses from email, and resolved it by administering the survey during a class taken by the Prof I was working with.
P2 - So that’s a biased sample. Only people who took that course will respond to it.
Me - It was a compulsory course.
P2 looked satisfied (FINALLY!)
P1 - What are your hobbies?
Me - Spoke about calligraphy and playing basketball, mentioned I captained school and college basketball teams
P1 - What is the height of a basketball pole?
Me - (cursing myself for not having prepared facts about basketball) I don’t know that Sir
P1 - What is the difference between a Boys’ Basketball and a Girls’ one?
Me - Boys play with Size 7, girl size 6.
P1 - So what is the difference?
Me - (I thought I already told that!) - Sir the size
P1 - (laughing) Obviously! What in the size?
Me - (Huh??) Circumference(?)
P1 - Why does a basketball have grooves? Why isn’t it smooth like a football?
Me - To get a better grip on the ball while dribbling and shooting.
P1 - A goalkeeper also has to catch the ball.
Me - Sir he wears gloves
P1 - (looking amused) Why don’t you wear gloves and play basketball with a smooth ball then?
(I had no idea what was even happening at this point)
Me - Because that would restrict hand movement and make the shooting action difficult (mimicked my shooting action). Also, the goalkeeper doesn’t necessarily have to catch the ball, just defend it.
P2 - (laughing hysterically) You have never watched football if you think the goalkeeper doesn’t have to catch the ball!
(I looked at him, embarrassed)
P1 - Last question about this, what is the three-second rule?
Me - Explained
P1 - Are you sure?
Me - Yes Sir!
P1 - Have you been following the Budget?
Me - Yes Sir (finally something I had prepared for!)
P1 - Who is X? (named some person I’d never heard of)
Me - I have read the Budget in detail Sir, but I do not know this person.
P1 - He is not related to the Budget, leave it!
P2 - What do you know about NEP?
(What? No Budget? Again!)
Me - Explained what I knew. They looked like they were expecting more. So I racked my head for more details. Mentioned about Foreign Universities being allowed to set up campuses in India.
P2 - Is that a good thing?
Me - Definitely! Spoke about how knowledge is independent of the nation and we should be open to new knowledge and pedagogies.
P2 - But why would a University want to come to India?
Me - Spoke about large Indian population, young demographic, more diversity in students
P2 - Indian students can still apply abroad. Why do the Universities need to come here?
Me - Spoke about financial accessibility.
P2 seemed satisfied.
P1 - You are fresher, do you have a campus placement?
Me - Started to explain
P2 - (Cut me off) No no, she is from the Integrated Program.
Me - Yes Sir, it is a 5-year course with an exit option after 3 years. I already have a seat for IIM Indore’s PGP. If I get selected at IIMA, I will exit IIMI and join you. But an MBA is definite.
P2 - So why do you want to leave then?
Me - Sir I have spent 3 years at IIMI. And they have been absolutely amazing. I have learned so so much. In the classroom and beyond. However, I feel that the marginal utility I get by spending each additional year here is diminishing. I have already interacted with most Professors, many of my batchmates.
P1 - But you only said you haven’t studied formal Finance or Marketing. So how does it matter if the Professors are the same?
Me - Sir more than that, I have developed a comfort zone here. I want to step out of that and grow. And IIM Ahmedabad is the best B-School in the country and among the best in the world. I will be able to learn so much from my peers and faculty members. It will also open up new opportunities for me and equip me to contribute productively in the workplace when I enter it. I have worked extremely hard to get here, and I would love to join your Institute if you give me the chance.
P2 - (laughing) Should I call up my friends at IIM Indore and tell them you said this?
Me - (smiling) Sure Sir, they know I am here! They have wished me luck!
P2 - What other calls do you have?
Me - B, C, L, I, K, XLRI
P2 - Okay great!
(The signal cut off at this point and I wasn’t sure if my interview was over. I called the admin staff, and they resolved the connection issue)
Me - Sir I wasn’t sure if my interview was over, the connection got disconnected
P2 - (light-heartedly) Before you go, we are left with 2 very important things. First, take a toffee, and second, do you have any questions for us?
Me - (taking a toffee) I am not sure if you feel comfortable answering this since it is a bit personal, but what made you take up research and teaching?
(both looked at each other and laughed)
P2 - (still laughing) You need to be a little mad! Is that what your Professors at Indore also say?
Me - (smiling broadly) Sir I think a little madness in life is necessary!
P1 - (laughing more) You are going on the right path!
Me - Thank you, Sir. I hope to see you soon!
Duration - 35–40 minutes
Verdict - Converted!
It was an absolute roller-coaster of an interview! I don’t think they expect you to know all the answers. I think they just test to see how you react when you don’t, how honest you are, and how much you are willing to make logical guesses. Smiling all the time and staying calm definitely helps!