This article is geared towards B-School aspirants but the guidelines can be broadly used for most non-technical interviews.
There are little tricks that can take away the pressure and help you perform better. The biggest “trick” of them all is being prepared for the interview. Think of an interview (barring a few random stress interviews) as an Indian Idol/X-Factor stage. You have to showcase what you’re good at and either hide your weaknesses or repackage it as a success story driver. From your introduction, to the discussion around your past & future, to the conclusion: IT ALL HAS TO TIE UP! Confused? Read on.
P.S. If you're a fresher, definitely read the penultimate section.
Introduction:
Most interviews start with a basic “introduce yourself/tell us about yourself”. This is one of your best opportunities to shine and plant a seed that the interviewer would want to explore. This is where you can begin to guide the overall path of the interview. You can pick any seed you want; it could be related to an achievement, your work experience, extra curriculars or even your hobbies.
A boring introduction: Hi, my name’s Anindya. I’ve done my bachelor’s in xyz from xyz university.
An interesting introduction: Hi, I’m Anindya. I’m a xyz major and I chose that field because of x reason. I did it from xyz university where I was involved in xyz activity/I've worked in xyz industry and xyz experience led me to believe that I would be a good fit at a B-School of your stature.
This is just a rough skeleton of what your introduction should be. Don't make it too long! 60-ish seconds should be the limit. Mine revolved primarily around my badminton career and internships. Thus, I could lead the interviewers towards my strengths. My “weaknesses” were my relatively poor past academics and indirectly masking them with “yes they’re not that great but look at this!” is a way for you to explain why you couldn't do well in one particular aspect. However, don't give them a picture filled with excuses. Own up. Repent. Show the progress since then.
To remain as bulletproof as possible after these initial introductions, keep the following cards prepped and ready under your sleeve:
1. Any interesting information about your hometown, where you stay and their basic history.
2. Information about your family.
3. Hobbies: Keep in-depth information ready! Example - If you like painting, info around famous painters, artworks and styles may be asked of you!
Beeta hua kal (the past):
This is the armor that must never break. Your school, your college, your academic scores, internships, work experience: it has to be ready. The only way to survive inspection? Introspection. Note down key points from each part, brush up the main courses of your bachelor's degree, and keep a smile on throughout your interview. If you have notable achievements in any sect of life, keep them ready. These are the weapons towards which you must guide the enemy (don't quote me). Connect all the dots well so you can showcase a roadmap right down to this point in your life.
Do you have a career gap? Bad grades? No internships? That's alright. A knight in shining armor is a soldier who's never been truly tested. Wear your tragedies with pride. If they don't come up, great. If they do, its a chance for you to flaunt your journey of growth. What shines in your CV? Bring it out immediately. But only as long as you can connect it with this particular fault. Show them why you took a fall. Show them which gold coin you bent to pick up before you fell. This requires two things to achieve:
1. Deep introspection into why exactly you lapsed.
2. Confidence and crystal clear communication.
We all have faults. Learn to repackage them.
Career Goals:
1. Long term goals: It's okay to not have a concrete plan (if you have one, be ready to pitch it). What works best is to have a broad vision for the next 10-15 years in which you can highlight a few pointers. Anything that would be aided by an MBA in the long run works, but only as long as you make it sound genuine. It would be best for you to do some introspection and make an actual long term vision for yourself instead of choosing to faff/gas/globe. I pitched a fitness apparel and app startup idea in my interviews that I genuinely intend to take up some time in the future. This segment has to be tied up with your next segment and vice-versa.
2. Short term goals: You need to be prepped for this. This sort of encompasses the "Why MBA" question as well. What this section should include is your plan for the next 1-5 years (roughly). This includes the sector you plan to work in (filled with reasoning behind it based on your past experiences and knowledge). You could say that its undecided and you'll decide based on your MBA learnings but having a broad sense of the direction you want your career to take is a plus. I talked about my interest in marketing, the desire to run a successful business and how an MBA would grant me the educational foundation I lacked. If you want to go for a particular sector, be prepared for questions related to it. Consulting may not be the best choice here because they might just ask you to solve a case; do it only if you're prepared to impress. If you say finance, may god have mercy on your soul and I hope your knowledge levels are on point.
3. Why MBA:
A bad answer: “An MBA would help me advance my career after my bachelor's/job” or "better salary/status".
A good answer: “I thought extensively about this and realized that I want to work in xyz industry/direction. For this I require guidance and knowledge in the field of xyz and an MBA would be vital for this. I have worked/interned in xyz industry and I felt that having in-depth academic knowledge in the sector would really benefit me. Apart from that, the exposure and diverse sources of learning that your institute offers would help me absorb much more than I could at another place”
My answers revolved around connecting my sport and how marketing was a huge part of it. I'd said I wanted to know more about marketing and get into the business of converting wants into needs; essentially into the field of brand management and consumer perception.
Why our Institute?
This section is highly customizable and your best option would be to tailor it to every institute you give an interview for. While many may consider this a rather "extra" move, making an impression is what it's all about.
Prepare three things from all the institutes you plan to interview for:
1. Electives & Professors: Most IIMs have similar core courses that are compulsory for all. Electives are a different game altogether. Most institutes have a list of electives on their website and identifying those that interest you along with the professors that teach them can, potentially, be a huge bonus. Talking about certain courses that interest you in their institute and naming professors who teach them with a little background info can get you a lot of brownie points in these situations.
2. Clubs: Look at the active clubs in the institute and if possible, contact the seniors there and get some insights into how they run and what their primary vision is. When asked this question, you could talk about the vision/activities of certain clubs that interest you. Talk about how you feel they would contribute to your overall development and mention a few initiatives you would implement if you ever got a chance to do so. Doing your homework and being well-informed never goes to waste.
3. Institute activities: Most institutes have their own set of seminars and guest lectures for which reputable alumni or personalities from the corporate world are invited. You could talk about your desire to be exposed to such imminent personalities and learn from them whilst providing a few names that interest you (past speakers).
In the case of my IIM C interview, I had prepped myself with two of the three things mentioned above. Elective and clubs. I'd visited the electives section as well as the clubs page of the IIM C website and listed down those that interested me.
FRESHER ZONE
As a fresher, you have to know why you want to do an MBA at this particular phase in life and not later. Also, given that most of your batchmates will have work experience and the format of most classes is case-based, wouldn't it be better if to go for an MBA later? Now you can't just go for the jugular and say "Abhi ek MBA karke salary point high karlenge, 4 saal baad paise bacha ke Harvard jaake asli MBA krenge". Truth without love is empty. Be kind.
Bring in the pros of a fresher - you're young, hungry, open-minded and free of bias. You believe an MBA would give you a solid foundation to begin your career upon. Your MBA peers are more experienced? Fantastic. You can learn a lot from them and, humbly, hope to grant fresh-er perspectives to them (pun unintentional). As for the case-based structure, you enjoy reading cases - bring this in only if you've read up a few HBS cases to give examples of and explain your structured approach to solving them. All in all, be ready to paint an image of energy and passion.
General Tips:
1. Never lose your confidence and smile.
2. Toe the line between showing off and undermining your achievements.
3. Always be courteous, even if put under stress.
4. Dress well. Google what a management professional wears and pick an outfit.
5. Practice with someone before your actual interview.
6. Since I've spent over an hour writing this, like it, share it and follow me on LinkedIn/Instagram. Also, DM me on LinkedIn if you have any doubts, Insta is a little crowded.
Many got in with lesser preparation. A few fail to get in with better. Try to be in those select few. Best of luck!
