How To Answer These Questions In Your Interview | MBA Interview Guide

Different B-Schools are known to ask specific questions related to an aspect of you and your life. And this goes for all the top business schools in India. One of the popular ones is - “Why MBA?”. Asking such questions and answering them in a correct manner is important because it tells them A) how important an MBA is for you, and B) your plans for your career. In a broader sense, the interviewers want to know what it is about the school that made you choose them. You can explain it by telling them how the program aligns with your goals and interests and why it makes the most sense for you. The only way to go through the whole process is honesty and authenticity. This article is an aid to those who are finding it hard to answer "why MBA?" questions. Hope this helps you in formulating a b-school worthy answer.

Which specialization will you opt for? Why?

1. Many of you already know what you want to apply for. You might want to talk about that stream you want to apply for. Be sure to do a little research and identify why it makes sense to you, as that will be your answer to the question ‘why’. 
2. In case, you are not sure of what stream to opt then just say the truth. You can just say ‘I am not sure, I would like to explore my options during my studies’. And, don’t worry about it! The chances of the interviewer grilling you on this are minuscule. 

To ace this question, you need to prove that you are aware of the domain-specific concepts! Master your concepts here:

Marketing | Finance | Human Resources | Operations Management

Which specific skills are you looking to acquire from an MBA?

This question is asked to understand your reason behind doing an MBA. There are many skills that you can acquire from doing an MBA, like:

1. Strategic thinking
2. Creative/ problem-solving 
3. Leadership skills
4. Decision-making skills
5. Communication skills
6. Ability to connect with people 
7. Analytical thinking 
8. Ability to work collaboratively

You can either say one of the above-mentioned skills or say something entirely different. Either way, just be prepared for the follow-up questions. 

How many calls do you have? What will be your preference order?

Be very honest when you are asked this question for the following three reasons:

1. Having multiple calls has an impact on interviewers.
2. It's good that you are being asked this question because somewhere they think that you have the capability to convert all.
3. If you answer honestly, they generally don’t grill over your choice.

Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Dhirubhai Ambani didn’t have an MBA degree. Then why do you think it is important for you?

It’s a fact that an MBA is not necessarily the prerequisite to finding success in life. In the end, the MBA is just like any other degree. It helps you gain knowledge and develop your mind. In order to answer this question, you need to leave all the preconceptions about MBA being a “stepping stone or shortcut to success”. Tell them the real reason why you want to do an MBA. For example, A fresher who is new to the business world can say, “I don’t come from a business family, never studied about it during my undergraduate. But, then I see these ads with catchy taglines. It has really made me inquisitive of the marketing world. I want to dig deep into what happens in the marketing world and MBA is my chance to do that.” That is a very simple, to-the-point and honest answer. Something your interviewer might like.

Tell me about the decision you regret the most.

1. Don’t say “I have no regrets.” As you will open Pandora's box. You will be asked so many followup questions, most of which you will have no answer to. Remember this! The b-school is looking for a perfect candidate and not a perfect person. 
2. It is always safe to choose a professional regret (related to your academics, job or career). 
3. Describe how you handled the regret.
4. And tell them what you learned from it or how it helped you to become a better person.

How will your boss describe you? (if you have work experience)

1. Talk about your positive trait. (the real ones)
2. Quote your official performance review. (if you have one)
3. Since the question is open-ended, it’s a great opportunity for you to mention something good about you, something you didn’t get the chance to speak about yet.
4. Share an office story (involving your boss, manager, senior, etc) with takeaway.
5. Keep it simple. Just say 2 or more positive traits of yours with examples each. 

If not MBA, then what?

There is a high chance you will be asked this question. Your evaluators want to know your plan B. And having a plan is not necessarily a wrong thing. Yes, you are passionate about doing an MBA but it is also reasonable, reasonable and logical to have another plan in case your dream has not come true.  

What if you don't get selected in an elite B-School? Do you have any back-up plan?

In this question, the interviewer is trying to know your interest, if you really want to do an MBA  (and not just get into a fancy college), your resilience and your vision for life. While this is a very subjective question here are some common answers to it - 

1. I will join tier 2  b-school and try again next year. 
2. MBA is a degree. Sure, elite colleges are great at what they teach and good for making business connections. But, if I study and work hard, I can thrive anywhere. 

Remember, there are no right or wrong answers to this. Just speak honestly and be confident about it. 

If you want to become an entrepreneur in future, MBA is not essential for someone who wants to start his own firm. Then why waste time and money?

It’s true that MBA is sometimes overvalued. It is also true that for being an entrepreneur you don’t need to do an MBA. But, there are some things that an MBA can help you with no matter what or who you are. If your interviewer asks you such questions, then tell him/her why you think an MBA can help you. Some of good pointers could be - 

1. MBA is a great starting point for understanding business.
2. MBA can also help you with networking and making connections. 
3. Another good thing about a b-school is learning things through internships, competitions and projects. Apart from classroom learning, a business bubble environment helps you apply whatever you learn and want, in stints or simulations.  

What is the meaning of your name?

When your interviewer asks this question, he/she is trying to understand how self-aware you are. They are testing your level of intellectual curiosity, especially when it comes to investigating the origin of one's own name. So, do your research and be ready with an answer.

Questions based on your undergrad subjects or on your work.

These questions will be related to your background and past experience. Just answer everything you have done so far, in a truthful manner. And remember, to keep your answer smart and precise. You don’t want your interviewer to pick up on something irrelevant from your self-pitch and take the interview in a direction you don’t want. 

To read the first part of this article, click here.

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Apart from all of the above, keep yourself updated with current affairs! Read The Most Important Current Affairs Topics For Your MBA Interviews!