Preparing for MBA interviews can seem to be an endless sea to swim. Though an interview can be very unpredictable, there are a few sure-shot questions and some important ones that can make your view in one interview or the other. In this blog, we have listed a few questions that are the most commonly asked in MBA interviews and how to answer them.
Top 20 MBA Interview Questions & Answers: The Basics
- Tell me about yourself.
This is the most basic question that everyone knows but still fears. Consider giving your life update in under a minute. Now there’s a catch: If this question is asked at the beginning of the interview, it can potentially drive your counter questions/ interview in the direction of your interests. Avoid mentioning anything in the bad light and events you are not confident about. Practice counter-questioning from your content.
Example for the flow of ideas: Start with the place you grew up—> Your Schooling (+ you can mention a significant achievement/s)---> Your graduation (include internships, PoRs, competitions to align with managerial qualities)---> Current Job (Roles in a brief) / if drop year does not specify it, instead focus on certifications/ internships—> Your hobbies/ Volunteering experience if any.
- Avoid detailing everything and leave something for counter questions.
- Be ready to answer any type of question about the content. For example, if you say you like cricket and know the basics, apart from the fan stuff.
Why MBA?
This tricky question is always answered diplomatically. You can not mention you are looking for great salaries, though that’s what all are up to with the 25 lac loan in hand :)
- For Experienced: The answer can revolve around targeting the upper management roles, upskilling, and pivoting your sector/ Domain. For example: Exploring a new field of interest from Finance to Marketing/ Gen Man etc.
- For Freshers, Try highlighting how your internships, college achievements, Positions of Responsibility in clubs and societies, case competitions, family business, etc. have intrigued your interest in business, corporate, or a specific domain.
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Why XYZ Domain?
This can be a sub-part of your Why MBA answer. A few examples: I developed an interest in digital marketing/ advertising during college when I managed my department's social media presence, I developed an interest in managerial/ HR/ Gen Man positions seeing the work output of my colleague senior/ while assisting him/ her.
The HR/ Behavioural Questions
Self-awareness is an important exercise during the entire GDPI process. You are, in a way, pitching yourself, and being honest is important as the panel in front of you almost has experience equal to your age.
- What are your long-term and short-term goals?
Short-term goals: (2-3 years from now) Short-term goals for most of you will revolve around answering how you will make the most of your MBA, the sector/domain, and how the B-School fits into the picture. For example, you can talk about networking, case competitions, practical applications of the approach, exposure to case-based pedagogy, international exchange, your interest in a specific domain, etc.
Long-term goals: (5-7 Years) What kind of a company do you want to get associated with? Your career aspirations in terms of role and culture or whether you wish to start something of your own.
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
This is a very subjective question and requires thorough introspection. Avoid general statements, do not give a weakness that is a backhand compliment. Avoid those weaknesses that can be negative for your MBA journey. For example- Don’t just say I am an introvert who avoids social gatherings. It can put you in a negative space and myriad of counter questions. Instead, frame it like this: I am still learning to address a crowd and remove my stage fear. For your weakness try to state a practice you are doing to improve yourself.
- How did/ would you handle a conflict in a professional space/ team project?
While answering such questions do not put the other person in a completely negative light. Try to balance and state the opinions of both/all the parties. You can use the STAR method to structure your answer.
- How have you grown as a person in the last 2 years?
This can include professional/ academic/ hobbies/ personal development or a combination of these.
- Tell us about:
- Anything that has not been covered in the interview process until now.
This can be tricky if you include something you don't know about or if you try to answer hastily. If you think all your strengths are covered include an incident that is relevant/ close to you/ helped you to figure something out.
- A time when you failed
Focus on the reasons and lessons.
- Faced moral dilemma.
- Something you want to change about your college/ previous workspace/ your neighborhood.
(again don't be entirely negative/ crib. Stick to constructive criticism)
- Your academic achievements/ niche skills/ hobbies
- Interesting facts about the cities/ states you have lived in, the meaning of your name, etc. (for example, the name of your college like DU colleges which are often named after a special figure)
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How to use the STAR method to structure your answers?
It is one of the fancy lingos you will pick as you start your MBA journey (many more to come!) To make it easy for the panel and yourself to answer questions in the format of STAR that is, firstly emphasizing the situation, the task you did/ had, the action it resulted in (positive/ negative) in numbers, and as a result the success/ loss it made to your team/company/ project.
For example, As a Social Media Manager, I had to improve the impressions and discoverability of the small business I work with. For this, I had to post keeping in mind the new social media algorithm and collaborate with creators. After 2 months of using my strategy, the impressions crossed the 1 Million mark, etc., resulting in a 2x increase of leads and 50% revenue.
How to answer questions with criticism (for you)?
Do not jump straight away to defend yourself. Instead, acknowledge it and then frame it around the incidents that can prove it otherwise. Smile, and don't be nervous. It is to judge you under stressful conditions.
Stay tuned to this space for more lessons on WAT-GDPI! All the best :)
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