Earlier, everyone who applied for the MBA selection process
got the chance to sit for interview. The majority of business schools demanded
or highly recommended interviewing the entire applicant crowd. With time, this
system has entirely changed.
In the present MBA admission world, a candidate reaches the interview
process only after successfully completing the Aptitude Test and Group
Discussion rounds. The business schools
then select the students for interview round among those who clear all the
rounds prior to it. So, if you find yourself invited for the interview round,
it definitely means that your chance of being selected in the reputed
MBA Colleges is very high.
Interviews are the final take or leave step in an MBA
selection process. It is the only chance to show yourself and show the board
that you belong there. Done right, you get a chance to change your life.
There are a number of sure shot no-no’s for all interviews,
irrespective for what you want to be selected in. For those lucky enough to be
called for an MBA admission interview, the risks are excessively high to make
mistakes that might damage the chances of being selected. Here are the five
most important mistakes to dodge.
1. Being late:
This is the last mortal blow. Make sure
you reach the interview location well before the appointment time. This gives
you time to relax, ensure that you are looking good, and gives time the feeling
of being rushed and distracted.
However, it is understandable that
emergencies happen, if you are coming to the interview through air or highway, timing
is mostly out of your control. So, ensure that you have the necessary contact
information of the interviewer saved in your phone, so that you can access it easily
in case something happens.
If you have a genuine reason for the
delay and have called them, its’ all right. But, if you are running late, by even
ten minutes and not inform them, you should maybe consider some other Masters
school.
2. Not being dressed well:
Another rookie mistakes that candidates do
is not wear formal. Within the first five seconds of entering the room, you
will be accessed based on what you are wearing. Irrespective of what you have
heard, wear strict formal.
Make sure you carry accessories that
complement your dress. Do not go overboard and become too flashy.
And when in doubt of what to wear, go
conservative!
3. Not maintaining enough eye contact:
The admission board of the top MBA
schools, interview thousands of applicants. Eye contact becomes an important
criterion for shortlisting among them. When the candidate is not able to
maintain eye contact, it is inferred as a sign of lack of confidence or the
indication that the candidate is trying to hide something.
Maintain eye contact gives the
impression that you are involved in the conversation and that you pay attention
to the questions as much as you think about the answers. The MBA programs around
the world aim at pruning the future business leaders and being one, you need to
demonstrate confidence, communicate, and construct trust in a team.
A simple eye contact in an
interview goes a long way in displaying your necessary leadership skills.
4. Not being prepared for the common
questions:
Trying to wheel
the conversation in some other direction:
Do not fall for the temptation to go
off track and avoid answering questions. Doing this can leave an extremely
negative impression and you might appear to not paying attention, and trying to
drive the interview.
After answering a question if you think
there is some short AND related point that you might want to add, ask the
interviewer if it is OK to add something else there.
Not being
prepared with the basic answers:
You will come across in all the top
MBA universities some common questions. Some of them are - Why MBA? Why this
college? What are your strengths and weaknesses? What is your preferred stream
and why? What are your accomplishments as a leader?
Be prepared with the standard
answers to these questions. But make sure, the answers you make shows who you
are and what are your capabilities.
5. Not asking questions:
In rare cases you will not get the
time to ask questions. However, in 99 percent cases, you will be asked to ask
questions by the interviewer. Irrespective of what you do, avoid sitting there
and saying that you have no questions or worse ask the ones that you know the
answer of.
Have minimum five, concrete thorough
questions prepared. Ensure that the questions echoes your wide-range research
on the MBA School and the parts you most interested in. your questions may
include areas like internships, curriculum, students and faculty interaction.
It has been written and discussed repeatedly, and the time
has proved it right—just be yourself. And please note that the first
impressions in case of interviews are lasting and very impactful. It is your only
and best chance to make the admissions committee know why you are the right
choice. Done correctly, it can increase the chances of being selected and ultimately
a successful life.
Tripti Rai writes on the
behalf of shiksha.com, she advises students on right career choices, exam advices,
educational institutions etc. Along with education, she also likes to talk
about real estate whenever she gets a chance.
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