10 tips to ace your B-school Interview

After the written exam, most management institutes invite you for the next stage of the testing procedure, which could comprise essay writing, group discussions and interviews. In fact, almost every institute uses interviews to assess the suitability of the candidate. So what are the broad topics that you should prepare for in interviews? There are some questions/ topics that you should be ready to address. These are: Your introduction Academics (especially for candidates who are currently in their final year or who have just recently completed their graduation) Work experience (for candidates who are currently working) Current affairs and business awareness related questions, to assess whether a candidate is aware of and can speak on broader issues of national or international importance General questions such as why you wish to do an MBA, your career plans, etc Your hobbies and interests Your strenghts and weaknesses Tips to prepare In your introduction, try to ensure that you go beyond just repeating some mundane details about yourself. Try and make your introduction interesting by highlighting your unique qualities, interests, aims, etc. It is important to also highlight your achievements in your introduction, this could impress the evaluators and go a long way in ensuring your success. You could write down some points about yourself that you wish to cover in your introduction, this will ensure that you don't miss anything and may also aid in a smooth delivery on the day itself. When preparing to talk about academics, you will need to revise the fundamentals/ basics of the subjects you have studied during your graduation. Application-based questions could also be asked. For example, engineers with an electronics and communication background are often asked the differences between GSM and CDMA and which technology they think is better and why etc. Similarly, a candidate with an economics background may be tested on the relevance of Keynesian theories today, especially in the light of recent global economic developments. Quite often, candidates are asked about their favourite subjects and are asked questions on these. So think about which subjects you are ready to answer questions on! For candidates with work experience, the panel could ask you about the company in which you work and your role, as well as your firm's major competitors, the industry in which your company operates in, etc. Plus, be prepared for questions on recent developments in the industry -- such as large M&A deals, etc. Whatever your background, I strongly suggest that you read a newspaper every day. This will go a long way in helping you answer questions pertaining to GK and business awareness (besides helping you in the GD/ essay writing round as well (if any)). For questions on your career goals, strenghts and weaknesses, hobbies, etc ensure that you do some introspection and above all, be honest! Do not invent some hobby or strength just to impress the interviewer. Try and think about these questions -- remember that if you mention a particular strength, you may be asked to justify it by providing an example of when you actually demonstrated that particular strength. I suggest you read about the MBA course before the interview. If asked a question such as "Why MBA?", you could speak about the subjects that you are interested in or how the methodology used for teaching the course interests you -- the use of case studies, 'live projects' with companies, the summer placement experience, interactions with people working in the corporate sector through guest lectures, etc. Finally, it is a good strategy to practice for the actual interview by undergoing a couple of mock interviews and seeking feedback. You will find that practice helps you improve your responses and provides you indicators on which areas you need to prepare better. Source: rediff.com

Frequently Asked Questions IN Personal Interviews

Self Awareness :

1. How would you describe yourself ?
2. Tell me about yourself ?
3. How do you think a friend or professor who knows you would describe you?
4. What motivates you to put forth your best effort ?
5. How do you determine or evaluate success ?
6. What academic subjects did you like best ? Least ?
7. What led you to choose the career for which you are preparing ?
8. What personal characteristics are necessary for succeeding in the career that you are interested in ?
9. What is your philosophy of life ?
10. Why have you switched career fields ?

Weaknesses / Negatives :
1. What major problems have you encountered and how have you dealt with them ?
2. What have you learnt form your mistakes ?
3. What do you consider to be your greatest weakness ?
4. Did you ever have problems with your supervisor ?


Skills / Abilities / Qualifications :
1. What do you consider to be your greatest strength ?
2. Are you creative ? Give an example.
3. What qualifications do you have that makes you think you will be successful ?
4. In what way do you think you can make a contribution to society?
5. Why should we take you ?
6. What are your own special abilities ?
7. Why should we take you over another candidate ?
8. What is your managing style ?
9. Why do you want to join this institute ?
10. What do you know about our institute ?

Values :
1. What is your attitude towards working hard ?
2. What part does your family play in your life ?
3. What are the most important rewards you expect in your career ?
4. What is more important to you : money offered, or the type of job ?
5. Do you enjoy independent research ?
6. In what kind of a work environment are you most comfortable ?
7. How would you describe the ideal job for you ?
8. What two or three things are most important to you in your job ?
9. Do you prefer working with others or all by yourself ?
10. How do you like to work ?
11. Under what conditions do you work best ?
12. What is the highest form of praise ?

Experience:
1. In what part-time or summer job have you been most interested ?
2. Tell me about your experience.
3. What jobs have you held ?
4. How did your previous employer treat you ?
5. What have you learnt from some of the jobs that you have held ?
6. What jobs have you enjoyed most ? Least ? Why ?
7. What have you done that shows initiative and willingness to work ?
8. Describe your current job.
9. What did you like least about your last job ?
10. What did you like most about your last job ?

Goals / Objectives :
1. What are your short-term and long-term goals and objectives ?
2. What specific goals other than those related to your occupation have you chosen for yourself for the next 10 years ?
3. What do you see yourself doing 5 years from now ?
4. What do you really want to do in life ?
5. How do you plan to achieve your career goals ?

Education :
1. How has your education prepared you for a career ?
2. Describe your most rewarding college experience.
3. Why did you select your college or university ?
4. If you could, would you plan your academic study differently ?
5. Do you think grades are a good indication of your academic achievement ?
6. What have you learnt from participation in extracurricular activities ?
7. Do you have plans for continuing your studies ?
8. Why did you pick your programme ?
9. What courses did you like best and why ?
10. What courses did you like least and why ?
11. How has your college experience prepared you for this job ?
12. How did you pick your dissertation ?
13. Describe your dissertation process.

Salary :
1. What do you expect to earn in 5 years ?
2. What did you earn in your last job ?

Interests :
1. What are your outside interests ?
2. What do you do with your free time ?
3. What are your hobbies ?
4. What types of books do you read ?
5. How interested are you in sports ?
6. How did you spend your vacations in school ?

General :
1. What qualities should a successful manager possess ?
2. Describe the relationship that should exist between a supervisor and a subordinate.
3. What 3 accomplishments have given you the greatest satisfaction ?
4. If you were taking a graduate for this institute, what qualities would you look for ?
5. What can I do for you ?
6. Tell me a story.
7. Define cooperation.

Stress Questions :
1. What causes you to lose your temper ?
2. How often have you been absent from school, work or training ?
3. Have you ever had trouble with other people on the job ?
4. Can you take instructions without getting upset ?
5. Don't you feel you are a little to old/young for this job ?
6. How does your family like you being away on business trips ?
7. With your background, we believe that you are overqualified to join this institute.
8. You haven't had sufficient experience in this field.
9. Our experience with women on this job has not been good.
10. What would irritate you most if I as a manager did it ?

Influencing Others :
1. Tell me about the time you were most persuasive in overcoming resistance to your ideas or point of view.
2. Tell me about the last time someone made an unreasonable request of you.
3. Describe the most disappointing and frustrating experience in gaining the support of others for an idea or proposal.

Interpersonal Skills :
1. Describe a situation where it was most important for you to display tact and diplomacy.
2. Tell me about the last time you had a clash or disagreement with someone at school/college/workplace.
3. Tell me about a time when you felt most frustrated and disappointed at a person with whom you had worked.

Personal Adaptability :
1. Tell me about the last time you were criticized by a supervisor or a professor.
2. Tell me about the time when you felt most pressured or stressed at work/ school/internship.
3. Tell me about the time when you felt most frustrated at your school/workplace.
4. In what aspects of your work/internship do you have the most confidence in your abilities.

Communication Skills :
1. Tell me about the time when you felt best about your ability to draw out or solicit information from another person.
2. Tell me about the time when you had to work your hardest in order to fully understand what another person was saying to you.
3. Describe the last time when someone at school/work misunderstood what you were trying to communicate.

Motivation :
1. Tell me about the most long term, sustained extra hours of effort that you put into your work/college/internship.
2. Describe a time when you felt most frustrated or discouraged in reaching your goals or objectives.
3. What do you feel has been your most significant work/school/internship related achievement within the past year or so ?
4. Describe the last time you did something well which went beyond the expectations in your work/internship.

Administrative Skills :
1. Tell me how you go about organizing your work and scheduling your own time.
2. What do you do to ensure that your goals and objectives are met in a timely way ?
3. Describe the most extensive planning that you have ever done.

Problem Solving and Decision Making :
1.Tell me about the most difficult problem that you faced in your work/school/internship ?
2.Tell me about the last time you made a decision that backfired.
3.Tell me about the time when you regretted most not getting advice before you went ahead ?

Conflict Management Skills :
1. Tell me about the last significant crisis situation that you faced in your work.
2. Tell me about a time when you were most persuasive in overcoming resistance to your ideas.
3. Tell me about the time when you had a disagreement with someone at work.

11 most common Interview questions ; with best Ans

1. Set your communication objective

Like a politician or an advertising professional, you should define, prior to the interview, pertinent communication objectives.

2. Prepare your interviews until you are blue in the face

The key to success is not only to think about the answers to standard questions, but also to train yourself in getting these replies across.

3. Plead your case with eloquence!

We recommend that you be eloquent in the way you express yourself because one of the primary objectives of the interview is to see if you are a communicator.

4. At no point should you lower your guard

Interviews with former students can become particularly friendly.

..................11 most commonly asked Interview questions....................

Please understand there are no ready-made answers to the questions; instead, the attempt is to try to help you arrive at the correct answer yourself, so that you sound natural and coherent in an interview. Ultimately, an interview is a mirror to see your inner self and a subjective, specific and honest presentation is the key to success.

Q. 1 Tell me some thing about yourself.

This is how most interviews begin and this is one question you cannot afford to be unprepared for.

Q. 2 Why do you want to join this institute?

This is one question you should answer honestly and pragmatically. Ideally you should choose an institute based on certain criteria. Such as: Ranking/ placements, Courses offered, fee, location.

Q. 3 Which other institutes have you applied to?

This is a question that is very much linked to the previous question.For example, if you say that you had chosen IRMA because you have a flair for Rural Marketing and while answering this question you don't mention the name of other institutes known to offer quality course in Rural Marketing you are in trouble. So these two questions are to be prepared simultaneously avoiding conflicts in answers.

Q. 4 How will you add value to this institute if you make it through?

This is an opportunity to showcase your strengths but remember it is essential that your strengths should be supported by related achievements.

Q. 5 What do you consider your biggest failure?

CAUTION: This is not an opportunity to pour out your darkest secrets. This is a question that is best played down.

Q. 6 Why have you chosen this career?

This is an area where a mature and realistic answer is expected. People choose their career based on several reasons, such as: What is your aptitude?, What motivates you?, What activities do you enjoy?.

Q. 7 What is the last book you read?

Many experts would tell you that you should know the ins and out of the books and everything about the author and his writing style.

Q. 8 How will your contribute to this campus if we select you?

This is a question that directly relates to your strengths and aspiration.

Q. 9 Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

This is not when you start throwing in fancy designations.

Q. 10 Who is your role model?

Your role model can be anyone – a public figure or even someone from your family. It is a good idea to know a lot about the person you would make your role model. 


Q. 11 Do your have any questions for me?
"No" would be a bad answer. It is good to have a few questions that relate to the academic and cultural environment of the institution. This will show your enthusiasm..

read more: click here