Common mistakes in an MBA interview
Think carefully on your aspirations, skills, needs and passions: Where you want to grow? How should you expand your skill sets? An MBA education is intended to prepare you for a career, not for a job. Never lose sight of what’s best for you in the long run. Everyone desires to avoid making mistakes so that they can put their best foot forward during an MBA admission interview. In this article, we’re going to explore some of the most common MBA interview mistakes and analyze how they can hurt your possibilities of obtaining accepted into an MBA program.
Not Preparing Answers
The most important practice to be done is to prepare answers for all the possible questions. Some of them are:
- Why do you want an MBA?
- Why did you choose this business school?
- Why do you want to do an MBA and not any other course after graduation?
Dominating the Interview
Admissions committees invite candidates for an MBA interview because they want to know more about you. That’s why it is important to avoid dominating the interview. If you spend the entire time asking questions or giving lengthy answers to every question you’re asked, your interviewers won’t have time to get through their list of questions.
Verbosity
It’s always very unpleasant. Verbosity is a common interview mistake. Candidates love to talk more. The answers to the questions should not take more time. It should concise to two minutes.
Beating around the bush
It means talking a lot but not conveying the actual message or meaning, this should be avoided. Interviewers always like to get answers to the point.
Sounding Unprepared
If the answers show lack of preparation it creates a negative image to the interviewers. While in an MBA interview, the vocal tone plays an important role.
Weak answers to key questions
Some fundamental questions will be asked in every interview and providing weak answers to them will create a negative impact on the MBA interview panel members.
Mistakes in Etiquette
It’s very important to maintain etiquettes while attending interviews. Should be properly groomed, disciplined, respect etc.
Being Rude
Being rude is one of the biggest MBA interview mistakes an applicant can make. Manners count in professional and academic settings. You should be kind, respectful, and polite to everyone you encounter – from the receptionist to the person who interviews you. Say please and thank you. Make eye contact and listen attentively to show that you are engaged in the conversation. Treat every person you speak with – whether it is a current student, alumni, or the director of admissions – as if he or she is the one making the final decision on your MBA application. Finally, don’t forget to turn off your phone before the interview.
Being Negative
The negativity of any kind won’t help your cause. You should avoid badmouthing your boss, your co-workers, your job, your undergraduate professors, other business schools that rejected you, or anyone else. Criticizing others, even lightly, won’t make you look better. The opposite is likely to occur. You could come across as a whiny complainer that can’t handle conflict in professional or academic settings. That is not an image you want to project onto your brand.
Not listening
It’s very important to listen to the interview panel. Only the fruitful communication can be done. Be careful not to focus so much that you forget to listen to the questions being asked.
How to avoid MBA interview mistakes
● Be respectful, kind, and polite to everyone (from the receptionist to the person who interviews you)
● Say please and thank you
● Make eye contact and listen carefully to show that you are engaged in the conversation
● Smile when appropriate Treat everyone you speak with as if they are the ones making the final decision on your MBA application
● Don’t be too informal. Address your interviewer as “Ms.” or “Mr.” unless she specifically invites you to refer to her differently
● Don’t be late for the interview. Be there at least 15 minutes early.
● Dress appropriately
● Turn off your phone before the interview
● Avoid use slang or informal communication, even if the interviewer does
● Don’t ask the interviewer personal questions
● If you make a mistake, move on. Don’t cry, curse, walk out, or make any type of scene during your interview
● Be positive and always talk about the good side of things (experience, people you worked with, etc.)
● Smile
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