10 Steps to Nailing the Interview
1. Know your application. Your interviewer will know your application cold – every bullet point of your resume and every sentence of your essays – so you should too. Review your application thoroughly before you interview and be prepared to talk about any piece of it – from the obscure club you joined your freshman year of college to the golf handicap you listed under “personal interests” on your resume.
2. Practice, practice, practice. You’ll never be able to prepare for every possible interview question, but there are certainly a few you should practice answers to. More importantly, practicing will help you project confidence and feel comfortable come interview day, and that will go a long way in communicating your strength as a candidate.
3. Prepare good anecdotes. You’ll almost surely get a “tell-me-about-a-time-when” question at some point during your interview. Even if you don’t, having thought through a few anecdotes about a time you worked on a team, overcame an obstacle, or failed at a task will ensure you have an arsenal of material to fall back on.
4. Plan interview day logistics carefully. Showing up late, getting lost, forgetting to bring a pen or paper – all easily avoidable sources of embarrassment and stress if you plan the logistics of your interview day carefully. Create a checklist well in advance, tour the campus early or check out a map, and make sure you arrive with plenty of time before you’re scheduled to start.
5. Bring the right materials. Come prepared with a copy of your application, some blank paper, and a pen to take notes if appropriate. It will demonstrate your preparedness and make you feel more confident in the process.
6. Treat everyone you meet with kindness. A negative report from a receptionist, a current student, or a professor can kill your application quickly. It doesn’t matter whom you meet or in what capacity, always present your best face, be courteous, and be professional.
7. Dress professionally for the interview. Applying to a school for business requires attire to match. Dress in appropriate business wear, and consider bringing an extra outfit if you’re traveling from out of town in case something happens to the first.
8. Expect to be stonewalled. Your interviewers will be well practiced, and each one will have a different interview style. In general, though, expect your interviewer to be stoic during the actual interview, even after they greet you with warmth. Don’t be thrown if the interviewer doesn’t seem to be reacting much to your answers. It’s perfectly normal.
9. Ask smart questions. Depending on the interviewer, you may have the chance to ask one or two questions at the end. Don’t waste the opportunity; it’s a great chance to set yourself apart from other applicants. Avoid questions with answers that could be found online or that you could ask of just about anyone. Try to demonstrate the thought you’ve put into picking that school and the uniqueness you’ll bring to the program by asking something specific about your area of interest.
10. Follow up. Some MBA programs provide a formal process for following up after interviews. Take care to write thank you notes to your interviewer, any staff you met, or professors or students that you interacted with during your visit. If you don’t have the contact information for the people you met, send the thank you to the appropriate general office mailing address.