Receiving an invitation to interview with a business school admissions team is good news — they’re interested in you as a candidate.
However, your initial excitement may give way to anxiety. While schools typically won’t disqualify you for a bad interview, a strong performance can seal the deal. Experts say one of the most important things you can do is familiarize yourself with the more challenging questions you may be asked.
“Just as you wouldn’t sit down and write an essay minutes before the application is due, you wouldn’t walk into an interview without having prepared,” says Graham Richmond, co-founder of Clear Admit, an online community for MBA applicants. “The good news is that in almost all cases, you have weeks to prepare. You have time to think about this.”
MBA interviews are quite different from job interviews, so practice your questions with a colleague, admissions consultant or friend who has MBA interview experience, says Sam Weeks, founder of Sam Weeks MBA consulting.
The following questions are commonly asked in MBA interviews and often present a challenge.
[READ: Questions to Ask MBA Admissions Officers]
Give a 30-Second Elevator Pitch About Yourself
A twist on an introduction, some B-schools ask you to concisely explain yourself, your goals and where an MBA fits in.
“Given that it tends to come up right at the start of an interview, it can throw people off right from the first question,” Weeks says.
The key is to identify your mission, he says, then use the first 15 seconds to summarize what you’ve already done professionally and the second 15 seconds to outline your plans. Be specific about why an MBA from that school is necessary to reach your goals.
The interviewer may follow up by asking about an interesting detail of your story, Weeks says.
Do You Really Need an MBA?
One of the most common questions is why you want an MBA; most candidates are aiming to advance in their field or make a career pivot. But Weeks says what often trips interviewees is this follow-up question: “Couldn’t you make that move without an MBA?”
“In a stressful interview, when candidates are under pressure, that pushback throws a lot of people off,” he says. “It’s up to the candidate to identify their own skill gaps, then to connect the MBA to fill in those skill gaps.”
To answer this question well, highlight exactly what you will gain from the program that will help you reach your goal. Mention courses, training, professors or networking opportunities specific to that school.
“The bonus point is that it demonstrates great research, which the schools love,” Weeks says.
Where Else Are You Applying?
This question is a Pandora’s Box scenario that feels “nightmarish,” Richmond says. On one hand, you may seem overly ambitious or leave interviewers wondering whether they’re your “safety school” if you list schools typically ranked above them. On the other hand, listing only lower-ranked schools may leave you worried that interviewers won’t think you’re ambitious enough or believe you’re “overshooting” by applying to their school.
“It’s really challenging, and you could argue it’s almost an unfair question on the side of the admissions team,” he says.
[Read: 4 Surprising Application Mistakes Prospective MBAs Make]
Admissions offices often maintain that this question is asked for market research, but Richmond suggests there is also some “yield management happening” as well. In other words, they want to know how likely it is you’ll attend their school if accepted.
“I would advocate that rather than go nuts figuring out the right strategy,” he says. “I think honesty is the best policy. Just share where you’re applying, and if they ask why, have a little justification for each school that’s on your list and try to turn the discussion as quickly as possible back to what makes the school you’re interviewing for really interesting.”
Describe How You Handled a Work Conflict
This question may be framed several ways, Richmond says, such as asking you to describe a time you were part of a team that didn’t achieve its goals. Describing something that didn’t go well is usually challenging, he says, but it’s extremely valuable to show how you used failure as a learning opportunity.
“Your ability to showcase that suggests a level of maturity and ability for growth,” Richmond says. “But the problem is that candidates end up painting a coworker or a boss or someone in a really negative light, which we would call throwing someone under the bus.”
While these questions may feel daunting, they’re a valuable opportunity to demonstrate self-awareness and resilience, says Scott Woodbury-Stewart, CEO and founder of Target Test Prep, which helps MBA applicants prepare for the GMAT and GRE.
“When addressing questions about failure or weaknesses, focus on what you learned and how you improved,” he wrote in an email. “Business schools seek applicants who can adapt, grow and lead effectively, so use these questions as a chance to highlight your ability to learn from mistakes and continuously evolve.”
[READ: 7 Ways to Stand Out When Applying to Business School]
Talk About an Ethical Dilemma You’ve Faced Professionally
MBA programs aim to equip you with skills to navigate situations that may test your moral compass. How you answer this question is important, but applicants are often worried about how they may be perceived when outlining their involvement in an ethical dilemma, Weeks says.
The best plan is to discuss a time when a superior asked you to do something that you felt wasn’t right. This ensures you won’t look like the instigator and lets you show how you handled adversity and assessed the tradeoffs of the dilemma, he says.
“You have to choose between X, which would’ve led to something, or Y, which would’ve led to something else,” Weeks says. “Lay out that decision for the interviewer who might not understand the significance of the request. Then, with that dilemma laid out, how did you make your decision? Rightly or wrongly, what were the values that you leant on to make your decision?”
Next, explain the result and what you learned. If you struggle to find an example, ask for a moment to think about it, he says, then share any situation where you were tested and showed good moral judgment.
Advice on Presenting Yourself
Sarthak Gupta, an MBA student at the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago in Illinois, offers these interview tips:
— Speak from the heart and with clarity.
— Stick to the point.
— Use anecdotes to “show” rather than “tell.”
— Bridge your background to pursuing an MBA.
— Make it a conversation, not a monologue.
“Interviewers value authenticity,” he says. “Instead of over-rehearsing responses, focus on why your work matters to you and how it connects to your future goals. Even if the interviewer is unfamiliar with your field, your enthusiasm can make them genuinely interested.”
For tips on how to get into B-school, how topay forit and what an MBA could mean for your career,sign upfor U.S. News’ twice-monthly newsletter, The Bottom Line.
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Answer the 5 Hardest MBA Interview Questions originally appeared on usnews.com
