State Board Commerce (XI-XII) - Test Papers
10 Most Common MBA Interview Questions
The toughest section among all the screening rounds is the personal interview. That is because there is no syllabus, no pattern and no definite queries that you can refer to. Interviewers focus on evaluating your overall personality and skills while conducting an MBA Personal Interview.
Students are required to have quality leadership skills. Although what the interviewers will ask you is uncertain, we have jotted down for you some of the usually asked questions.
-
Tell Us Something about Yourself.
This is one request the interviewers usually have. Here, you need to give a short description about yourself including family background, education qualifications and more.
-
Why do you want an MBA Degree?
Explain what motivates you to pursue a degree in management courses.
-
What was your favorite Subject during Graduation?
To extend the conversation they may ask your favorite subject. Choose wisely and be prepared as they may dig deeper by asking some subject related queries.
-
Why are you interested in the particular B-school?
You have to be prepared with a list of the qualities of the institute. (You should do this preferably before applying). Points could include placement record and teaching reviews among other information you like about the institute.
-
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Be brief and do not forget to explain why and how you use your strengths and tackle your weaknesses.
-
What are your short and long-term goals?
Explain where you see yourself in next 5 to 10 years. Your goals must be realistic and focused.
-
If you’re admitted to the program, what do you think your biggest challenge will be?
Evaluate your performance and mention the challenges you are going to face. You can talk about competing in studies or getting placed to the industry and company of your choice.
-
Questions about General Awareness
A management student should have good general knowledge. Interviewers maybe inclined to ask you about your interests and dig deeper. They will ask general knowledge questions they believe you should know based on the information you provide. Although it is entirely possible they might ask any question on general knowledge. Questions could vary from general information to specific industry information.
-
Question from Current Affairs
Stay updated with the latest and trending news from all around the world. They may ask your opinions about certain events.
-
Do you have work experience? Have you ever handled a team?
If you have no work experience, then simply answer truthfully. In case you have, then give the factual details. Try not to add to false information that you will not be able to back up in case interviewers decide to ask specifics. Remember that interviewers are experienced people and they will be able to sense a lie.
You may be interested in the following:
MBA Entrance Exams
Get set for you MBA Entrance Exams!
Tips to get through to a Good B School
More Personal Interviews
8 Tips To Crack Personal Interview for B-School Admission
How MBA Interviews differ from regular ones?
Do’s and Don’ts in a Personal Interview
Group Discussions
Tips and Strategy for Group Discussion
8 Tips To Crack Personal Interview for B-School Admission
Personal Interview round is conducted to check the interpersonal skills of aspirants. This is the case whether you have applied for MBA Admission or a Job Opening. MBA (Master’s in Business Administration) is a post-graduate degree that is required to apply for premium positions. Hence, there are certain parameters on which the caliber of a candidate is judged such as communication skills, presentation of self and more. Listed here are 8 PI Tips for B-Schools:
- Be Confident: Confidence is a very important asset that one should possess. It should not be misconstrued as arrogance, which often results in overconfidence. There is a very thin line between confidence and arrogance. Learn to be confident and show it in your answers.
- Be Prepared with “Mostly Asked Questions”: It is a must for aspirants to prepare well for the mostly asked questions. These are the basic question like questions on your introduction, why MBA, why you want admission in a particular B-school, how MBA can help you to achieve your goals. According to experts interviewers may also grill you on the basis of core-academic knowledge and may ask intricate questions related to your work experience.
- Dressing Sense: Your appearance provides an impact of a disciplined person. A well-dressed person is measured as a well-disciplined one. So, don’t be over dressed or under dressed. Just pick your best formals. Dress like a leader who inspires others to be disciplined.
- Arrive before Time: Mark your presence on time otherwise you would have lost before the battle. Management graduates are appointed to premium positions hence, they are expected to be punctual.
- Be Yourself: Personal Interviews are conducted to test your attitude. Your attitude reflects your thoughts and the ability to answer the questions regardless if the answers are right or wrong.
- Think before You Speak: It is essential to take a pause before answering any question. Listen carefully what is asked and think precisely before speaking.
- Stay Updated: Aspirants should be aware of the latest issues trending in the news. They can have their own opinions about it.
- Be thorough with your CV details: Your resume or curriculum vitae plays an important part in personal interviews. Interviewers tend to ask questions on the details that you provide in the CV. They expect you to be fully prepared with minute details on any information that you have provided.
According to a CAT topper, it is extremely necessary to be thorough with details provided in the CV. It is alright to not be able to answer some questions with regard to current affairs and academics, but it is indefensible if you won’t be able to answer questions about yourself.
You may be interested in the following:
10 Most Common MBA Interview Questions
How MBA Interviews differ from regular ones?
Do’s and Don’ts in a Personal Interview
MBA Entrance Exams
Get set for you MBA Entrance Exams!
Tips to get through to a Good B School
Group Discussions
Tips and Strategy for Group Discussion
How to prepare for MBA Admission interview?
To get admission to a renowned B-school you require hard work and dedication. Personal Interviews are conducted to evaluate the communication and interpersonal skills of aspirants. Moreover, a student’s confidence, personality, and leadership skills will be analyzed to offer admission. Hence, preparing for MBA Admission Personal Interview needs focused approach and ample knowledge about current affairs and general awareness. To prepare for a personal interview, aspirants can follow the below mentioned tips:
- Do Research
Know the format of admissions committee for the personal interview. This will help you to anticipate questions so that you can prepare for the answers as per the format. Explain your story, why do you want to pursue the MBA course and also mention how this can help you in achieving your goals. Be honest. Don’t use drama or trivial talk. Be brief and straight to the point.
- Practice Hard
Ask the expected questions to yourself and answer the same in a polite manner – as you would during the interview. Remember most interviews are of 30-45 minutes, so be calm and composed. The more you practice, the more concise, polished, and organized you become. Write a short introduction of yourself. If you are nervous then it’s normal since you have not faced an interview panel before. Your aim is to just stay focused. Jot down points on the basis of your CV when asking questions to yourself. For example, “I’m Amit, I want an MBA” is not a good introduction. At the same time you do not have to elaborate your childhood experiences if asked to introduce yourself.
- Dress to Impress:
You must have heard that “The First Impression is the Last Impression” so, it is a must to dress professionally. Your personality says a lot about your attitude, your thoughts, and your behavior. Never underestimate the power of appearance. Treat the MBA admission interview as a job interview. Hence, dress like a business professional.
- Be Real:
Never try to impress the interviewer with fake and impressive stories. They will come to know from your expressions and the way you talk. Just focus on the facts and tell them the honest facts. If you haven’t set your goals tell them you are keeping your options open. Do not make up a goal. However, you must be clear about your strengths and weaknesses, the type of career you want and how MBA can help you to get it.
- Be thoughtful:
Near the end, the Interviewer will give you time to ask questions. Here, you can clarify your doubts about anything in the program. Do not ask useless questions just because you believe you have to ask something. You can ask queries related to the program structure, you can ask questions that will help you to decide whether the course is a perfect fit for you. Avoid asking questions that can be found online easily.
How MBA Interviews differ from regular ones?
The purpose of conducting interviews, MBA Admission Interview or Regular Interview, is to select the most appropriate candidate for the respective institute or job. However, there are few aspects that separate them. MBA Personal Interview is a little special among the other rounds as it requires elite treatment and you will also get the same.
You have qualified the primary level, i.e. the entrance test and now you are all set to face the interview panel. Here are some questions that may pop-up in your mind, and the major one is ‘How MBA Interviews differ from regular ones?’ Here, we have tried to explain the differences between them.
MBA Interview:
When you appear in an MBA Interview, the interviewer will ask you about your clarity over the goals. They will judge you on the basis of your personal skills like how eager you are to learn? Is it possible to groom you? Can you add value to the institution?
- Your professionalism and your personality are gauged.
- They will check your potential and willingness to learn.
- It is more important to show that you are flexible and can adjust to any condition.
- Your technical skills or graduation knowledge is least important.
- Your confidence level will be analyzed.
Job Interview:
The interviewers at a Job Interview are least interested in your long term goals, they will try to grill you on the basis of your work experience and check whether you have ample skills as per the profile. They will test your professional skills on the basis of your work experience. They will try to know whether you have the basic ethical skills necessary for a workplace
- Your professional skills and experience are more important.
- Your work ethics are considered.
- They will cross verify your terms with the previous employer.
- Employers are least interested in your long-term goals. However, they are concerned whether you will be a reliable employee or not.
You may also be interested in:
10 Most Common MBA Interview Questions
Tips to remember for a Personal Interview
Everyone who has cleared the written test and has been called for the interview is determined to succeed. However, the uncertainty of what’s going to happen is the biggest roadblock for aspirants who want to ace the MBA personal interview. Here some useful tips:
- Be Punctual: If you really want to succeed in the interview then be at the venue almost 30 minutes before the scheduled time.
- Dress-up like a Professional: Professionalism starts with your attire. Clothes build your personality, hence, choose the best formal attire for the interview. If you are a girl then leave all the accessories at home. Also, keep in mind that it is good to smell nice, but don’t smell like a bottle of perfume. Just smell pleasant.
- Be yourself:– Interview-staff look for students who are honest and are keen to get a quality education, hence, just be honest. Tell them why you are there, why you want to pursue the interview and how it will help to achieve your goals. Don’t tell them a story which is not true. They are experienced people and will sense a lie.
- Show a willingness to learn: MBA Institutes continuously seek candidates whom they can offer the best education and in response, these students add value to the institution. Hence, they prefer students who are willing to learn.
- Think Before You speak:– Do think twice before answering a question. Choose words wisely, to explain what you want to say. Remember, you will not get the second chance to give the answer. It is a one take process, either you qualify or you lose.
- Always wear a Smile: A smile is the one thing that makes everybody comfortable. No matter what the question is, just stay calm, smile and answer the question. If you don’t know the answer, then just smile and say you don’t know.
- Show Interest: Always remember, Interviews are a 2-way process. You can ask questions as well. If you have any question related to a course or the institute then do ask. However, avoid questions for which answers are easily available online, e.g. tuition fees, etc.
How Prepared Are You For the Exams?
Before appearing for an examination, it is a must to evaluate your preparation. However, how to assess performance and preparation, is a big question for most of the students. Provided here are some easy ways to follow.
Solve Mock Test or Sample Papers- The best way to check how much you are prepared for the examination is to attempt sample papers or mock tests that are available both online and offline. These sample papers not only help you in gain knowledge of the examination pattern, but also assist you in managing time while appearing for the examination. Sample papers are developed by experts who study the examination pattern thoroughly and come up with the important questions. Moreover, through these mock tests or sample papers, you will be able practice to keep your calm and deal with the conditions that you face when you appear in the examination.
Solve Previous Year Question Papers– The question papers of previous years provide you an estimate of the question’s difficulty level. Do note that there are times when questions have been repeated. Hence, to prepare possible questions, it is necessary to solve at least 10 previous year question papers.
Know the Cut Off- Knowing the expected cut off marks and previous year’s cut-off marks help you in getting the whole idea where you stand in the competition. Cut off marks are the minimum criteria to crack any examination. Hence, you must know how much marks you have to attain in the examination. Now, solve the mock test or sample papers in the provided time and check whether you will be able to get the expected cut off or not.
Previous Year’s Exam Analysis – To know which section is important and how much emphasis you have to give to a particular section one should do a thorough analysis of the previous years’ question papers. After the exam, some institutes or online portals provide you the detailed overview of the exam questions and their marks. You can check out previous years’ exam analysis to prepare in a better way.
To prepare well for the examination, students can access video lectures from Robomate+, a better way to ace the examination.
