How to Nail Any MBA Interview and Get What You Want

In this guide, we’ll cover how to prepare beforehand, how to excel during the interview and how to be memorable after the interview is over. You’ll learn about the common MBA interview mistakes, what interviewers look for and how you can position yourself as an ideal candidate for your chosen program.

Follow these steps and watch your interview confidence and success skyrocket.

Preparing for Your MBA Interview

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The MBA Interview process typically eliminates up to 50% of applicants, meaning there’s high potential for all your hard work to be wasted—unless you remember the 5 P’s of success:

Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance

The MBA interview, much like a job interview, isn’t something you just show up for and improvise. It takes practice and preparation and that begins with research.

1.1 How and What to Research Before Your Interview

Before you write your essays or apply to programs (and certainly long before you’re invited to interview), you should go into detective mode and thoroughly investigate your top-choice schools. Don’t limit yourself to the school’s website and FAQ page; there are plenty of ways to learn about business schools.

Strongly consider scheduling a visit to your top programs and their campuses. This will not only provide you with more clarity about the school’s values and community, but you will also have the chance to network with professors and students who can offer insights about the interview process.

Looking closer to home, search your own network for alumni. Leverage LinkedIn and speak with friends and colleagues and you may gain an introduction and a valuable conversation. Don’t hesitate to cold email or InMail alumni who live in your city, offering to take them out for coffee to discuss the program.

Social media can be a helpful research tool as well. Research hashtags connected with your chosen program (i.e. #HBS or #casemethod) and see what insights you can gain about the program’s values and student community.

There are a number of helpful sites run by business schools including Harvard’s Student Blog, The INSEAD MBA Experience and the Ross School of Business YouTube channel. These offer a variety of student and admissions committee perspectives, updates on admissions and tips that are tailored to the individual program.

Once you receive your interview invitations, you’ll be proactively prepared to discuss your top-choice programs.

Upon learning about your upcoming interview, research the interviewer or interviewers, too. Your interviewer may be part of the admissions committee, a current student or an alumni who lives nearby, depending on the program(s) you’ve applied to. Being familiar with their story, career and personality will help you understand how to approach the interview, answer questions and, at the end, ask questions of them.

Take time to review their LinkedIn profile, noticing any connections, education or past companies you may have in common. Browse their social media accounts, paying close attention to the topics they’re interested in and any recent accomplishments. You can gain an understanding of their personality through social media; an interviewer who shares memes on Twitter will likely differ from someone who exclusively shares articles on corn futures via LinkedIn.

1.2 How to Practice for your MBA Interview

Of course, your research phase is only useful if you take time to practice.

Not only will this help you identify questions to work on, it also helps reduce pre-interview anxiety. It’s why soccer players practice penalty shots thousands of times so, when they’re in the World Cup, they lean on their training and score a goal.

Ideally, you should practice with a variety of people who bring different perspectives and approaches. You can find them in your family, friends and colleagues, especially if they have experience interviewing candidates through their career. Look for people who are objective and offer constructive criticism; your mother may think you’re a perfect match for your dream school, but she may also avoid giving honest feedback.

Even after practicing with friends and colleagues, a professional interview coach who is well-versed in your specific program can work with you to fully polish your interview skills and offer actionable guidance.

1.3 Practicing Asking and Answering Questions

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Your MBA interview practice should be as realistic as possible and that means using questions the interviewer is likely to ask, such as the ones Clear Admit has compiled. When it comes time to answer them for real, you’ll know how what to expect.

(And, don’t worry, there are plenty of MBA interview sample questions later in this guide!)

As you’re practicing, notice which topics you struggle with. Are you able to discuss a failure that shows your progress? Can you humbly yet effectively discuss a major accomplishment? Can you tactfully navigate questions about why you’re re-applying?

Work with your practice partner to understand which questions you excel in answering and which ones need more work. Try practicing with a stopwatch and measure your answer length. If you find yourself giving answers that are too brief or too long, practice being brief yet comprehensive in your answers. For longer answers, 3-5 minutes is appropriate. For shorter answers, use your best judgement but be sure to answer the questions fully.

Your practice isn’t complete until you’ve also rehearsed asking questions. Asking questions after the interview shows your familiarity with the interviewer’s background and career, allows you to ask for their advice and better understand who they feel is an ideal fit for the program.

(And, yes, there are several powerful MBA interview questions you can ask the interviewer in this guide!)

Although your practice partner is, obviously, not the interviewer, you can tell your partner what you know about the interviewer and the program so they can role play and offer realistic answers.

Keep in mind: if you are not a native English speaker, you’ll want to take extra care in practicing for your interview.

A 2015 survey of business schools conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council found that: “Across all graduate management programs, English language proficiency exam results carry a minimum weight of 50% in relation to all other admissions factors for non-native English speakers, highlighting its importance.”

2. How to Nail the MBA Interview

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The big day is here.

You’ve practiced, prepared and researched. You’ve consulted an MBA interview expert. You’re ready to make an impression and work towards your acceptance letter.

Just like a job interview, follow the basic rules of timeliness and manners. If you’re meeting in-person, arrive 10-15 minutes early. If you’re meeting via Skype, triple check your wifi connection and tech to be sure everything works properly—and then check it again!

Before you walk into the room or accept the Skype call, spend time thinking about your communication and how you’ll approach the interview.

2.1 Two Ways to Communicate

The words you use during your MBA interview are not the only way you’ll tell your story. You need to be mindful of nonverbal communication as well, given the significant impression it makes on your interviewer.

Both verbal and nonverbal communication convey information to those around us. Together, they build a powerful image of who we are and what we’re about.

Verbal communication is comprised of the words you speak and the language you use.

Nonverbal communication ranges from the clothes you wear to the tone of your voice to how you use your hands to make a point.

No matter whether your interview is conducted in-person or via Skype, you will be communicating at every moment using both communication types.

You should know this about verbal communication:

• Use professional and clear language, avoiding industry jargon or insider terms the interviewer may not understand.
• Don’t try to impress the interviewer with your lofty vocabulary; choosing the words that communicate your point clearly and succinctly will be most impressive.
• If you’re a non-native English speaker, spend time in the days leading up to the interview practicing your language skills so you’re not searching for words during the interview.

For nonverbal communication, keep in mind:

• Your posture, facial expressions, handshake and movements will communicate your confidence and personality; familiarize yourself with how body language affects perception and performance.
• Every culture has its own communication style, including nonverbal communication. Consider how your own communication may differ or align with the interviewer’s own style.
• Be aware of your clothing choice and appearance for the interview. While it isn’t a time to make an impression about how uber trendy you are, you should be clean, well-groomed and choose clothing that fits you well.

Photo Credit: Lukas Blazek

A bonus tip: ensure that your style choices look good on camera if you’re meeting via Skype. Some materials, colors and patterns can create a strange optical illusion.

• Your surroundings during a Skype interview are another form of nonverbal communication. Make sure that your surroundings are clean, quiet and put together with adequate lighting. If in doubt, call a friend on Skype and ask for their opinion on your setting!

Going back to the practice phase, remember that many of us aren’t aware of our nonverbal communication patterns. Before the interview, try recording yourself and then analyzing your gestures, posture, and facial expression. Do you look friendly and approachable? Are your hands moving too much? Do your gestures match or conflict with the words you’re saying?

Analyzing the recording will help you correct any communication issues before you meet your interviewer.

2.2 What questions will be asked during the interview?

Once the interview begins, it’s time to lean on your practice and preparation. You’ve trained for this—and you’re ready to impress.

Typically, the interview will begin with brief pleasantries followed by the questions. Expect to provide a walkthrough of your CV and story thus far, building context for the interviewer and helping them form follow-up questions.

Each interviewer and interview will be unique, however, you can expect three types of questions.

General MBA interview questions such as:

• What is your biggest strength and your greatest weakness?
• What are your short and long-term plans?
• Why are you pursuing an MBA—and why now?
• When did you show leadership abilities?
• What question should I have asked you during the interview?

Program-specific interview questions such as:

• Columbia is located in New York City. How will you leverage our location to further your career?
• What is it about Harvard’s case study method that you find most attractive?
• Speaking about leadership qualities, which club would you like to lead while at Wharton?
• Stanford is committed to impacting people. Which GSB course would most empower you to help others?

Personalized interview questions such as:

• Why were you rejected last round and what have you done to address last year’s concerns?
• Where else did you apply—and what will you do if you’re accepted into multiple programs?
• Why did you choose to leave McKinsey and join a smaller firm?
• Will your partner join you at INSEAD or remain in Brazil?
• In your essay, you mention a challenging time during university. What surprised you most about this experience?

As you answer these questions, you’ll want to give thoughtful and complete answers. Remember how you answered your essays and avoid giving contradictory statements.

There’s a vital thing to remember while providing answers: tell the truth.

Don’t embellish, lie or exaggerate. Nowadays, fact-checking is easily done—and you may be surprised by how small the world really is.

One MBA candidate found this out the hard way, claiming her friend’s volunteer work as her own. During the interview, the candidate found herself speaking to the founder of the organization she’d claimed to volunteer with. After a quick investigation, the interviewer discovered the lie—and eliminated the candidate from attending her dream program.

2.3 How to position your answers

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When answering uncomfortable questions, there’s a technique you can use to overcome objections or concerns: positioning, your way to truthfully portray a situation.

Imagine two answers when a candidate is asked about why they’re re-applying to Harvard:

“Last year, I was rejected by Harvard because they thought I didn’t have leadership experience and they had concerns about my GMAT because it was pretty low. So, I’m re-applying this year and hoping to get in!”

Or, try this approach:

“Last year, I had the opportunity to apply to HBS, however, the committee gave me valuable feedback, preferring more leadership experience and a higher GMAT score. Taking this to heart, I enrolled in two GMAT courses, studying during nights and weekends. At Goldman Sachs, I founded a diversity club that I now lead and, after speaking with my director about my leadership path, I’ve mentored two interns who were hired as Analysts last week. I am grateful because Harvard’s feedback allowed me to reapply this year with more leadership experience and a 750 GMAT score.”

Not only is the first answer somewhat dismissive of Harvard’s evaluation, it’s also quite negative. It doesn’t show any effort put forth in addressing Harvard’s concerns from last year.

The second answer is positive and embraces the feedback as a vehicle for growth. The candidate uses their answer as a platform to show just how much they’ve accomplished since last year.

Importantly, the candidate was 100% truthful and honest in their answer.

No matter the question you’re answering, consider how it sounds from the perspective of the interviewer. Does it paint you as a proactive, positive professional who has accomplished much—and is on their way to accomplishing even more—while remaining authentic?

Ask yourself: what does the interviewer’s question reveal about their motivation or curiosity?

2.4 How to use storytelling during your interview

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If you want to answer MBA interview questions successfully, it comes down to a vital tactic: storytelling.

While you might think of storytelling as something reserved for kids at bedtime, science has shown that storytelling is a powerful mechanism for creating understanding, empathy and impact.

With storytelling in mind, take a look at how these answers differ when an MBA candidate was asked about their greatest success:

“I had my greatest success last June while working on a turnaround for a pharmaceutical company in Argentina where the company might’ve closed. Instead, we saved them $20M and nobody lost their job. I was an associate working with four people but I was given the lead role, which was impressive for an associate. It was important to help this company because it would have devastated the local community, so it’s my biggest success yet.”

It does tell what happened, right? But let’s try storytelling instead:

“When our team joined the project, our client’s 4,000 employees were nervously waiting to find out whether the company would close that week—or the next week. We were tasked with cutting expenses while retaining as many employees as possible, so I proposed using lean methodology to identify savings opportunities, leading us to renegotiate credit terms and moving non-essential employees to contract roles. Since then, the company has grown by 4% and, on the day of the company’s celebratory picnic, I was invited to eat alongside the company’s employees and their families, cementing this experience as my greatest success yet.”

Do you see the difference?

The first answer tells us what happened and even provides detail, but the second answer makes us feel the weight of the situation. We understand the task at hand. We grasp the action taking place and, ultimately, we see the result.

This storytelling approach, the STAR method, is a simple, foolproof tool that you can employ when answering interview questions.

It looks like this:

• Situation: What scenario did you encounter? This builds the context for your story.
• Task: What was your goal or instruction? This helps prove your success later.
• Action: How did you address the task through your actions? This shows how you handled the situation.
• Result: What happened in the end? This shows your success, especially when you use stats or short anecdotes (like the $20M in savings or company picnic).

Notice one other detail: the more powerful story is told chronologically or in the order it happened. It’s important to tell the story as it happened to prevent revealing the result too early or leaving the reader unclear about the narrative.

2.5 How can I make my answers more powerful?

By leveraging storytelling, positioning and practice, your answers will be impactful. However, there are three additional techniques to employ.

Use Data and Numbers

Just like your MBA CV, using data and specific stats to tell your story can be helpful. It provides context and quantifies your accomplishment.

Which is more impressive?

“I created a new finance product that had major success and we gained several thousand new customers.”

Or, try this:

“In 2017, we had several competitors join the market, so our team set a goal of reaching 15,000 new customers by 2018. To do so, I created a finance product that had a 23% conversion rate and brought on 23,000 new customers—by Q3 of 2017!”

The first example doesn’t show us how impressive this accomplishment truly was. An interviewer might believe that a major success was 12 new customers—not the 8,000 we actually achieved.

How could they know?

You have to help the interviewer understand the context of your achievements, and data can help achieve this.

Appeal to Emotion

There’s a caveat to using data and numbers. Despite the desire to quantify our success and the importance of data, science has shown that, in fact, emotion is often stronger for convincing others about our position than logic alone.

It’s why showing someone a picture of an adorable German Shepherd puppy in order to raise funds for stray dog shelters is more effective than telling someone it’ll take $5,000 to keep the shelter open.

It’s also why you’ll want to avoid this approach:

“My goal is to help improve public education because 23% of Cleveland students leave high school and 35% of them end up in poverty. 1 in 5 end up in jail and 14% struggle with addiction before their 18th birthday according to a 2017 Case Western study. I want to change this reality for students and the community.”

Now consider a mix of emotion and data:

“After visiting Cleveland’s East Side, I met Anna who was raised by her mother, a high school dropout struggling with addiction. What struck me is that 15-year-old Anna, who dreams of becoming a nurse, is on the same path as her mother. Anna was struggling with grades and attendance due to undiagnosed dyslexia which had led her to consider dropping out. Nearly 1 in 4 of her peers won’t graduate high school—and Anna will be among them without drastic changes like after school programs and mental health counselors. Anna’s experience and data show this is a goal worth pursuing and has defined my post-MBA path.”

Numbers can only tell us so much. But using emotion and a strong dose of storytelling, we can combine the impact of logic and emotion to pack a punch.

Tell us Why

There’s a word that doesn’t get enough credit for its impact. That word?

Because.

Going back to science once again, studies have shown that using “because” is more convincing and makes people believe there’s justification for the statement that came before.

Imagine this scenario in an MBA interview:

“I left my undergraduate program in the middle of my sophomore year.”

Or, using our new favorite word, what about this:

“I left my undergraduate program in the middle of my sophomore year because my startup received $10M in VC funding and I needed to relocate to San Francisco.”

Not only does the second option tell a more accurate truth about the situation, it also shows reasoning for your decision.

Use “because” during your interview because it makes your points stronger.

2.6 What questions should I ask after the interview?

As you know from the practice section of this guide, asking questions is absolutely mandatory for a successful MBA interview—so don’t skip it!

When the interviewer asks you what questions you have for them, ask questions like:

• What would you tell an incoming GSB student about getting the most from their MBA experience?
• How did Stern influence your decision to leave consulting and pursue biotech entrepreneurship?
• Who do you feel best fits the student community at Yale?
• When it came time to choose an MBA program, why did you choose INSEAD?

Don’t ask questions that are impersonal, off-topic, invasive, culturally insensitive, or can be answered with “yes”, “no” or a Google search.

These are the types of questions you want to avoid asking:

• Did you like Columbia? (Most likely they did or they wouldn’t be sitting here—and this can be answered with just one word.)
• Where do you work? (This should’ve been discovered during your research phase.)
• Where can I find the best tapas nearby? (Unless the conversation organically gravitated toward restaurant recommendations near campus, this is a question for Google.)
• How much money do you earn now that you have an MBA? (Discussing salary may be appropriate in some cultures, however, it’s certainly inappropriate for an MBA interview—especially because of its invasiveness.)

If your conversation naturally develops post-interview, don’t be afraid to ask additional questions and make it conversational. Your curiosity and interest in both the interviewer and the program will be appreciated.

As the interview comes to a conclusion, be sure to ask for the interviewer’s contact information if you don’t already have it. Requesting a business card or their email address will allow you to accomplish the next step; even post-interview, it’s not time to rest or celebrate just yet!

2.7 What if I’m not sure how to answer a question?

No matter how much you prepare and research, there’s always a chance that an unexpected question will come along.

First, remember to stay calm because you’ll be able to maintain clearer thinking and offer a better answer. Remember: your interviewer isn’t there to interrogate you or make you crack under pressure. They, too, are human and have likely been in the exact same spot!

Give yourself a moment to think about the question. A short, thoughtful pause is appropriate. You can even take a sip of water to stall a bit more while you think about the following:

Is this question similar to one you’ve practiced before? If it has a common root with another question you’ve practiced, fall back on your practice. (i.e. both are asking about teamwork or success). Pivoting is a great technique that allows you to use the familiar to navigate tricky situations.

Was the question simply worded in a confusing way? Feel free to ask for clarification, telling the interviewer you want to be sure you can provide them with the information they’re seeking. This also gives you a few seconds to begin composing yourself and an answer.

If the question is worded well but simply difficult to answer, ask yourself: what are they hoping to learn?

“Tell me about a time you worked in a team environment” is an invitation not to just tell about an interesting project, but their curiosity about how you work in a group or lead others.

“How would you figure out how many windows are in Manhattan?” isn’t an odd architectural curiosity of the interviewer. They want to see how you process a difficult problem and use logic to reach a reasonable answer. They likely have no interest in the exact number.

Remember to ask yourself: what do they want to know?

This process, which happened in just a few seconds, sets you up for your next task: actually answering the question.

Hint: If you absolutely need to, you can buy yourself a bit more time by restating their question.

“Estimating how many windows in Manhattan would be an ambitious project, however, it would be possible by…”

How you complete the answer can be aided by strategies like the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) or chronological storytelling. By using a structure to answer the question, you have a foundation to rely upon instead of wandering through an answer without direction.

Provide the interviewer with an honest and clear answer while thinking about the information they’re seeking. Do your best to remain calm and pleasant as if you’ve thought of this question a thousand times before.

This is another instance when nonverbal communication comes into play. Is the interviewer raising her eyebrow in a look of confusion? Is he narrowing his eyes in an attempt to see your point?

If she’s nodding along agreeably, you’re likely on the right track.

2.8 What if I mess up the answer to a question?

Messing up the answer to a question is not uncommon but it’s not the end of your interview. Perhaps you used the wrong word or could’ve phrased your answer more appropriately.

All is not lost. Referring back to the previous section: remain calm.

Using the wrong word isn’t uncommon, even for native English speakers. Your best bet is to move past it and not mention it; there’s a good chance the interviewer will have forgotten about the mistake long before you have. Trying to correct it will only draw attention.

However, if you’ve answered a question in a way that leaves you unsatisfied, whether you left out a major point or didn’t properly explain yourself, you can try a few techniques to get back on track.

“As I consider your question about teamwork, there’s one additional detail…”

Or…

“A more in-depth explanation of my time at Deutsche would include…”

Or…

“To give you a better sense of my work at BCG, I should mention…”

These are all polite ways of coming back to the question and offering a subtle correction. Notice that none of them outright say “I’ve made a mistake!”

Make it a habit of moving on mentally from any mistakes. Dwelling on the mistake often leads to more mistakes due to being overly self-conscious and careful.

Do your best to minimize the mistake and move on!

3. How to Continue Making Impact After the Interview

Now, it’s time to do something few MBA candidates will ever think of doing: following up after the interview.

Because you remembered to get the interviewer’s contact information, you’ll be able to reach them. Sending a brief but friendly email will continue your impact. Be sure to include:

• Specific mentions of important themes during your interview—especially if you found a common interest or opinion
• Details that help underscore your fit with the program
• An offer to reconnect to discuss any further questions

For example:

Dr. Stewart,

Thank you for our enjoyable meeting this morning. It was helpful to learn more about your experience at Stanford, how you leveraged the Bay Area to grow your network and confirm that my vision of impacting environmental NGOs fits well with GSB’s values.

I am eager to hear about next steps and invite you to reach back out with any further questions.

Best regards,

Felipe

After sending your email, don’t forget to connect on LinkedIn. There, they will be reminded again of your career, education and see any recommendations your colleagues and clients have left for you.

While it may be going above and beyond to send a thoughtful gift, reconsider this move. Sending a gift may be misinterpreted as a bribe or attempt to influence the interviewer, a serious violation of every MBA programs’ values and ethics.

What happens next?

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After the practice, your interview and the follow-up, there are still more decisions to make, however, you can refer to our Everything You Need to Know About the MBA Application Process guide to help you understand everything from waitlists to deposits and more.

The MBA application, interview and acceptance process can be daunting and challenging, especially if you’re eager to join a competitive program with stringent admission requirements.

Having a partner throughout the application process to help you build a winning application, write stellar essays, practice your MBA interview skills and navigate the scholarship and financial side of an MBA program. Because each program requires a unique approach and a specialized strategy, you need partners who understand how to avoid the common mistakes and errors others have made while going it alone.

Contact us today to learn how our team has ensured a 99% success rate for our candidates joining their top-choice MBA programs—and find out how we can help you earn your spot in your preferred MBA program.