It's the time of year when many b-school applicants are beginning to land an interview. Whether on the phone or in person, the b-school interview is primarily designed to determine how well an applicant would fit within the program both culturally and academically. Phone interviews are not ideal because so much is lost when there is no eye-contact or body language to help make your points, but if you must do a phone interview, at least make sure you connect with your interviewer with a land-line (no cellphones) and from a quiet environment. If you can arrange to send them your resume in advance, it might help get the ball rolling. For in-person interviews, follow their recommended dress code and try to show up 15 minutes early (never late). Obviously practice your best grooming and hygiene habits before arriving!

As for the interview itself, the best way to prepare is to mentally re-visit your career history and "know-thyself," being able to draw some specific examples from your past to address common questions.

It is certainly useful to have an idea of what you consider to be your greatest strengths and why before you connect with your host. Although the interviewer will most likely ask some pointed questions, you may also encounter something as broad as "So, tell me about yourself." Either way, you should have in mind what you want to convey about who you are before you go into any interview. What are your strengths, what are some examples that demonstrate this, why are you right for the program why is that particular program right for you?

It demonstrates organization and forethought if you know some specifics about the program to which you are applying and can explain why those features fit well with your personality/ career goals. If you have any, certainly highlight your familiarity with any languages, and that you have traveled or worked abroad, for example. Drawing out specifics from your own experience will assure you don't blend in with the crowd. These are things you should have prepared to discuss in advance.

Consider yourself in control in an interview. Answer the questions that are posed to you, but have in mind a few key things that you want to convey, and make sure that you get them in. You want use the opportunity to show how you are different from the thousands of other applicants, not to blend in to the crowd. Remember, this is your one shot to sell yourself and convince the adcom that you deserve a slot. Put yourself in their shoes. What would impress you if you had to choose the "right" students for your program?

You might even consider writing a personal statement as an exercise, or outlining/lisiting your key attributes, and what makes you successful as a leader and teammate. Teamwork is vital in business school. Highlighting specific examples of how you have led and/or worked in teams will be valuable to an adcom.


Here are some typical b-school interview questions you can expect (or some derivative therefrom):

1. Walk me through your resume (oppty to highlight valuable experience that will be useful to your classmates).
2. Tell me about yourself (be personal -- "they want to know who you are" -- what makes you tick).
3. How do your coworkers describe you? (what are your strengths?)
2. Greatest failure? Greatest challenge?
3. How do you define a good leader?
4. How do you define a good team member?
5. Share a time when team work is better than doing it yourself
6. Share an experience that you are out of your comfort zone
7. The most significant event that made you the way you are now
8. Why School, Why MBA, Why Now?
9. How will you contribute to the class?
10.Three words that your colleagues will describe you
11. What constructive criticism have you received from your boss? (what are your weaknesses?)
12. What will be your contributions to the school?
13. Clubs you want to join?
14. Difficult situation that you had to be an intermediate?
15. Share an experience that you were out of your comfort zone
16. A value that defines you and a time when that value has been
compromised.
17. Your definition of diversity and a time when this has been compromised or any experiences you've had where you have had to overcome any related challenges.
18. If you had one minute in front of the admissions committee to state your case, what would you say?
19. What does being a leader of consequence mean to you?
20. What would you say are your guiding principles?
21. How do you handle leadership outside the office differently than inside the office?
22. How are you involved in your community?
23. What questions do you have about our program?
24. Why are you a good fit with the program?
25. What makes you a better choice for a slot than someone else?
27. Describe your leadership style.
26. If you could do anything and time and money wasn't an issue what would you choose to do?
27. Describe a conflict you have been through and how you handled it.
28. Tell me anything else I should know about you.
29. Why This School's MBA? Why now?
30. List three strengths and three weaknesses.
31. Tell me about a time when you failed.
32. Tell me about a time when you took the lead and succeeded.
33. Tell me about a time where you had difficulty with a team.
34. Tell me about a time when you disagreed with your superior.