Why you want to do an MBA?

This question is part of almost all essays. If not asked in an essay, you can definitely expect it in your interviews. There is no right answer to it, but there are consistent mistakes which candidates make here. While it may seem like an innocuous question, it can be a make or break question which may drive your interview in the direction you want.

What is an interviewer looking for in candidate, by posing this question?

Does the candidate have the real zeal to drive the business? Is he enthusiastic about his ambitions? An interviewer would like to check whether you as a candidate; are just good at throwing words around or you really have a clear concrete idea about your goals.

While answering this question, avoid talking too much about your past or let your past drive you to MBA. Consider this example - "Having worked in an IT project for a financial firm, I think that I mastered one part of the business and by doing MBA I would be able to handle the entire business..." - this kind of answering style is primitive and shows a lack of clarity about your goals.

Showcase genuine, honest efforts towards building a career

Most crucial idea-flow behind such an essay is: Where do you wish to be in your career 5 or 10 years down the line? What have you done so far in that direction? How much interest do you have in your future career? Have you done any ground work in understanding your future career? If yes then it would bring a lot of credibility to your candidature. Now, consider this example - "I am a lawyer by profession and over a period of time I got interested in advertising. I attended a seminar on advertising and wanted to try my hands on it. I have shot 4 short videos and published it on social media. I see a huge potential in social media advertising as FMCG firms can get useful insights about their products and services..... ". Further you can talk about some more specific insights (they need not be number driven) - a genuine sense of enthusiasm should be brought out in your essays.

360 Degree Profile is over-hyped

Do not try forcefully to portray yourself as a 360 degree personality unless you are one. Off lately it has become a norm in essay-writing to narrate one story about NGO and one achievement in sports. In most cases the essay reviewer can see through your story and it may weaken your position. For e.g. if you do not play outdoor sports, it does not mean you are not versatile, you may be good in some other aspect, please highlight that.

Avoid generic information, it irks the reader

Consider this example: Why you want to join XYZ B-School in India? Answer- "As Indian GDP is consistently growing over 7% and Indian government is about to allow FDI in retail, the industry forecasts a healthy growth for Indian retail. So I want to make a career in India only and school XYZ is the best choice." - Here, it is highly unlikely that the audience would not be aware of GDP figures. You have wasted 40-60 valuable words here and information you shared is practically redundant.

Keep your funny side alive

This one is easier said than done, especially in a pressure interview. At times, the interviewer wants to check whether you are presentable or not. Consulting and front-end banking professionals get to meet with CXO level people in client firms and are supposed to build rapport with clients. Interviewer may share some witty jokes, do not miss the pun thereby making the conversation boring. You have to talk like a smart on the spot thinker and prove that you can take care of valuable clients (including pushy ones). Never ever make faces if interviewer is trying to irk you - interviewer would perceive that you would do the same with clients. People with work experience are expected to do well on this front.

[Author is an e-commerce professional and a mentor at Ivyctor.com]

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