So you want to get your Masters of Business, do you? Since you’re considering ways to prep for the admissions interview, it seems that you may already be well on your way. If that’s the case, then you should understand that the interview, no matter where you would like to attend graduate school, is a standard part of the process. First impressions can be killer, so you want to ace the interview on your first try. Here are a few suggestions on how you can make that happen.
What do you want to communicate?
You should already have several communication objectives in mind well before the date of the interview. What are the most important facts about your identity as a scholar (not enumerated on your application) that you want your auditors to understand about you? These will vary from school to school, so do some research before coming up with these objectives, which should also include anecdotes that illustrate each one through some personal experience. Remember that the way you dress and carry yourself speaks untold volumes about you and the kind of professional you want the world to see.
Preparation
Don’t go into your interview blind; that is, not only should you have communication objectives prepared, but you should practice discussing them by way of a mock interview. You want to give auditors the impression that, while you are aware and self-reflexive about your objectives and experiences, you are not over-rehearsed to the point that you sound like a robot, or so under-prepared that you stammer your way through the interview, spontaneous though your answers may be. If you are well-enough prepared and have practiced, you will be able to convey the illusion of spontaneity.
Articulation
Your auditors will want to come away from your interview convinced of your h2 communication skills, therefore, it is essential that you be as eloquent as possible when answering questions. Even though you have spent many hours preparing for the interview, you want to be able to inject some passion into your answers. Be as charismatic as possible so that your enthusiasm for your potential degree and future career in business will be contagious.
Keep your guard up
Even though your interview may be nice and relaxed or held in a cozy atmosphere, don’t become so relaxed that you let your guard down and begin admitting to your deepest fears or weaknesses. You don’t want your auditors to know if you have any lingering doubts about your ability to succeed (or not) in this profession.
Follow up
You can demonstrate that you understand the way that the business world operates by sending a personalized thank you email (or, even better, a card or letter) to the people who conducted your interview. This will also help them individualize you, separating you from the common herd and, hopefully, placing you just a little bit higher above it.
Follow these suggestions as you consider your options, which may include the best online MBA programs of 2012. Get set to become a super scholar!
