UCLA

Tips on the MBA Admissions Interview

For those of you who are invited for an MBA admissions interview at UCLA Anderson or another top business school, here are some insider tips to help prepare you. Much of this same advice will apply to other programs to which you have applied.

PURPOSE:  Interviews are one of many factors included in the final review(s) of your application and admissions decision.  In most cases, interviews are fairly consistent with the application. In others, they may add additional insights into one's personality, interests, or reasons for pursuing an MBA.

STRUCTURE: Interviews are blind so that your interviewer has no preconceived ideas of your ability or personality based on your written application. You begin the interview

Interviews are largely behavioral. Discussion may center on specific examples or detailed descriptions of events, projects or experience that demonstrate how situations you’ve faced in the past have been handled and what you learned from them. Behavioral interviewing assumes that past performance predicts future behavior.

No advance preparation is required (particularly if you wrote your own essays!).  Questions are straightforward and cover topics such as why you seek an MBA, why you feel you are a good fit for UCLA Anderson (vice versa), what your career goals are, how you spend your spare time, what you value, about what you are passionate, etc. You will not be asked analyze a case study or demonstrate your mastery of particular subjects. 

All interviews carry equal weight. There is no advantage to interviewing on-campus or with an admissions staff member. Alumni are terrific interviewers and, like admissions staff, are interested in admitting the best applicants to the program. Arrange the type of interview that is most convenient for you.

GENERAL TIPS:  Interviews are a dialogue or exchange between two people. Steer away from pre-rehearsed speech and over reliance on your résumé. We are interested in getting to know you as an individual, so follow the queues of the interviewer.

The length of the interview does not indicate how well the interview went. While we schedule 30 minute interviews, they may vary a bit.  Deviations from the schedule are random and unrelated to an individual candidate.
Do not expect the interviewer to give you feedback – literally or figuratively.  Be careful to avoid any interpretation of verbal or non-verbal communication, as both may mislead you.

Interviews are not a popularity contest.  The interviewer is assessing your fit for the UCLA Anderson MBA program, not whether or not the two of you would make good or best friends.

In short, if any rule applies, it is that you be genuine in the interview. Let us get to know you as an individual and not as someone who fits a preconceived image of who you think we want to meet.

(found at http://mbablogs.anderson.ucla.edu/mba_admissions/2010/11/tips-on-the-mba-admissions-interview.html; accessed 2010/11)

Vince's Interview Intensive Seminar

Please go this this page for the latest information. Thank you for your interest.


http://www.vinceprep.com/interviews/seminar

Goals

2. GOALS

• What is your ideal post-MBA position and why?
• What are your (short and/or long-term) goals? (Strategy: practice answering if asked in general about your goals w/o the interviewer specifying short or long-term)
• Why do you need an MBA? (Strategy: give three reasons, balancing hard and soft skills)
• Why now? (Strategy: balance external "pull" and internal "push" factors)

Why Now Template

Because I want to achieve [ONE SENTENCE GOAL],
I need to build on skills [A] and [B]
by learning new skills [C] and [D]

Externally, now is a good time for me to capture opportunity [X]
and/or prepare to handle threat [Y]

HINT - emphasize opportunities for Americans, threats for Japanese

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-Updated by Vince on 14 March 2012

 

• 
  I am a graduate admissions consultant who works with clients worldwide
• 
  If you want my help preparing for your interview, please email interviews@vinceprep.com
• 
  Let me know when you plan to interview and when you want to practice with me
• 
  I will confirm if I have the capacity to help you
• 
  My interview service details and fees are here
• 
  Please note that initial consultations are not offered for interview training

 

• 
  Watch Vince videos on YouTube
• 
  I invite you to follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/tokyovince and join me on Facebook.

Homework

1. Please read Vince's interview blog: http://mbainterviews.blogspot.com/search/label/seminar
 
2. Please prepare and practice your answers to the following core topics, which you will also practice in front of Vince and other seminar participants
    * self-introduction (two styles: WMTYR and TMAY, see Vince's blog for details)
    * keywords and examples of your strengths and weaknesses
    * keywords and examples of your teamwork and leadership styles
    * why MBA / goals / why now / why school x (in this case, Kellogg!)
    * how you plan to contribute to school x
    * questions you plan to ask your school x interviewer

3. Please email Vince your answers to the following three questions the night before our class
    * What are your biggest concerns about your interviews?
    * What specific (types of) questions scare you the most?
    * How else can Vince help you prepare for and pass your interviews?

Please refer to previously asked FAQs here
http://mbainterviews.blogspot.com/search/label/FAQ

4. Please print and bring 5 copies of your resume to the class

5. You are also welcome to bring a voice recorder, but please note that all information presented in the class is completely confidential. Thanks in advance for your understanding and cooperation.

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Interview criteria

What are they looking for?

KELLOGG'S INTERVIEW CRITERIA (as of 2009)

1. English Ability

• Comprehension
• Conversational Ability

2. Interpersonal Skills

• Maturity
• Team Skills
• Communication Skills
• Listening Skills

3. Impact on Student Life

4. Career Progression

5. Career Focus

6. Intellectual Ability

7. Leadership Potential

8. Overall impression of applicant

COLUMBIA INTERVIEW CRITERIA 
(as of 2002)

1. Personal Presentation and Communication Skills 
Is the applicant poised, energetic, nervous, articulate, perceptive, enthusiastic etc.?

2. Leadership/Teamwork Skills 
Ask the candidate about leadership style, examples of taking taking initiative, effectiveness in a team, etc.

3. Goals 
What are the candidate’s post-MBA goals? Are they realistic?

4. Knowledge of and interest in CBS 
Is the applicant aware of CBS’s program? 
What is his or her level of commitment to CBS in comparison to other schools? Where else did he or she apply?

5. Red Flags 
Any concerns or possible problems? Please give examples.

6. Points of Interest/Strengths 
What, if any, unique qualities or experiences make this candidate stand out?

7. Recommendation 
Would you want the applicant as a classmate or colleague? 
Consider intellectual ability, contribution to the program, hirability, and commitment to CBS

LONDON BUSINESS SCHOOL – FULL TIME MBA PROGRAMME INTERVIEW SCORE SHEET (from 2004)
 
Communication / English Language Skills 

Team Skills   (from your interpretations of essays / interview)

• Proactive contributor to teams/groups?      
• Thinks about how teams work together and succeed?    
• Understands contribution he/she makes to teams?     
• Has insight into his/her weaknesses as team member?    
• Able to resolve personal conflicts between self and others?   
• Helps to resolve personal conflicts between others?    

Leadership Skills

• Level of insight into their own leadership style?     
• Grasp of own leadership strengths / weaknesses?     
• Has identified some leadership development goal(s)?    
• Able to see themselves as future business leader?    

Motivation/Drive and Energy   

• Estimated level of motivation / drive?      
• Has long-term career and personal goals?      
• Manages self to sustain energy levels?      

Intellectual Skills

• Evidence of strategic perspective?       
• Able to analyse/evaluate business situations?     
• Has own ideas?         
• Able to link ideas and communicate concepts?     
• Original approach to problems?       

International Perspective

• Exposure to cultural diversity?      
• Interest in people with different backgrounds / perspectives?   
• Aware of positive/negative impact of cultural diversity?     

Expectations and Interest in LBS MBA

• Convinced you of strong interest in taking an MBA?     
• Convinced you of strong interest in LBS MBA specifically?    

LBS Contribution and ‘Fit’ - In your view:

• Did the candidate ask good/relevant questions?     
• Do you think this candidate will contribute to the LBS MBA?   
• Will the candidate work well with a group?      
• Will the candidate contribute to the Campus Community? (clubs etc)  
• Is LBS the right choice for this candidate?      

Post MBA Career Objectives: What does the candidate wish to achieve by doing an MBA? (tick more than one if applicable)

• Vertical move
• Change career direction
• Run own company 
• Move into consulting
• Move into banking
• Move into industry

More links here http://delicious.com/admissions/criteria (not interview specific, but still helpful)

HBS Admissions Criteria

Genuine business talent cannot be narrowly defined. Instead of looking for an "ideal" candidate, HBS invites MBA applicants who exhibit a variety of skills, accomplishments, and temperaments. The true common characteristics of our students are demonstrated leadership potential and a capacity to thrive in a rigorous academic environment.

Indeed, to create the most stimulating environment possible for all students, we consciously select a diverse student body, one that not only reflects a variety of backgrounds, cultures, and nationalities, but a wide range of personal interests and professional ambitions.

A Habit of Leadership

We recognize — and welcome — leadership that may be expressed in many forms, from college extracurricular activities to academic or business achievements, from personal accomplishments to community commitments. We appreciate leadership on any scale as well, from organizing a classroom to directing a combat squad, from running an independent business to spearheading initiatives at work. In essence, we are looking for evidence of your potential - a portfolio of experiences, initiatives, and accomplishments that reflect a habit of leadership.

Capacity for Intellectual Growth

Harvard Business School is a demanding, fast-paced, and highly-verbal environment. We look for individuals who will thrive on sophisticated ideas and lively discussion. Our case-based method of learning depends upon the active participation of prepared students who can assess, analyze, and act upon complex information within often-ambiguous contexts. The MBA Admissions Board will review your prior academic performance, the results of the GMAT or GRE, and, if applicable, TOEFL IBT and/or IELTS, and the nature of your work experience. There is no particular previous course of study required to apply; you must, however, demonstrate the ability to master analytical and quantitative concepts.

Engaged Community Citizenship

So much of our MBA experience - including the case method, section life, and student-organized events - requires the active collaboration of the entire HBS community. That's why we look for students who exhibit the highest ethical standards and respect for others, and can make positive contributions to the MBA Program. The right candidates must be eager to share their experiences, support their colleagues, and teach as well as learn from their peers.

Please note that there is no minimum work experience requirement for the MBA Program. Successful candidates are able to demonstrate strength in the criteria outlined above, regardless of their number of years of work experience. They include college seniors with significant leadership experience, as well as individuals with as little as one to two years of full-time work experience.

It is important for you to assess your own readiness when deciding when to apply.

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The Core 10

Please prepare your answers to these 10 questions for your first mock interview training with Vince

1. SELF-INTRODUCTION: Walk me through your resume since university (Strategy - emphasize the choices you have made that led you to your current position) OR Tell me about yourself (quick "snapshot" of your professional and personal life)
   
2. STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES: What are your three greatest strengths and three greatest weaknesses? (Strategy: try to show a range of hard and soft skills)
3. TEAMWORK: Tell us about a time that you had to work on a team that did not get along. What happened? What role did you take? What was the result? Based on that example, what would you do if your MBA study team members were not getting along with each other?
   
4. GOALS: What are your short and/or long-term goals? (Strategy: also practice answering if asked in general about your goals w/o the interviewer specifying short or long-term)
5. WHY MBA: Why do you need an MBA? (Strategy: give three reasons, balancing hard and soft skills)
6. WHY NOW? (Strategy: balance external "pull" and internal "push" factors)
7. WHY SCHOOL X? (Strategy: rank your top three reasons PLUS be prepared to discuss "Why School X" in comparison to where else you applied)
8. POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS: (Strategy: brainstorm how you can add unique value in classes, study groups, special programs, student clubs, and as an alumni member)
9. ONE LAST THING ABOUT YOU: If interviewer says, "Tell me something else about you that you want me to know", you might repeat your fit with their school. On the other hand, if she says, "Surprise me", you might consider mentioning an unusual hobby or "fun fact" that your interviewer would not otherwise guess)
10. Q and A: Ask your interviewer three good questions (Strategy: blend fact-based "closed" questions and more subjective "open-ended" questions* to get your interviewer talking about her passion for the school) 

*By definition, open-ended questions require full, multiple-word responses (as opposed to fact-based or "yes/no" answers). Open-ended questions generally encourage opinions, elaboration and discussion.

How to Practice The Core 10

I do not encourage you write a full script. (Any significant hours spent writing at this stage is a waste of time!)

Instead, write bullet points.

Use PAR for behavioral (event-based) questions. 

PAR stands for Problem-Action-Results; in other words, first you state the problem that existed in your workplace, then you describe what you did about it, and finally you point out the beneficial results.

Here’s an example: “Transformed a disorganized, inefficient warehouse into a smooth-running operation by totally redesigning the layout; this saved the company thousands of dollars in recovered stock.”

Another example: “Improved an engineering company’s obsolete filing system by developing a simple but sophisticated functional-coding system. This saved time and money by recovering valuable, previously lost, project records.”

More templates and tips here

http://mbainterviews.blogspot.com/2010/07/templates.html

For every hour you spend practicing with Vince or any other mentor / counselor, you should practice 10 hours by yourself.

Use my "mirror method"
http://mbainterviews.blogspot.com/2009/09/mirrormethod.html

Best of luck!

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-Updated by Vince on 14 March 2012

 

• 
  I am a graduate admissions consultant who works with clients worldwide
• 
  If you want my help preparing for your interview, please email interviews@vinceprep.com
• 
  Let me know when you plan to interview and when you want to practice with me
• 
  I will confirm if I have the capacity to help you
• 
  My interview service details and fees are here
• 
  Please note that initial consultations are not offered for interview training

 

• 
  Watch Vince videos on YouTube
• 
  I invite you to follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/tokyovince and join me on Facebook.

Core 21 most common interview questions

WHAT TO PRACTICE
You can never prepare for every possible question, and you should not try. Instead, focus on your core messages. To begin, I suggest you develop convincing, strategic answers to these "Core 21" common interview questions:

1. Please walk me through your resume.
2. Tell me about yourself.
3. What are your short and/or long-term goals?
4. Why do you need an MBA?
5. Why is now the best timing for your MBA studies?
6. What are your three greatest strengths?
   
7. What are your three greatest weaknesses?
   
8. What are the most important traits of a leader?
9. Please tell me about your most substantial work-related accomplishment.
10. Have you ever failed at doing something?
11. Have you every faced an ethical dilemma? How did you handle it? What did you learn? 
12. Have you ever experience culture shock? What did you learn from the experience?
    
13. Tell me about a difficult team project. What role did you play? What you learned from the experience? How does this lesson help you contribute to your MBA study team?
    
14. Why do you want to come to our school?
15. Where else did you apply?
16. Which of our professors do you most want to learn from and why?
17. How will you contribute to our school?
    
18. Tell me about your undergraduate university experience.
19. What do you do in your private time?
20. Tell me something else about you that you want me to know.
21. What would you like to ask me?
    

HOW TO PRACTICE

Use Vince's "Mirror Method" to practice your interview answers at home.

Although I majored in History (US), I took more every acting class Stanford offered. My professor was Patricia Ryan (read her book!) She taught me how to use the mirror to prepare for challenging roles.

I have modified her method to help you pass your MBA interviews:

Supplies needed:

• "post-it" notes
• your interview outlines
  
• a mirror
• a timer
  

MIRROR METHOD (Interview Self-study)

1. Write the "Core21" most common questions on post-it notes
2. Assemble the notes on the mirror in random order (different every time)
3. Go through the answers one by one 
4. Keep eye contact (with yourself) as you talk
5. Start the timer as you begin speaking
6. Try to keep answers to three minutes or less
   
7. Try not to look at any notes
8. Give your answer
9. After you are comfortable, interrupt by asking yourself "why" and "how" wherever appropriate
   
10. Every time you practice, make sure to ask yourself your core questions in a different order. Reason: my cognitive science professor at NYU (link) taught us that human memory is built through repetition in random order (here is more research that supports this idea)
    

More templates and tips here

http://mbainterviews.blogspot.com/2010/07/templates.html
http://www.delicious.com/admissions/bundle:Interviews

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Go to Vince's MBA Interviews blog

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-Updated by Vince on 14 March 2012

 

• 
  I am a graduate admissions consultant who works with clients worldwide
• 
  If you want my help preparing for your interview, please email interviews@vinceprep.com
• 
  Let me know when you plan to interview and when you want to practice with me
• 
  I will confirm if I have the capacity to help you
• 
  My interview service details and fees are here
• 
  Please note that initial consultations are not offered for interview training

 

• 
  Watch Vince videos on YouTube
• 
  I invite you to follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/tokyovince and join me on Facebook.

47 Interview Questions

The following list comes from Zoom Interviews

General/Personal Background

  1. Can you walk me through your resume?

  2. How would your friends describe you?

Undergraduate Education

  3. How was your undergrad experience? Is there anything you would do differently?

Professional Experience

  4. Can you provide me with an example showing your leadership?

  5. Define leadership success and failure.

  6. Describe a scenario where you worked on a team and one of the team members was not pulling her weight. What did you do?

  7. Describe a situation when you were leader and things went badly. Explain what you learned from this.

  8. Give me 3 adjectives that describe you.

  9. Give me an example of a time you were criticized.

  10. How did you deal with a member of your team who was a troublemaker?

  11. How do you handle stressful and tense situations?

  12. How has your leadership style evolved?

  13. How would your coworkers describe you?

  14. Tell me about a difficult interaction you had with someone. What happened?

  15. Tell me about a time when you helped out a colleague.

  16. Tell me about a time when your ethics were challenged and how you responded.

  17. Tell me about a time when your team failed. What did you learn from the failure?

  18. Tell me how you would manage a team conflict within a professional setting.

  19. What are the qualities of a good leader?

  20. What are your greatest strengths?

  21. What did you like about your job?

  22. What do you dislike about your job?

  23. What drives you? What makes you get up in the morning each day?

  24. What has been your biggest disappointment?

  25. What has been your greatest achievement to date?

  26. What is a challenge you had at work and how did you overcome the challenge?

  27. What is your greatest fault?

  28. What role do you play on a team?

  29. What was a situation where you had to motivate a group?

  30. What was the biggest challenge you handled as manager?

  31. Why did you leave X company to take a job at Y company?

Business School

  32. Can you accomplish your long-term goals without an MBA?

  33. Discuss your community work involvement.

  34. How will you contribute to our program?

  35. Name a weakness in your application.

  36. What are your short-term and long-term goals?

  37. What do you expect from classes at our school?

  38. What else would you like the Admissions Committee to know about you? 

  39. What is something unique about you that you can contribute to our school?

  40. What is your ideal breakdown of lectures and case based studies?

  41. What is your Plan B if you do not get accepted into business school?

  42. What other schools have you applied to?

  43. What would you find most difficult coming here? 

  44. Which is your top priority school?

  45. Why do you want to get an MBA? Why now?

  46. Why should you be admitted?

  47. Will you attend our school if you are accepted?

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-Updated by Vince on 14 March 2012

 

• 
  I am a graduate admissions consultant who works with clients worldwide
• 
  If you want my help preparing for your interview, please email interviews@vinceprep.com
• 
  Let me know when you plan to interview and when you want to practice with me
• 
  I will confirm if I have the capacity to help you
• 
  My interview service details and fees are here
• 
  Please note that initial consultations are not offered for interview training

 

• 
  Watch Vince videos on YouTube
• 
  I invite you to follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/tokyovince and join me on Facebook.

templates

I have compiled several templates to help clients structure essay and interview answers. Use them well! -Vince

PAR

PAR stands for Problem-Action-Results; in other words, first you state the problem that existed in your workplace, then you describe what you did about it, and finally you point out the beneficial results.

Here’s an example: “Transformed a disorganized, inefficient warehouse into a smooth-running operation by totally redesigning the layout; this saved the company thousands of dollars in recovered stock.”

Another example: “Improved an engineering company’s obsolete filing system by developing a simple but sophisticated functional-coding system. This saved time and money by recovering valuable, previously lost, project records.”

Source for above plus other "par" related info here:

http://delicious.com/admissions/par

Accepted.com editor, Paul Bodine, recently sent the following "outtake" from his new book, Great Application Essays for Business School. This tip could help you structure an answer to an interview question or a short essay question.

• It sometimes goes by the fancy names “PAR” or “CAR” exercise (for Problem/Challenge—Action—Result), but what it really is a method for analyzing the achievements you choose to include and expressing them as mini-stories. You, the hero,  face down a work-related dragon and through your own traits, expertise, or leadership create a happy ending that can be described in concrete terms.
• As you inventory your accomplishments ask yourself: (a) What was the obstacle, challenge, or problem that you solved in this accomplishment—a tight client deadline? A complex merger transaction? A new product launch amidst fierce competition? (b) What did you do to rise to this challenge—motivate your team to work overtime? Sell senior management on the deal’s long-term upside? Identify a marketing profile for your product that no competitor can match? (c) What facts demonstrate that your intervention created a “happy ending”—Your team submitted the project deliverables a day early despite being 20% understaffed? Your client approved the $500 million merger, the largest ever in its industry? Your new product has 20% market share after only one year?

Break down your accomplishments into these three-part mini-stories, and you’ll have the raw material for a compelling short essay or interview response.

http://blog.accepted.com/acceptedcom_blog/2005/12/9/par-or-car-anyone.html

Write Accomplishment Statements

For each accomplishment, write out not only what you did (the key skills and actions you took), but describe the problem as well as the result. Accomplishment statements can highlight one primary action and result or may contain a few lines of information that stress additional skills and specific results.

Use the Problem-Action-Result (PAR) approach for each accomplishment

State the Problem - (The challenge, need, opportunity or goal.) Aim to state the main problem/challenge in one to two sentences. This provides the context for the actions you took.

State the Key Actions Performed - (Begin each sentence with a key skill word.) This helps to target your skills to the requirements of the job.

State the Result - (Quantify the result(s) when possible.) Use percentages, numbers etc. to demonstrate the significance of your actions. If you cannot quantify the result, try to qualify the result by stating the type of improvement you observed.

Example:

Problem (in this case a need)

A large non-profit agency lacked a volunteer program. Valuable staff time was used to perform services which volunteers could do.

Action (key skills used)

Researched volunteer management theories. Interviewed volunteer coordinators. Prepared a cost/benefit analysis of hiring a coordinator to recruit and train volunteers. Drafted and submitted a proposal.

Result (quantify or qualify benefits of your actions)

The organization created a full-time position that expanded the agency services and maximized staff time.

Summarized P.A.R. for Use in Resume

Expanded agency's service and maximized staff effectiveness by researching and recommending new volunteer program with a full-time volunteer coordinator.

Incorporate your completed accomplishment statements into the body of your resume and expand upon these accomplishments in your interview to communicate the specific skills and unique benefits you bring to the position.

http://www.skillscan.net/intro/Cap/Self-Promotion/SPTips.cfm

Variation 1: PART

• Problem
• Action
• Results
• Takeaway

STAR

http://web.mit.edu/career/www/guide/star.html

1. Situation: give an example of a situation you were involved in that resulted in a positive outcome
2. Task: describe the tasks involved in that situation / what was your ultimate goal? try to define your task as narrowly as possible
3. Action: talk about the various actions involved in the situation’s task. Show your progress in implementing your idea / trying to reach your task. This should include:
   
• Problems - what obstacles did you encounter that threatened your project / kept you from achieving your task? How did colleagues and/or supervisors resist your efforts?
  
• Solutions - specific actions and decisions you took to overcome the obstacles. How did you overcome the resistance of others?
  
4. Results: what results directly followed because of your actions? show the impact of your success as broadly as possible
   
5. Takeaways/Learnings: what did you learn from this experience?
   
6. Application: when have you applied your lessons in another situation (optional in many cases but good for brainstorming to test if your "learning" was real).
   

Example of a STAR Answer

Situation: During my internship last summer, I was responsible for managing various events.

Task: I noticed that attendance at these events had dropped by 30% over the past 3 years and wanted to do something to improve these numbers.

Action: I designed a new promotional packet to go out to the local community businesses. I also included a rating sheet to collect feedback on our events and organized internal round table discussions to raise awareness of the issue with our employees.

Result: We utilized some of the wonderful ideas we received from the community, made our internal systems more efficient and visible and raised attendance by 18% the first year.

ADAM MARKUS

To learn more, I strongly suggest downloading a copy of MIT's excellent guide to behavioral interviews, The MIT Sloan Interview Guide,

The behavioral essay questions that MIT and Stanford ask have their origins in behavioral interviewing. “Bill Byham, CEO and founder of Development Dimensions International, originated the behavioral interviewing method in 1970.”

In fact, the STAR technique outlined in MIT’s guide was developed by Byham as THE WAY to answer behavioral questions:

Byham calls an example of past behavior a STAR, because a complete example consists of a situation or task, the specific action you took and the result of your action. The result you describe doesn't have to be positive; it could be that you learned a valuable lesson from doing something the wrong way.

In his book "Landing the Job You Want: How to Have the Best Job Interview of Your Life" (Three Rivers Press, 1997), Byham tells candidates how to identify the skills for a job; explore their own "behavioral dimensions" (the behaviors they use every day to get things done); and recognize and present a STAR with positive impact in an interview.

In addition to the MIT SLOAN Guide, I suggest also taking a look at the slightly different guide to the Star Technique that MIT Career Services provides.

The STAR technique is really the core method you need to use for answering behavioral questions in Stanford's essays. It is simply this (taken from the MIT Sloan Guide):

• Situation: define the situation or “set the stage.”
• Task: identify the task/project performed.
• Action: describe the action you took.
• Result: summarize the outcome

Just keep in mind that you need to be introspective as well, so write what you thought as well as what you did. because reading it first will maximize the value of my comments below.Don’t just present “the facts” but actively interpret your actions. There is really nothing overly complicated about this as long as you understand that you need to tell a DETAILED story. Pure abstractions disconnected from a concrete set of action steps are highly likely to result in a weak answer. Similarly, grand actions not told in any depth are also likely to be weak. Identify specific actions that contributed to the result so as to establish a clear link between cause and effect.

As when answering any kind of question, another important consideration is to think very critically about what your story selection, understanding of the task, actions taken, and results say about you. Keep in mind that the whole point of asking behavioral questions is to determine how someone acts and thinks as a basis for selecting or rejecting that person. It is obviously critical to be aware of your own message.



source:
http://adam-markus.blogspot.com/2010/06/stanford-gsb-mba-essay-3-for-20102011.html

OTHERS

ZOOM INTERVIEWS

Use the SOAR method (Situation, Obstacle, Action and Result) to provide a structured framework to keep your answer clear and concise, while conveying how you effectively overcame the challenge.

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Strengths and Weaknesses Matrix

please fill out this chart of your
Strengths (+) and
Weaknesses (-)

	Keyword	Professional Example 1	Professional Example 2	Personal Example 1	Apply to MBA Life	Apply to Future Career
Strength 1: analytical (mind)					contribute to classmates?
Strength 2: technical (hands)
Strength 3: interpersonal (heart)
Strength 4
Strength 5
Weakness 1		⇒ failure?			how improve through MBA experience?	n/a
Weakness 2						n/a
Weakness 3 as a leader	e.g. delegation	⇒ setback?				n/a
Weakness 4 as a team member	e.g. time management	⇒ interpersonal conflict?				n/a
Weakness 5 as a professional	e.g. overspecialized					n/a

Best Tips / Hints / Tools for brainstorming your strengths and weaknesses
http://delicious.com/admissions/bundle:Brainstorming 

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-Updated by Vince on 14 March 2012

 

• 
  I am a graduate admissions consultant who works with clients worldwide
• 
  If you want my help preparing for your interview, please email interviews@vinceprep.com
• 
  Let me know when you plan to interview and when you want to practice with me
• 
  I will confirm if I have the capacity to help you
• 
  My interview service details and fees are here
• 
  Please note that initial consultations are not offered for interview training

 

• 
  Watch Vince videos on YouTube
• 
  I invite you to follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/tokyovince and join me on Facebook.

Contributions

Customize for each school, but you can brainstorm contributions to fit the following situations

1. Daily contributions

• in classes
• in study groups

2. In special programs

• study trips
• consulting projects

3. As an alumn


Contribution Matrix

Aspect	Keywords: Verbs and Adjectives	Professional Example(s)	Personal Example(s)	Application to MBA Life: Daily	Application to MBA Life: Special	Application to MBA Life: Post-MBA (alumnus)
CONTEXT Where? When?				Class Study group	Special Project Team Case Study Competition Business Plan Competition Marketing Competition Event Conference Study Trip	Alumni network Recruiting activities for school (school-specific events, MBA Tour, School Panels)
What? Role				Expert / Leader Organizer / Facilitator Enthusiastic Beginner	Expert / Leader Organizer / Facilitator Enthusiastic Beginner	Expert / Leader Organizer / Facilitator Enthusiastic Beginner
Physicality
Head analytical (mind)					how strength helps you contribute to classmates
Hands technical (hands)
Heart interpersonal (heart)

Best Tips / Hints / Tools for brainstorming contributions
http://www.delicious.com/admissions/brainstorming_contribution

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-Updated by Vince on 14 March 2012

 

• 
  I am a graduate admissions consultant who works with clients worldwide
• 
  If you want my help preparing for your interview, please email interviews@vinceprep.com
• 
  Let me know when you plan to interview and when you want to practice with me
• 
  I will confirm if I have the capacity to help you
• 
  My interview service details and fees are here
• 
  Please note that initial consultations are not offered for interview training

 

• 
  Watch Vince videos on YouTube
• 
  I invite you to follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/tokyovince and join me on Facebook.

Behavioral Event-Based Interviews (BEI)

Behavioral Event-Based Interviews (BEI) 

What is BEI?

In the 1980’s, industrial psychologist Dr. Tom Janz introduced a method of interviewing called the “Behavioral Interview.” Research shows that this interviewing style is extremely effective, and MBA adcoms have started using it in interviews as well as essay questions, first at MIT and now, to a lesser extent, Wharton, Stanford, and other programs (depending on the interviewer).

Why do adcoms (and some alumni) use BEI?

The premise is that the best predictor of future behavior is your past behavior. In a behavioral interview you will have to demonstrate your knowledge, skills, and abilities, collectively known as competencies, by giving specific examples from your past experiences. Instead of asking how you would behave in a particular situation, the interviewer will ask you to describe how you did behave. Expect the interviewer to question and probe you for more details about what you thought, felt, said and did. Also, your interviewer will not allow you to theorize or generalize about several events.

How can you prepare for a Behavioral Event-Based Interview?

During a behavioral interview, always listen carefully to the question, ask for clarification if necessary, and make sure you answer the question completely. Your answer should contain these four steps (Situation, Task, Action, Result or "STAR") for optimum success. http://web.mit.edu/career/www/guide/star.html

1. Situation: give an example of a situation you were involved in that resulted in a positive outcome
   
2. Task: describe the tasks involved in that situation
   
3. Action: talk about the various actions involved in the situation’s task
   
4. Results: what results directly followed because of your actions
   

Whenever you can, quantify your results. Numbers illustrate your level of authority and responsibility. For example: "I was a shift supervisor." could be "As Shift Supervisor, I trained and evaluated 4 employees."

Example of a STAR Answer

1. Situation: During my internship last summer, I was responsible for managing various events.
2. Task: I noticed that attendance at these events had dropped by 30% over the past 3 years and wanted to do something to improve these numbers.
3. Action: I designed a new promotional packet to go out to the local community businesses. I also included a rating sheet to collect feedback on our events and organized internal round table discussions to raise awareness of the issue with our employees.
4. Result: We utilized some of the wonderful ideas we received from the community, made our internal systems more efficient and visible and raised attendance by 18% the first year.

Behavioral Interview Example

Question: “Describe a situation where you have had to deal with a difficult person.”

Answer: “I was transferred to a new project at my previous company to replace a beloved member of the team. My new team leader exhibited hostility towards me and I found myself left out of vital communications and meetings. After a few weeks, I was able to talk her into a one on one meeting. When laid out all of the key objectives for the team, the previous employees role in meeting those objectives, and then discussed goals that I could set to make sure I was able to serve as a quality replacement. In our discussion, we also identified a few underlying issues with management that she had been carrying around with her. In uncovering all of these sentiments, she was able to clearly define her situation and achieve an understanding with her supervisors. In the end, the entire team morale improved, I was able to exceed my goals and the company itself became more profitable from our teams increased performance.”

Follow-up questions will test for consistency and determine if you exhibited the desired behavior in that situation:

• "Can you give me an example?"
• "What did you do?"
• "What did you say?"
• "What were you thinking?"
• "How did you feel?
• "What was your role?"
• "What was the result?"

MOST COMMON BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEW QUESTION TYPES 
by CATEGORY

Teamwork

• Tell us about a time that you had to work on a team that did not get along. What happened? What role did you take? What was the result? Based on that example, what would you do if your MBA study team members were not getting along with each other? 
• How do you resolve conflict on a team.
• Tell me about a time when you experienced cultural conflict and how you handled it.
• What role do you typically play in teams? 
• Tell me about a time when you contributed to a team.
• What has been your most difficult teamwork experience?  
• Describe a situation in which you had to arrive at a compromise or help others to compromise. What was your role? What steps did you take? What was the end result?
  
• Describe a team experience you found disappointing. What would you have done to prevent this?
  
• Tell me about a time when you resolved a conflict in a group.
• Tell us about the most difficult challenge you faced in trying to work cooperatively with someone who did not share the same ideas? What was your role in achieving the work objective?
  
• What is the difficult part of being a member, not leader, of a team? How did you handle this?
  
• When is the last time you had a disagreement with a peer? How did you resolve the situation?
• Tell us about the most difficult or frustrating individual that you’ve ever had to work with, and how you managed to work with them.
• Have you ever been a member of a group where two of the members did not work well together? What did you do to get them to do so?
  
• What is the toughest group that you have had to get cooperation from? Describe how you handled it. What was the outcome?
  

Leadership

• What is your leadership style? Give me an example of a time when you displayed that leadership style.
• Tell me your definition of leadership and give an example.
  
• Tell me about a time when you exercised leadership.
• Tell me about a time when you took initiative.
• Tell me about a time when you introduced an innovation.
• Tell me about a time when you solved an important problem.
• Tell me about a time when you took a position different from the consensus view of your team / organization.
• How do you show leadership outside of your job?
  
• What leadership areas do you wish do develop through your MBA experience? What specifically do you plan to do at School X to develop in these ways?
• Describe your leadership style and give an example of a situation when you successfully led a group.
  
• Have you ever been in a position where you had to lead a group of peers? How did you handle it?
  
• Give an example of a time in which you felt you were able to build motivation in your co-workers or subordinates at work.

Accomplishments

• What is your greatest accomplishment? 
• What impact have your accomplishments had on your organization?

Failure

• Have you ever failed?
  
• How did you recover from this experience & what did you learn about yourself?
• When have you faced a setback and how did you deal with it?
  
• What has been your major work related disappointment? What happened and what did you do?

Ethics / Integrity

• Discuss an ethical dilemma you faced at work.
  
• Describe a situation where your values, ethics, or morals were challenged. How did you handle the situation? What did you learn about yourself?

Information pulled from various public sources including:

http://web.mit.edu/career/www/guide/star.html

More links here: http://delicious.com/admissions/interview_behavioral

Watch a behavioral interview here

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