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.

--

END

Top of blog

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!

--

END

Top of blog

---

 

-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.

--

END

Top of blog

MirrorMethod

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

Interviewing is physical. Do not prepare by writing. Instead, talk ... to yourself. Here's how.

Although I majored in History (US emphasis) at Stanford, I took more acting classes than history classes. My professor was Patricia Ryan (here is her bestselling 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 (see this post for my tips on how to create them - any questions asked by two or more of your target schools)
• a mirror
• a timer set to two minutes (or 90 seconds if you are feeling bold!)

How to Talk to Yourself

aka Free Interview Training

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 not to look at any notes
7. Give your answer
8. Ask yourself "why" and "how" whenever appropriate
9. Never talk for more than two minutes without a pause / breath to give "your interviewer" (you!) a moment to ask a natural follow-up question 
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 built through repetition in random order (probably similar to the way you frequently reshuffled your kanji flashcards as a primary school student).

--

END

Top of blog