Contact Vince

See http://vinceprep.com for information about Vince's services.

I provide the most intensive, effective MBA interview preparation service in the world. My interview coaching clients get results because I help them figure out what to say (logical content), and how to say it (impressive delivery).

LOGICAL CONTENT
I teach some of the world's top engineers and scientists at The University of Tokyo how to present their ideas on paper and in person.

IMPRESSIVE DELIVERY
I am a professional stage actor who has performed with The American Shakespeare Center.
At Stanford, I studied improv theatre with Patricia Ryan Madson, who has taught everyone from college students to Silicon Valley executives from companies like Google how to tell believable stories.

I provide one-hour mock interview sessions with feedback. I also provide extended multi-hour training. We begin with an initial diagnostic mock interview, which helps me determine your strengths and weaknesses. In subsequent sessions, we can work on strategy, answer modeling, and mock interviewing.

For Vince's latest tips, plus service details, please go here. Then, please contact Vince when you are ready to start your preparation.
Showing posts with label core. Show all posts
Showing posts with label core. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

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

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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END

     

    -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
     
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    Monday, October 4, 2010

    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)
    END

     

    -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
     
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