{"id":30764,"date":"2023-09-26T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-09-26T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mbamission.com\/blog\/?p=30764"},"modified":"2023-09-25T19:02:32","modified_gmt":"2023-09-25T23:02:32","slug":"the-five-most-common-mba-interview-mistakes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mbamission.com\/blog\/the-five-most-common-mba-interview-mistakes\/","title":{"rendered":"The Five Most Common MBA Interview Mistakes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

So, you applied to business school and finally landed that coveted interview! Excited, you rush to prepare\u2014researching the most likely questions you will be asked, memorizing your answers, and rehearsing them in front of a mirror, right?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wrong.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

MBA interviews are <\/span>not<\/span><\/i> about memorizing answers but rather about having a thoughtful conversation regarding who you are. Here are the five most common mistakes applicants make when approaching their business school interview:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overpreparing<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Walking into an MBA interview with all your answers scripted and planned prevents your interviewer from truly getting to know you and creates distance between you and them. Rather than having a thoughtful conversation with them and truly listening to them, you are busy sifting through your mental file to figure out which preplanned answer to give. Overpreparing also puts you at risk of getting thrown off if the interviewer asks a question that you\u00a0have not\u00a0prepared for. Instead, know your story, and give some thought to the types of questions you could be asked and\u2014in general\u2014how you would answer them, but when the day comes, go into your interview prepared to listen and engage.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not \u201creading the room\u201d<\/h4>\n\n\n\n


Being aware of your surroundings is important, as is building rapport with your MBA interviewer. For example, if you are meeting your interviewer in their office at an investment bank in the middle of the week, do not show up in jeans and a blazer. Similarly, if you are meeting at a Starbucks on a weekend and the interviewer has told you to dress casually, do not show up in your best suit. In addition, pay attention to your interviewer\u2019s reactions during your answers\u2014if they start to look disinterested or attempt to interrupt you, try to quickly wrap up your answer. Just as you would in any conversation, be aware of the give-and-take, and do not ramble on.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being unfamiliar with the school<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Whether interviewers are alumni or work in the admissions office, they have a personal connection to the school and are proud of it. You do not have to know every single professor\u2019s name or actual course numbers, but you do need to be able to articulate in detail how the school will help you achieve your career goals. Also, take time before your interview to scan recent press releases from the school so you are up-to-date and aware of any major news about the program. A great resource to help you get to know your target schools in more depth is the\u00a0<\/span>mbaMission Insider\u2019s Guides<\/b><\/a>\u00a0series, which covers 17 top-ranked MBA programs. You can download these free guides to brush up on the schools\u2019 defining characteristics, notable courses, clubs, experiential opportunities, and popular social\/community events.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asking inappropriate questions<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Most interviewers will conclude the interview by asking, \u201cDo you have any questions for me?\u201d\u00a0<\/span>Please<\/span><\/i>, we urge you\u2014do not ask basic questions about the application process or about what the interviewer thought of you. Likewise, do not ask any questions for which the answers can be easily found on the school\u2019s website. Further, if the program is dealing with any negative press, do not ask about it. And definitely do not ask questions that might be perceived as attempts to trick the interviewer, such as those about obscure courses. Instead, pose thoughtful questions about topics you are genuinely interested in, ones that show you have an awareness of the school\u2019s culture and offerings.\u00a0If the interviewer is a graduate of the program, you could ask questions about their personal experience or what advice they have for you, for example, or if they are an admissions office interviewer, you could ask about their observations of the school.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Giving the interview too much weight<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

We often hear clients say, \u201cI aced the interview, so I\u2019ll definitely get in\u201d or \u201cI didn\u2019t get in, so I must have blown the interview.\u201d Likely, neither of these interpretations is true. The interview is merely one factor in the MBA admissions decision\u2014just\u00a0<\/span>one<\/span><\/i>! You could have a terrific interview and not get in or a weak one and be accepted, just as you could get in despite a subpar GMAT score or not be accepted with an amazing score. Giving the business school interview too much weight can cause you to be so nervous that you are unable to engage in an authentic conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

mbaMission has created a robust library of free resources designed to help you prepare for your MBA interview, such as the following:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n