Sign in with Google
Sign in with Apple
Every week our team of expert consultants brainstorms the most pressing concerns of applicants and blogs to create an impact on the applicant’s journey. One of the key components of an application is video interviews. The video interview is where you meet the admissions representative and get the final opportunity to showcase your personality, capabilities, goals, interest, and fit.
This article will serve as a complete guide for you on how to prepare for and excel at video interviews.
Quick Snapshot
Let’s start with easy streets!
These are just the basics you must keep in mind before even starting with full-fledged Video Interview prep! “While it may seem small, the ripple effects of small things are extraordinary.”
-
Think like you are giving an interview in-person
-
Re-test your Technology
-
Prepare your background
-
Charge it up
-
Dress for success
-
An idle distance is important
-
Maintain Good Eye contact and the right posture
-
Don’t rely heavily on your notes
-
Must have a backup plan
MBA and Beyond strongly believe (both internally and externally) that “a series of small things achieve success brought together,” and hence every effort you make right now will contribute to your goal of getting into your dream B-Schools.
Now let’s discuss the video interview in-depth, as this will be a turning and crucial part that can break or make your impression. We have already discussed the nursery step; now, we’ll dive deep to understand the core area.
-
Innovate your style in storytelling
Remember that Video interviewers are not only concerned with what you achieved but also how you approached it and why you did it without oversharing. That is why framing your answers in the right manner is important. Therefore, we suggest the STAR approach to crafting your stories impactfully. ? It is the best and most effective way to narrate your strengths and achievements as it helps you showcase the strong impact and also captures the interest of the admissions representatives.
Suggested Readings
2. Strong Collinearity with your Written Application
To elaborate, the narrative you portrayed in your application must be aligned with what you will portray in your Video Interviews. It can be an extension of what you mentioned in your application but not incoherent.
Most applicants fail at this. And hence, deep introspection and a strong line of questioning are required while preparing for Video Interviews.
Moreover, this Collinearity should not be limited to the narrative but also to the personality you are portraying through your Strengths, weaknesses, achievements, failures, etc.
3. Always research the school
Video Interviewers want to know if you are the right fit for their diverse environment. They want to ensure that you will be a strong addition to the batch and can contribute in a diverse setting. That is why applicants must study and research the school’s culture and environment to demonstrate a strong fit. It's essential to showcase that you can understand and learn from different perspectives and cultures.
Suggested Reading- Learn more about your target schools' values, culture, and community
4. Prepare Questions to interact.
Everyone wants to participate, even a Video interviewer. Unfortunately, applicants often think they have to speak. But Video interviewers love to answer questions about college. Therefore, you must develop relevant/positive questions that reflect your keen interest in the school.
Some relevant questions to ask:
-
Based on my profile, what suggestions would you give me if accepted into your program?
-
How does my profile fit into the school's diversity and inclusion policy and goals?
-
How is the campus culture, and how will it help students to hone their skills?
5. Be yourself
Isn't that the golden advice you heard before your first date? 😛
Well, it also holds just as much essence (if not more!) on this date. Sometimes applicants try to impress adcoms by not being themselves or exaggerating their achievements but remember those evaluating you have evaluated thousands like you. So they can sense authenticity better than anyone else. So be yourself, bring your most authentic personality, and be confident. Learn the way to shine your personality without being unprofessional.
Most of the applicants fail to bring this authentic personality. Check out our unique process to help applicants get the most genuine personality and create their brand in applications.
6. Use a systematic and separate approach.
Most MBA applicants don’t rely on one b-school; they apply to various colleges with different objectives, academic centers, and extracurricular activities. But as you know, one size doesn't fit all. Hence you'll need to use a systematic and separate approach to understand each B-school uniquely, and frame answers for them.
It sure will require more than a basic preparation and research, but having a strong presence of mind will be essential too.
7. Make a positive impact.
Set your mind from the start of a video interview only that it will take time because they have a lot of steps and want to test how you react in difficult and pressured times. A patient and calm mind is the key to success and creating a positive impact in a video interview. One disturbing minute will negatively affect your interview score. Do you want to take that risk?
We are not scaring you off but reminding you that you can only be confident if you are authentic. So prepare yourself and carve out the best in you.
8. Practice makes the man perfect.
Eh, the cliche! Give yourself enough time to practice your answers. Start with the basics and then dig in as deep as you can. And don't mug them up!
And to familiarize you with the content and style of a typical interview, practice from the sample questions available.
That’s it. From basics to advances, from do's and don’ts, we have touched every corner of how to prepare for a video interview to make it achievable for you to crack your dream b-school. First, however, one must practice, and practicing with an expert is icing on the cake as they have an experience of extensive years in training the applicants.
Hence, if you require, you can book a 1:1 session with our experts to get personalized feedback on your profile and roadmap for your applications.
Meet the alums and admissions team of top B-schools!
To help you more, we have organized a coffee chat with alums and the admissions team of top B-Schools that will prove to be a hallmark for you to learn the strategies we employ to facilitate our applicants in acing their MBA essays and interviews. In addition, this will be a golden opportunity for you to discuss your doubts with an expert and listen to other candidates to know more about your surroundings.
Wish you all the luck with your applications!
