Did I botch my HBS interview?

Question

So overall I *thought* I was doing ok, the interviewer and I were definitely getting along and she was nodding and "mhmm"ing. Then she asked me "can you talk more about the goals you mentioned in your application? Sounds like you want to return to  " And I kinda jumped in and started explaining why I wanted to return to   and what I wanted to focus on / what differences I wanted to make. And then somehow that morphed into how an MBA can help me do that, and why HBS in particular will help me achieve my goals.

My question: did I completely screw up by not shutting up after I explained what I wanted to do when I return to my industry post-grad? Was it a mistake to weave in why MBA / why HBS when she didn't ask for it? She didn't cut me off or shift her body language, just jotted down an extra note or two while I spoke about the extra stuff.

MBAPrepCoach · Answer

I think that you're fine, and it was probably a good move. By providing a fuller narrative and connecting the dots. They are on a pretty strict timetable so if she's allowing you to talk about that it must be covering some ground for her. Otherwise they would interrupt.

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maniteez77 · Answer

Thanks for the insight.

Does anyone have a sense of what a "bombed" HBS interview looks and feels like? I'm trying to understand what are the ways to bomb it... aside from lack of English skills etc. Would love any clarity!!!

VantagePointKatie · Answer

There are a variety of ways someone could 'do poorly' in there HBS interview. The first that comes to mind is not knowing the details of a story they've told when pressed or asked follow up questions about it. In a similar vein, the interviewer may ask about an older project on your resume and it would show poorly if you didn't have a crisp answer about that accomplishment, etc. I always advise clients to revisit and practice telling the *details* of everything they've done (that is in their application) to ensure they don't get caught off guard. Hope that helps!

AlonAlt · Answer

Great feedback, especially when constructing your resume. 
How long are interviews? and how many interviews are there?

BeaconCommunity · Answer

You'd probably have a good sense based on their facial expressions and body language. If you kept going that's probably a sign that the interviewer seemed engaged.

I'm sure you've had the experience of speaking with someone whose just not interested and how difficult it can be to keep the conversation going.

bb · Answer

Did I botch my HBS interview?

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