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cyberhawk
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INSEAD -January 2014 Intake - Calling All Applicants 01 Jun 2013, 09:18
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ducceus
Sorry to hear. You shouldn't let one bad experience deter you from INSEAD. I am sure INSEAD has their share people who won't get along also. The interview recommendation is just part of your application, it is not the whole package, just focus on doing better in your second interview.
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Ducceus is absolutely right, one interview accounts maybe for 10% of the total score. In fact I think u were good at standing for ur beliefs till the end. I simply don't believe that insead level folks can be so rude. It's a Shakespeare-style play to test if you have balls
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docks007
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INSEAD -January 2014 Intake - Calling All Applicants Updated on: 25 Jun 2013, 16:09
Originally posted by docks007 on 01 Jun 2013, 11:00.
Last edited by docks007 on 25 Jun 2013, 16:09, edited 1 time in total.
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To all those being interviewed
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ChickenTikka
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INSEAD -January 2014 Intake - Calling All Applicants 01 Jun 2013, 11:05
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Your interviewer won't see your essays unless they specifically request them (which one of mine did). The school asks you to give them the boring part of your app with the word profile in top right.

I think anything that is true at the time of submission is fine. I had a friend wait until the day his Columbia app was submitted to quit his job at a big bank. He didn't want to have to say he was unemployed. Boy did he hate his job though. But if it was true when you wrote it, that's fine.
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docks007
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INSEAD -January 2014 Intake - Calling All Applicants 01 Jun 2013, 11:11
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Cool. 1 thing less in to-dos :P
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cyberhawk
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INSEAD -January 2014 Intake - Calling All Applicants 01 Jun 2013, 11:16
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docks007
To all those being interviewed, is it important to really stick to the same thing in your interview that you wrote in your essay for all questions ? The problem is I am unsure of my next step in my company if I dont go for MBA, as I can take multiple paths. Its pretty common in oil industry. I have written something but I might not be able to justify it 2 months later. Should I improve my essay or its fine ?
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mine did request as well. I had 2 options in that essay. he asked why would I go for mba having those career opportunities. so, it's not important which option to describe (obviously it should be a career progression) but be able to explain on the interview why mba is more important
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ducceus
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INSEAD -January 2014 Intake - Calling All Applicants 01 Jun 2013, 11:29
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docks007
To all those being interviewed, is it important to really stick to the same thing in your interview that you wrote in your essay for all questions ? The problem is I am unsure of my next step in my company if I dont go for MBA, as I can take multiple paths. Its pretty common in oil industry. I have written something but I might not be able to justify it 2 months later. Should I improve my essay or its fine ?
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Whatever you say in your interview have to be consistent with whatever you wrote in the essay. My interviewers does ask what was the next step in my position. I told them a similar thing to wrote in the essay, which is move into a more business related position, such as project manager instead of sticking to engineering.

They are looking for consistency. If there are inconsistency, the interview report and the essay will contradict each other. That is the last thing you want on your overall application package ( Profile, essay, 1st and 2nd recomender, and alumni interviewer)
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INSEAD -January 2014 Intake - Calling All Applicants 01 Jun 2013, 12:39
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Guys,

Does anyone know about the word limit on the recommendations? Is there one typical word count ?

Thanks
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docks007
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INSEAD -January 2014 Intake - Calling All Applicants 01 Jun 2013, 12:57
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I have heard no word count for INSEAD recos. I ll send the links to my recommenders on Monday. Will get confirmation then.
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vvv
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INSEAD -January 2014 Intake - Calling All Applicants 01 Jun 2013, 13:28
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Done with both my interviews on Friday. One was in the afternoon and other one in the evening. Both were conversational and each lasted for around 1hr 15 min.

1st Interview: Interviewer was a senior alumni. Had passed from INSEAD 20 years ago. She asked for my essays and resume beforehand. Interview was conversational, no stress. Started with tell me about yourself and mid way asked another question as my undergrad and my profession were in different fields. From there it got into a different conversation.
Few questions that were asked:
1> Tell me about yourself
2> Describe a stressful situation
3> I have worked in 3 countries so what was the cultural difference I found working in different countries
4> How did I overcome the culture shock
5> Where do I see myself 10 years from now
6> I have good progression in my current job so why not continue with it. Why MBA?

2nd Interview: Interviewer had been to INSEAD 8 years ago. This one was even more relaxed. Had lot of conversation about INSEAD, cultural events, life in both campuses. This one too started with tell me about yourself and turned into conversation midway.
Few questions asked:
1> Tell me about yourself
2> Why MBA and why now
3> What was the difference working with multicultural teams
4> Where do I see myself 10 years from now

Both interviews seemed fine but it is hard to tell as none of them gave any signs of agreement or disagreement. Few things that I observed were that they were trying to see the cultural fit and how realistic my goals were.

Now the long wait begins.....
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docks007
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INSEAD -January 2014 Intake - Calling All Applicants 01 Jun 2013, 13:31
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How did you decide on your starting campus for thw January intake. I have a solid confusion as I want to do internship in UK but I also want to take final placement in Europe !! What to do ? Starting in Singapore is better ?
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ducceus
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INSEAD -January 2014 Intake - Calling All Applicants 01 Jun 2013, 16:55
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docks007
How did you decide on your starting campus for thw January intake. I have a solid confusion as I want to do internship in UK but I also want to take final placement in Europe !! What to do ? Starting in Singapore is better ?
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Typically, people end their INSEAD study where they want to work.
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SonnyC
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INSEAD -January 2014 Intake - Calling All Applicants 01 Jun 2013, 21:47
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@ Joey88/riseNshine - I am based out of Mumbai. The interview was at a coffee shop of a 5 star hotel.

Fingers crossed for the next interview. The way I see it....my second interview has to be better as my first couldn't have gone any worse.
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INSEAD -January 2014 Intake - Calling All Applicants 02 Jun 2013, 00:14
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vvv
Done with both my interviews on Friday. One was in the afternoon and other one in the evening. Both were conversational and each lasted for around 1hr 15 min.

1st Interview: Interviewer was a senior alumni. Had passed from INSEAD 20 years ago. She asked for my essays and resume beforehand. Interview was conversational, no stress. Started with tell me about yourself and mid way asked another question as my undergrad and my profession were in different fields. From there it got into a different conversation.
Few questions that were asked:
1> Tell me about yourself
2> Describe a stressful situation
3> I have worked in 3 countries so what was the cultural difference I found working in different countries
4> How did I overcome the culture shock
5> Where do I see myself 10 years from now
6> I have good progression in my current job so why not continue with it. Why MBA?

2nd Interview: Interviewer had been to INSEAD 8 years ago. This one was even more relaxed. Had lot of conversation about INSEAD, cultural events, life in both campuses. This one too started with tell me about yourself and turned into conversation midway.
Few questions asked:
1> Tell me about yourself
2> Why MBA and why now
3> What was the difference working with multicultural teams
4> Where do I see myself 10 years from now

Both interviews seemed fine but it is hard to tell as none of them gave any signs of agreement or disagreement. Few things that I observed were that they were trying to see the cultural fit and how realistic my goals were.

Now the long wait begins.....
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thnks for the update man!!!all the best!!looks like u did swell:)
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docks007
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INSEAD -January 2014 Intake - Calling All Applicants 02 Jun 2013, 07:52
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Folks,

Whats better to talk about in Failure essay ? I have a personal experience from school and colleage days that is much more personal and has changed my thought process forever. But in terms of any loss made might not be big. In professional life the failure was just 2 years back, how to show all the improvements after that.

Confused :|
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cyberhawk
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INSEAD -January 2014 Intake - Calling All Applicants 02 Jun 2013, 09:39
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docks007
Folks,

Whats better to talk about in Failure essay ? I have a personal experience from school and colleage days that is much more personal and has changed my thought process forever. But in terms of any loss made might not be big. In professional life the failure was just 2 years back, how to show all the improvements after that.

Confused :|
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I described my professional failure, which also happened 2 years ago. so it's not about timings, but about lessons learned
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ChickenTikka
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INSEAD -January 2014 Intake - Calling All Applicants 02 Jun 2013, 16:01
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docks007
Folks,

Whats better to talk about in Failure essay ? I have a personal experience from school and colleage days that is much more personal and has changed my thought process forever. But in terms of any loss made might not be big. In professional life the failure was just 2 years back, how to show all the improvements after that.

Confused :|
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I used my failure essay to talk about my human side, so went personal. If you have a pretty obvious career failure that you think needs explaining then maybe do that, otherwise use the essay as an opportunity to show a growing experience.
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cyberhawk
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INSEAD -January 2014 Intake - Calling All Applicants 03 Jun 2013, 02:50
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ok, time to post my 2nd interview report. senior alumnus with a career in industry. met at cafe in downtown. lasted 1.5 hours. also very friendly manner, but still persistent in wanting to know my motivation. most questions were not different to what already discussed on this forum. so, some features of this interview:
1) as opposed to 1st interview when I was challenged on my long-term career goal, this time I was challenged on my immediate move (do I really want to work in consulting). He described some unpleasant examples from this industry and wanted to see my reaction and my strengthening arguments
2) what is creative about my current job (boy, I loved this question. talked about my projects)
3) what is your plan B if not admitted to INSEAD (before I honestly told that it's my first and only choice for now)
4) what is your plan B if you don't get job in consulting after INSEAD
5) what was your failure (it can be a small one, but tell me what you learned for yourself)

then he asked if I have questions. I did ask some relevant to his profile. he works in the same industry as my sister does, so I had some knowledge to maintain a conversation. he did not tell me what he would write down in the interview form. as opposed to my 1st interview, during the conversation I did not think to myself "man, what the hell r u talking about..." so I think it went well. for me now it looks like 50% or so to get admitted. so now it's time to relax and find the way to stay calm to survive till June 28th
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cyberhawk
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 [1]
INSEAD -January 2014 Intake - Calling All Applicants 03 Jun 2013, 02:59
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cyberhawk
ok, time to post my 2nd interview report. senior alumnus with a career in industry. met at cafe in downtown. lasted 1.5 hours. also very friendly manner, but still persistent in wanting to know my motivation. most questions were not different to what already discussed on this forum. so, some features of this interview:
1) as opposed to 1st interview when I was challenged on my long-term career goal, this time I was challenged on my immediate move (do I really want to work in consulting). He described some unpleasant examples from this industry and wanted to see my reaction and my strengthening arguments
2) what is creative about my current job (boy, I loved this question. talked about my projects)
3) what is your plan B if not admitted to INSEAD (before I honestly told that it's my first and only choice for now)
4) what is your plan B if you don't get job in consulting after INSEAD
5) what was your failure (it can be a small one, but tell me what you learned for yourself)

then he asked if I have questions. I did ask some relevant to his profile. he works in the same industry as my sister does, so I had some knowledge to maintain a conversation. he did not tell me what he would write down in the interview form. as opposed to my 1st interview, during the conversation I did not think to myself "man, what the hell r u talking about..." so I think it went well. for me now it looks like 50% or so to get admitted. so now it's time to relax and find the way to stay calm to survive till June 28th
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I just realized that this post about my 2nd interview is number 777 in this thread. lucky number, I hope to win a jackpot in this INSEAD gambling :-D
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INSEAD -January 2014 Intake - Calling All Applicants 03 Jun 2013, 05:59
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cyberhawk
cyberhawk
ok, time to post my 2nd interview report. senior alumnus with a career in industry. met at cafe in downtown. lasted 1.5 hours. also very friendly manner, but still persistent in wanting to know my motivation. most questions were not different to what already discussed on this forum. so, some features of this interview:
1) as opposed to 1st interview when I was challenged on my long-term career goal, this time I was challenged on my immediate move (do I really want to work in consulting). He described some unpleasant examples from this industry and wanted to see my reaction and my strengthening arguments
2) what is creative about my current job (boy, I loved this question. talked about my projects)
3) what is your plan B if not admitted to INSEAD (before I honestly told that it's my first and only choice for now)
4) what is your plan B if you don't get job in consulting after INSEAD
5) what was your failure (it can be a small one, but tell me what you learned for yourself)

then he asked if I have questions. I did ask some relevant to his profile. he works in the same industry as my sister does, so I had some knowledge to maintain a conversation. he did not tell me what he would write down in the interview form. as opposed to my 1st interview, during the conversation I did not think to myself "man, what the hell r u talking about..." so I think it went well. for me now it looks like 50% or so to get admitted. so now it's time to relax and find the way to stay calm to survive till June 28th

I just realized that this post about my 2nd interview is number 777 in this thread. lucky number, I hope to win a jackpot in this INSEAD gambling :-D
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hey nice debrief..all the best...m sweating over my interviews:(:(
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nomepreocupes
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INSEAD -January 2014 Intake - Calling All Applicants 03 Jun 2013, 06:06
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done with interviews, done with my last case. not used to not having anything to do.
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