Kellogg KIRA video essays and how to answer them

Question

Kellogg video essays

* The question I got was about a time when I had to work with someone I did not get along with.
* Tell us a situation when you worked in a group with a different opinion, and what did you do?
* Tell us about a time you took a risk. What did you learn?
* Tell us about a time you set a goal for yourself but failed to achieve it.
* When you have a problem, who do you approach for advice and why?
* How do you cope when you have to work with someone who is very different from you?
* What do you do when you’re working in a group and there is one member who is pushy and dominates discussions? -OR- What would you do if you are working on a group at Kellogg and one member of your team is pushy and dominated discussions?
* If you were a team leader and you had a member who constantly under-delivered, what would you do?
* Tell us about a time you experienced a professional failure. What did you learn from it?
* How do you deal with disappointment?
* How do you deal with difficult people at work?
* Imagine you are working on a team at Kellogg and a disagreement is keeping your group from getting your work done. What would you do?
* Tell us about a conflict you have had with your boss. How did you manage to resolve it?
* Tell us about a time you had to fight for an idea within a team.
* Tell us about a time your values were challenged. How did you respond?
* Tell us about a time things didn’t go according to plan. What did you do to fix it?
* Share about a time when there was a difference of opinions, what did you do and what was your learning?

The video portion of the applications will include three questions, each designed to help you showcase your personality and share some of the experiences that brought you to where you are today:

- Introduce yourself to the admissions committee.
- What path are you interested in pursuing, how will you get there, and why is this program right for you?
- This question will be based on a challenge you've faced and what you've learned from it.

Please note, video essays are due 96 hours after the application deadline.

# **How to prepare for the Kellogg video essays**

Your video is your chance to introduce yourself to the admissions committee. It's a great opportunity to show off your personality, so be yourself!

## **Introduce yourself to the admissions committee.**

They want to see a preview of what makes you unique and interesting. So, take some time to prepare before you press record. The best way to get started is by brainstorming about what makes you tick: What are your passions? Why did you choose them? What are the common threads that run through your life? What do you want others to know about you?

A good way to do this exercise is to list down the top 3-4 things about you that you would want Kellogg to know. This could be related to leadership experiences, hobbies, professional skills, some notable achievements, your attitude or soft skills, or something noteworthy about your background.

Once you have this list, start thinking about how you can showcase these attributes through short stories or anecdotes. For example, if one of your passions is acting, explain how it first sparked your interest and why it's remained important over time. Or if one of your goals is to become an entrepreneur and change the world for the better, tell us about one of your favorite projects or recent business ventures that helped achieve this goal.

When choosing which stories will make it into your video, there are two main considerations: length and relevance. One minute is not very long so try not to ramble on too long about any single topic — if a story doesn't seem relevant enough to cover in less than 20 seconds then leave it out! Finally, think about how you want to tell your story.

**Example:**

My name is David, and I'm a rising product manager at Microsoft.

I'm originally from the Bay Area, but moved to Chicago in the summer of 2010 to attend undergraduate study in Computer Science at The University of Chicago. After graduating with a BS in Computer Science in May 2014, I worked as an intern at Microsoft's Bing Mobile Development Team before growing to product manager over the years.

My life has always revolved around computers and technology. Like many kids growing up in the 90s, I spent a lot of time experimenting with different operating systems and programs on my computer. My first exposure to programming was with HyperCard on my Macintosh Classic IIe, which taught me how to make rudimentary software applications using HyperCard's scripting language.

As I got older, I became more interested in hardware hacking. In high school I built a few simple projects like an alarm clock for my bedside table that could be programmed to play music or turn lights on when it was time for me to wake up in the morning; a remote-controlled car that used infrared sensors to avoid obstacles; and even a small-scale replica of Mount Rushmore out of Legos!

At Microsoft, I'm a cloud technology expert; I work on cutting-edge projects like Microsoft Teams, that make work better for everyone! After I graduate, I'd love to move to product marketing, because I want to now help scale products and sell them, than only develop them.

**Example:**

I am a Kellogg MBA applicant and I am applying from the Philippines. I am an Operations Manager for a private firm. My specific focus is on supply chain management, sales support, and customer service. After Kellogg, I want to pursue a career in management consulting.

I have been working in this position for almost two years now. Before that, I was working as a sales associate for almost two years in a multinational company.

I graduated with a degree in Management from one of the top universities in my country last year. During my college days, I was part of several organizations on campus such as the Entrepreneurship Club, Business Development Club and Student Government Association (SGA). I also had an internship at one of the biggest companies in our country where I worked as a purchasing analyst for four months before they hired me full time.

In my free time, I enjoy reading books (mostly business), watching movies and playing basketball with friends

## **What path are you interested in pursuing, how will you get there, and why is this program right for you?**

In preparing your 60-second video, think of it as a sales pitch. You will be selling yourself to the Admissions Committee. The best way to do this is to tell them what you want, how you plan on getting there and why Kellogg is right for you.

To begin, let's talk about what you want. What is your end goal? Is it an MBA? A promotion? A career change? Once you've identified this goal, ask yourself: "How will I get there?" Think about what steps need to be taken in order for you to achieve this goal, whether it means completing an internship or taking additional courses at night school.

Now that we know what you want and how you're going to get there, we can talk about why Kellogg is right for you! This part can be tricky because it's important that your answer is specific to the program at Kellogg (i.e., if someone wanted an accounting degree they should focus on their skillset and why they'd be a good fit for an MBA with a concentration in accounting). Think about what sets you apart from other applicants; maybe it's your work experience or international travel experiences — whatever it is, emphasize that it would make you a good fit for the program. This is also where you can talk about why Kellogg is right for you. Maybe it's because of their reputation or the location? Maybe it's because they have a concentration in accounting and your career goals are to be an accountant? To do that, look up specific Kellogg resources - the [Pathways](https://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/pr ... hways.aspx), the [Initiatives](https://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/pr ... tives.aspx), [Labs](https://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/pr ... rning.aspx), [Electives](https://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/pr ... culum.aspx), and leadership program, and adapt them to your profile. You can also consider Kellogg KWEST trips and how they will help you.

Collect these points together and think about their relevance to your goals. Keep these points in your mind but don't memorize word by word.

**Example:**

At Kellogg, I hope to grow through three main planks - acquiring deeper insight into markets, understanding emerging business technology and its applications, and gaining an integrated view of different business functions and how they relate to technology. These will in turn help me accomplish my post-MBA goal of product management in the technology (internet) industry.

My industry levies a special importance on customer segmentation, targeting, and understanding, and the Analytics Pathway at Kellogg will help me grow by studying not just Business Analytics, but also Retail Analytics, Social Dynamics, and Network Analytics. I will learn to not just create great products, but also tailor these products to market needs dynamically, a hallmark of great technology product organizations like Apple and Amazon.

Agility in solving problems and being able to analyze business issues from multiple perspectives is the second growth frontier I seek. At Kellogg, the Markets and Customers Initiative (understanding markets), the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative (promoting scaling and growth), and the Global Experience Initiative (international exposure) will give me this agility and this ability, which I consider a key professional advantage in today’s times.

## **Third question: This question will be based on a challenge you've faced and what you've learned from it.**

Here is how you should prepare to answer this video question.

1. Write down your stories in bullet points before going into the camera. You will have less time than you think and this will help you stay on track. Prepare 3 examples of challenges you have faced (2 professional and 1 personal).

2. Use a script if that helps you feel more comfortable with speaking in front of the camera, but try not to read it word for word because it takes away from your personal story and it will sound robotic. Instead, keep the broad points at the top of your mind, and be ready to mould the answer according to the exact question asked.

3. People like hearing about how you overcame challenges, so make sure that is a part of your story even if at first glance it seems negative or embarrassing; everyone has challenges in life and overcoming them is what makes us stronger people!

**Example:**

My first job out of college was at a large tech company. I was excited to get my first job, but I quickly learned that it wasn't all I thought it would be. The culture was very different than what I had imagined, and my coworkers didn't seem to value the things I did. In fact, they often seemed to undermine me and make me feel incompetent.

I tried to talk with my manager about these issues, but he didn't seem interested in addressing them. Instead, he told me that if I wanted to succeed in the organization, then I needed to play by the rules and not cause any waves.

I realized that this wasn't an environment where people were willing to push back against the status quo — especially if it meant challenging someone more powerful than you are — so I decided that this wasn't a place where I could thrive long term.

I've now been working for a smaller company where I'm able to be myself and make progress on my own terms. It's taken some time for me to rebuild my confidence after leaving that first job, but now that I'm in an environment where people value me for who I am instead of what others expect from me, things are starting

I hope this answers all queries on video essays!!

Nikhil · Answer

From  vverma1995

The question I got was about a time when I had to work with someone I did not get along with.

samrasur@gmail.com · Answer

Kellogg's 3rd video essay question: Tell us a situation when you worked in a group with a different opinion, and what did you do?

aayuva · Answer

Some more sample Kellogg video essay questions

Tell us about a time you took a risk. What did you learn?
Tell us about a time you set a goal for yourself but failed to achieve it.
When you have a problem, who do you approach for advice and why?
How do you cope when you have to work with someone who is very different from you?
What do you do when you’re working in a group and there is one member who is pushy and dominates discussions? -OR- What would you do if you are working aton a group at Kellogg and one member of your team is pushy and dominates discussions?
If you were a team leader and you had a member who constantly under-delivered, what would you do?
Tell us about a time you experienced a professional failure. What did you learn from it?
How do you deal with disappointment?
How do you deal with difficult people at work?
Imagine you are working on a team at Kellogg and a disagreement is keeping your group from getting your work done. What would you do?
Tell us about a conflict you have had with your boss. How did you manage to resolve it?
Tell us about a time you had to fight for an idea within a team.
Tell us about a time your values were challenged. How did you respond?
Tell us about a time things didn’t go according to plan. What did you do to fix it?

SSarna29 · Answer

Hey, my third question was ‘share about a time where there was a difference of opinions, what did you do and what was your learning?’

vatsagrawal · Answer

For me the 2nd question was not at all along the lines mentioned across online forums. My 3 video essay questions were as below (paraphrased):
1. introduce yourself to the adcoms. what can we not find on your resume?
2. describe a time when conflict between members was a blocker to getting work done? what did you do? what did you learn?
3. describe a time where you had a positive impact on others. how did you do it and what did you learn?

Kellogg KIRA video essays and how to answer them

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