Interview invites and preparation -
Round 2 interviews are starting, here a couple thoughts as you wait for the invites...
How much time do you need to prepare for interviews? -
~2 weeks, but this depends on you, but generally the amount of time the school gives you between the invite and the first appointment is enough time, though it can help to make sure you have enough time to prepare as the interview is very short but counts a lot. You can certainly start preparing now even before the invites.Think through your resume, the why MBA, why the specific school, and then other school specific questions
How can you prepare for interviews on your own? -
I provide professional interview advice and mock interview and have a great track record for getting people into schools. That said, if you prefer to do it on your own, here are a few tips:
1. Prepare many behavioral stories for each question that you may have to answer. - You never know how you will get thrown off during the interview and if you only prepare one answer to "Tell me about a time you demonstrated leadership," then perhaps you would have already talked about the story you had prepared for that question. By having multiple stories, you are able to solve this.
2. Think about the reasons you made each of your career choices. While this seems clear to you, sometimes interviewers will poke at your resume and wonder why you made each decision and how that leads to an MBA.
3. Be very clear and concise. Like any other interviewer, they are talking to many people each day and often days in a row so you want to ensure you come across very clear and concise. If you send mixed messages, it makes it that much harder for the interviewer to remember: Jennifer came from XYZ, has excelled at ABC, but loves doing 123. You want those clear, impactful messages.
Contact me if you want individual interview preparation, and good luck!
_________________