Had my first interview today. A quick report:
FACTS... interviewer graduated from INSEAD 10 years ago
... it was extremely conversational & friendly, lasted 1.5 hours
... 50% in German, 50% in English (I'm located in Germany)
QUESTIONS... why B.A & M.A. majors
... describe my current job, the company, the industry
... why MBA, why INSEAD, why now
... campus preference & why
... exchange program preference & why
... career plan after INSEAD; what I would do if rejected
... if admitted, what I would do until program starts
... what I do outside of work (interests, hobbies)
... which student clubs I would like to join, why
... how I can contribute to INSEAD
... my travel experiences; my understanding of other cultures & my own
... whether I have started learning French
... how I plan to finance my study
... any questions I had for him
INTERVIEWER's COMMENTS... the purpose of this interview is to figure out whether he would like to have me as his classmate ("personality fit")
... he has interviewed many candidates and did not recommend those who couldn't show a genuine interest in the program
... the MBA did not affect his career path directly but helped him build confidence, cultural sensitivity & lasting friendships
... he's not allowed to reveal whether he would recommend me, but he was very positive about today's interview
... he's supposed to fill the interview questionnaire & give feedback to INSEAD within 48 hours
Feel free to ask me questions. Best luck to everyone!