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Virtual Vs in person

wali786

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04 Apr 2022, 21:17

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Although the admission committee does say mode of interview has no bearing on the admission, which one is better; virtual or in person?

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⚠ This discussion has been closed due to inactivity. Please start a new topic in the Business School Applications Forum if you have a similar question or a comment.

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Admissionado

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05 Apr 2022, 17:51

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wali786:

I think the question is more for you: in which medium do you perform better? Do you feel more comfortable in front of a screen or in the flesh?

We train people on interviews all the time and can tell you that it really makes no difference whether they are in person or virtual. At the end of the day, strong interviewees will always shine no matter the setting.

We do not believe the AdCom is lying in saying there is a preference for one over the other.

-Admissionado

ExpertsGlobal

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27 Apr 2022, 23:59

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wali786

Although the admission committee does say mode of interview has no bearing on the admission, which one is better; virtual or in person?

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Hello wali786,

If the Ad Com mentions that it does not have a preference, then that will be the case. It is about what is convenient and works better for you.

All the best!

nigirio8

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01 May 2022, 13:23

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Agree that whichever works best for you is better. At least for Booth, admissions emphasized that one will not be better or the other.
I chose in-person, because I've never done job interviews virtually before, and wasn't really comfortable in a virtual setting. It worked for me because I was able to shake hands with the interviewer who was a current student, and was able to make a personal connection with him. We also walked out the room together, and had this little elevator chat, which was an opportunity for that one last conversation.

In hindsight, I thought that virtual might be helpful for people who aren't comfortable with the casual aspect of interviews (awkward silence while walking out the door!) or English, but have the time to prepare. You can open a document alongside a zoom window and read a script, and scan for perfect answers for frequently asked questions (I stumbled on one big question during my in-person interview) - assuming you can execute it properly, that so you don't look like you're looking at somewhere else and reading a script.

I personally wouldn't do it because I'd like to enjoy the moment, as well as from an ethical standpoint, but I've seen my analysts (especially non-English speakers) become so much better at presenting to partners, and responding to Q&As from managers during COVID, where all the meetings were held in zoom. Turns out these kids prepare scripts and comprehensive Q&As and read out these scripts, occasionally having helpful colleagues sending a chat saying "read this!". My wife, a non-native, also prepares about 50 - 100 Q&As every time for her job interviews in MSword and practices thoroughly. She never got declined in a phone interview, sounding like a smooth talker with near perfect intonation, as long as it's covered in her Q&A.

thembaexchange

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02 May 2022, 05:05

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We agree with what others have posted (do whatever is best for you!) There are some additional comments that should be made about virtual interviews, though. You’d think this stuff would be second nature after 2 years of pandemic practice, but based on our experience practice interviewing clients, this stuff bears repeating:

1. Make sure that your wifi is rock solid. Practice interviews at the same time of day as your scheduled interview to make sure that you won’t have service interruptions. If you do have service interruptions, relocate to a different location with better internet access and practice there beforehand, too.

2. Practice with professional-looking earphones and possibly a microphone so as to minimize feedback.

3. Ensure that you don’t have any noises in the background (children, barking dogs, street noise, etc.)

4. Keep background professional (blank wall or window is fine, map makes you look international, posters can make you look amateaur, etc.)

5. Try to look at the viewfinder rather than looking at yourself. This will more closely mirror the “eye contact” aspect of in-person interviews that builds trust.

6. If you have the option to wear contact lenses instead of glasses, ditch the glasses for a virtual interview. It will help with eye contact by reducing possible glare/reflection from the computer screen.

7. A virtual interview means that you can more easily replicate practice with people who can prepare you for the big day. Take advantage of any and all MBA alums who can interview you the way schools will. MBA interviews are not like other job interviews (which tend to be more job and industry specific). The good news is that M7 interviews are similar to each other even if they are not similar to job interviews, except for questions about why you want to go to the school in question. So virtual interview practice is very helpful.

8. If it is an alum who reaches out to you re your interview, rather than an official adcom member, you should research them beforehand (linkedin, google, etc.) to get a feeling for the behavioral questions they may ask (e.g. veteran = leadership emphasis, banker = quant horsepower). Also, if they reach out to you asking you to send the link for the interview (this sometimes happens!), make sure to ask them what THEY PREFER in terms of conferencing software (e.g. google hangouts, zoom, etc.). USE THE ONE THEY PREFER or else they may be annoyed with having to learn a different system and your interview is likely going to have technical problems/late start on their end. Make sure that your subscription to whatever software they prefer will allow for longer time periods in case time runs over. If you have an amazing interview with an alum that goes over time, it could last an hour or more even if it originally was scheduled for 30 minutes, which may not be possible without a paid subscription. It’s worth it to buy a paid subscription to maximize your chances of having a positive interview experience if you are the one who will be sending out the link.

nigirio8

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03 May 2022, 11:40

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thembaexchange

I couldn't agree more to this solid advice.

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02 Sep 2023, 04:17

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⚠ This discussion has been closed due to inactivity. Please start a new topic in the Business School Applications Forum if you have a similar question or a comment.

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GMAT Club Moderator Team.