The Frequently Asked Questions

The Frequently Asked Questions

This page contains tips for attending interviews, interviews include both for job and for B-Schools. Also included tips for facing the interview and Prepare for Stress Interviews & the frequently asked questions.

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the frequently asked questions...

Now that I have tried to explain the interview process, lets explore the frequently asked questions...
1. Tell us about your self?
2. Why do you wish to do an MBA?
3. What are your short term and long term goals?
4. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
5. What are your hobbies?
6. What are your interests?

Tell us about yourself?

This question is the all time favorite of interviewers and at times the nightmare of many candidates. A great care has to be taken while answering this question. Let's understand what does the panel expect. One thing is for sure that the panel does not expect to hear the information that is given in the form already, such as what is your name, educational background, and other data about you. Instead one can leverage upon the unique characteristics that he/she possesses while answering this question. Utilize this opportunity to reveal interesting facts about the area in which one is comfortable to talk to. These facts about oneself are to be thought before hand and one should be very clear about them. Now this brings us about what to speak about ourselves. All of us are unique … just like everybody else… Yes! And that is the catch. If you believe that you don't have anything to tell about yourself, then you are mistaken. Actually, everybody has something special and what one needs to do is, to probe into one self and answer for the questions given above.

Why do you wish to do an MBA? And what are your short term and long term goals?

Before answering this question one has to understand the difference between doing an MBA and long term and short term goals. At times people confuse doing an MBA as their goal but there is a significant difference between a goal and an MBA. MBA is just an instrument to reach to your goals it should never be confused as your goals. Your can achieve your goal by various paths and an MBA happens to be one of those alternatives. If you are not able to make it through an MBA, will you give up your goal? No, NEVER. So what are the other fall back plans you have to achieve your goals. This thinking will enable you to tackle questions like " what will you do if you are not selected in this interview?" It's actually attitude that they are looking for Every question can be answered in multiple ways and the way one answers the question reflects the attitude of that person. Try to keep a positive attitude in all the answers.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

This is rather a deceptive question and should be prepared carefully. To prepare for this question one should be very clear about how one perceives strengths and weaknesses. There may be many interpretations of these words but the one that helped me tackle this questions comfortably was to think about my strengths as my personality traits that help me perform better and weakness as what hampers my performance. Now with this definition, one can find out that with respect to an individual there are numerous personality traits that qualifies this criteria. One should be a little bit careful about the ones to be told to the panel and the ones that shouldn't be and one should never forget to instantiate the argument with at least two supporting examples.

What are your hobbies? And what are your interests?

Before thinking about hobbies and interests one should be clear about the difference between the two. These two terms are often used interchangeably but does not actually mean the same. The difference lies in the extent of motivation to pursue the two. For an hobby you have a passion and you take out time to pursue it, no matter how busy you are but interests may or may not be pursued with immense drive. Essentially speaking, you cannot get away by saying that your hobby is to listen to Jagjit Singh ghazals and still not know about the latest album of Jagjit Singh with the excuse that one was too busy with some other thing. The reason is that, if you pursue this as your hobby you are expected to take time for it out of your busy schedule. Then other thing one should be very careful about is that one should be focussed in one's hobby. It should not be left broadly saying that "my hobby is to read novels" It is very essential to identify what actually is your hobby is and focus is down to the most basic level so that if the interviewer tries to dodge you, you can always tell him about the restricted scope of your hobby (In which, hopefully you are comfortable with). About the interest part, one can vary in their commitment as far as interest is concerned, but one is expected to pursue his/her interest given an opportunity. (Relatively a safer bet than a hobby).Some amount of expertise is still required. Interviewer is not just another person. In the end don't try to cheat and think that the interviewer is ignorant about what you are talking. At times an interviewer has an immense experience in fields as specific as microsurgery of the brain.
 

    With the right attitude, your interview could be a walkover for you. We wish you good luck for the same.

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This page is designed by Mothish Babu.