If you need proper MBA interview prep, you are at the right place. In our latest webinar with Dr. Don Martin, prospective applicants learnt how to get ready for their MBA interview.

Dr. Don Martin is former Dean of Admissions at Chicago Booth School of Business, Columbia University, Northwestern University and Wheaton College (IL). During 28 years at these institutions, he was responsible for evaluating more than 125,000 applications. 

To kickstart your preparation, let’s focus on three areas – before, during and after the interview. Keep reading or watch the full webinar recording to discover best practices and tips to impress the admissions committee.

Before the MBA interview

Great news! You get invited for an MBA admissions interview by one or more of the programs you have applied for. So what now? Is there anything you can do before the scheduled date to make sure you impress your interviewers?

Of course, there is. As Dr. Don says in the webinar, preparation is absolutely key for your interview performance. While you may not know the exact questions the admissions committee will ask, you can get ready in other ways. For example, do you know the names of your interviewers? If you do, be sure to look them up online and find out about them before the interview. Simply checking a LinkedIn profile can shed more light on that person and their expertise. Then, this information can come in handy during the interview and you can show that you take the process seriously.

Another very important part of your preparation should be getting to know MBA program specifics. If you get to the interview phase, this should go without saying. After all, you need to know the MBA well to prepare a solid application and write convincing essays. But it’s worth emphasizing this again: you need to be very specific when you provide reasons for wanting to study in a particular business school. Why are you interested in this MBA over another? Think of specific faculty members, a concrete subject, a study trip that inspires you, or anything else that makes an MBA program distinguishable for you.

During the MBA interview

The day is finally here and it’s time to get to your MBA admissions interview. With a few simple tips, you can ensure you will make a good impression while reducing the stress that can come with such a task.

One of Dr. Don’s suggestions is to bring something with you (if the interview is face-to-face) such as your printed resume, a folder with a notepad, or something else that is relevant for the interview. Avoid going empty-handed and you will see how this small detail can work in your favor during the MBA interview. Remember to maintain good eye contact, smile, and have an overall pleasant attitude.

What about the conversation itself? What is the appropriate way to answer the interviewer’s questions? Just be mindful of how long your responses are, Dr. Don advises. Taking about two minutes to answer a question is to be expected. It’s important to find the right balance here. You don’t want to overwhelm the interviewer with answers that are unnecessarily long, but neither should you have to make them pull information out of you.

If you’re wondering about the best way to promote your career accomplishments without sounding boastful, watch the full webinar with Dr. Don Martin.

After the MBA interview

As Dr. Don explains, your evaluation continues until you have 100% left the room or hung up from the call. So stay positive and friendly until the end! When the interview is officially over, it can be helpful to go somewhere convenient for you and immediately write down important information you received during the meeting, topics discussed or anything else you don’t want to forget. You never know – these notes could turn out very useful down the road.

The following day, send an email to thank the interviewer again and another thank-you email to whoever coordinated the interview. Don’t make them too long – just include one or two details describing why this experience was valuable to you. This is where you can also ask a question you didn’t manage to ask during the interview itself. But if you have even more questions, it would be better to submit them through the official business school website – don’t list them in the thank-you email after your interview.

Interested in accessing even more useful articles and free resources for your MBA prep? Head over to Dr. Don’s blog.

About Grad School Road Map

Grad School Road Map is a resource for prospective graduate students who are pursuing study leading to a Master’s degree, MBA, JD, MD, and Doctorate. To date Dr. Don Martin has provided one on one application coaching for close to 600 business/graduate school applicants with a 97% acceptance rate and over USD 16 million in funding. His book, Road Map for Graduate Study: A Guide for Prospective Graduate Students, remains the most comprehensive guide for the business/graduate school research and application process.

Should you wish to purchase Dr. Don’s book, watch the full webinar to get a special 50% discount code.