MBA PERSONAL INTERVIEW-
TOPICS FOR PREPARATION
· Aastha Jaiswal
The journey to the top B-schools in the country starts from
the preparation of the CAT examination but does not end with it. The next round
is the one that will make or break the deal- WAT/GD and PI (Personal Interview)
accounting for more than 50% (ranging 30-50% across institutions) of the
weightage for the last and the final selection of the deserving candidates, if
they want to convert their IIM calls. (You get a call on the basis of your CAT
score)
IMPORTANCE
The PI round is the final round and perhaps the most
important one as well. A general advice to students will be to start preparing
for the PI rounds as soon as they are done with their CAT exam. This round
tests your emotional intelligence, your inter personal skills in communication
and interaction, logical reasoning, patience and composure. It tests your
stress management skill, ability to work under pressure and decisive skills.
There have been many cases where brilliant students with 90+ percentile have
not got in, because of their poor performance in the personal interview round.
Your admission to the top B schools hence highly depends on your interview
performance.
WHAT DOES PI CONSIST
OF?
The interview panel usually consists of three or four
business experts, who might even turn to be your future professors if you nail
the interview round.
· Duration- 15-20 minutes
· Subject matter- About yourself, about your
educational details, national politics, even your hobbies, interests, etc.
The ‘About yourself’ question is very important since
this question mainly decides what and how the next 15 mins of your interview
will proceed.
MBA PI TIPS
·
Stay
calm, confident and greet the panellists with a warm welcoming smile.
·
If
you are not sure about an answer, be humble and tell them that you don’t know
the answer. Being humble and to the point goes a long way in interviews.
·
Always
sport a smile and do not excessively defend your point of view. Respecting
others’ views and showing your point will win you points in the PI round.
·
When
talking to the panellists, always maintain eye-to-eye contact.
TOPICS TO PREPARE
· So, (your name), tell us something
about yourself
· Why this institute? You could have
applied to others.
· Tell us about your biggest
achievement and why is it so?
· What do you consider to be your
strengths? Weaknesses?
· According to you, what are your long
term goals?
· Where do you see yourself in the next
5 years?
· Why MBA? What do you want to do after
an MBA?
· Why did you choose
Marketing/Finance/Human Resource?
· Tell us about your work experience
and what did you learn there.
· Tell us about your failures, and how
do you cope with them?
· Any hobbies or interests?
· How will you define your personality?
· As a leader, what would you advise to
your fellow team members?
· What is the difference between an
employer and a leader?
· What were your favourite subjects
during graduation?
· What made you choose an MBA after
graduating from (your field) background?
GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
· Your personal take and views on
Social Media
· Views on climate and environmental
change
· NRC/CAA
· Covid-19 Crisis and related.
· Indian Economy
· Questions on your graduation
subjects.
· Most pressing issues at present
· News, issues and views on the most
heated topic of discussion in your city/town.
This is not an exhaustive list. More research is expected to
done by the student, going through articles, improving their communication
skills, and learning how to keep their composure in the most stressful moments
during the interview round. The one who overcomes and masters all the above,
will be able to convert their B school calls.
“Success is no
accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and
most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” - Pele
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