The first thing to keep in mind is to be extremely thorough with your entire application. Your interviewer will get their cues from your essays and recommendations. Prepare well and thoroughly. While it is okay to make notes and highlights of the important information you want to share, do not make the mistake of mugging up anticipated responses.
For face to face interviews, dress conservatively and formally. Opt for a business suit in dark colors. The interviewer needs to remember you for your candidature and focus more on what you say and not what you wore. Bottom line: do not wear anything that attracts undue attention.
Answer all questions with conviction and there needs to be a definite connect between your career goals and the role of the school’s MBA programme in achieving them. Bring the conversation around to your most noteworthy experiences, your interests and how the school is a best fit for you. You must be thorough in your research of the school and you need to point out some specific features of the MBA programme that are somehow aligned to your aspirations.
Do not try and inject humour into the conversation or try to be flippantly funny as this may irritate your interviewer. They may not relate to your funny streak at all- a dangerous situation. Be respectful, friendly and courteous.
Stick as close to the scope of the question asked. Do not weave long stories. You will run the risk of deviating from the core question asked and will sound downright boring. Specifically ask for clarification if you are unsure of how to formulate your answer. And remember, it is okay to pause for a bit while you think of your response to a particular question. To fill the void in between the conversation, it is okay to say something like, “ Well, let me think about it…..” or “ I have not really given it much thought but in response to your question, I feel….” Followed by whatever comes to your mind. But give yourself some time to logically articulate the best response.
To demonstrate your acute interest in the programme, make sure to ask meaningful questions at the end of the interview. However, avoid asking something just because you feel it will be nice to. If you ask a question that can easily be researched on the internet, it will actually work against you. Try and get ready at least two specific questions before your interview which draw attention to your strengths. During the interview, if something the interviewer says attracts your attention, ask them for more information towards the end. If you have nothing specific, let it be.
Before you finish, make sure you get the interviewer’s business card and send them an email thanking them for their time. In addition to showing good manners, this also serves as a first step towards establishing long term communication. Good Luck!