How to Prepare for The Interview

Opportunities don’t often come along. So, when they do, you have to grab them.                      

                                                                                                                                                        -Audrey Hepburn

Not only you have to grab the opportunity but you are supposed to act upon in a relish manner. Interviews are the last hurdle of any selection process, it depends on you, how you’re ensuring your selection.

Here are some quick reviews you must take stock before you face any interview:

1. Be on time and Prepared for Success.

Don’t be late for an interview. Strive to arrive about 30 minutes before your scheduled interview to complete additional paperwork and allow yourself time to get settled.  Arriving somewhat early is likewise an opportunity to watch the elements of the working environment.

The day before your scheduled interview, pack up extra copies of your CV or resume and reference list. If you possess a portfolio or samples of your earlier working experiences, bring those along too. Last but not the least, remember to pack several pen sets and a pad of paper to jot notes. Finally, as you enter the office premises, switch off your cell phone.

2. First Impression matters:

The Adcom hardly takes 7 seconds to arrive at a first impression about you. Remember just 7 brief seconds only! How much you convey to the interview panel in these 7 seconds is crucial- and the type of clothes you wear matters a lot. We advise you to arrange your wardrobe selection as soon as you received the interview letter in your inbox.

For men, whether you’re applying to any national or international B- School, the outfit remains the same- Suit up! What’s more, ensure your suit is dry-cleaned and wrinkle-free, ahead of the proposed time.

For women, on the off chance that it’s an Indian school you are applying to, either Indian formals, (for example, a fresh cotton salwar) or western formals ( a formal skirt/gasp, shirt, and coat) ought to do. For universal B-schools, do as they do and stick to western formals.

3. Possess a positive attitude:

It is the most important rule of interviewing: Be polite, calm and offer warm greetings to everyone sitting on the interview panel. Remember that having a positive attitude and expressing enthusiasm for the admission in any renowned B-school are vital in the initial stages of the interview.

4. Be Authentic, Confident, Candid, Upbeat, Focused, and Concise.

Once you initiate the interview with Adcom, the key to success is the quality and delivery of your responses. Your goal should always be authenticity, responding truthfully to interview questions. At the same time, your goal is to get to the next step, so you’ll want to provide focused responses that showcase your skills, experience, and knowledge about the prevailing questions. Avoid usage of filler words like hmms.. umm…Ohh etc.

5. Keep in mind Body Language, Avoiding Bad Habits.

While the substance of your meeting reactions is foremost, poor non-verbal communication can be a diversion, best case scenario — or a reason not to contract you even from a pessimistic standpoint. Compelling types of non-verbal communication: grinning, eye contact, strong stance, dynamic tuning in, gesturing. Inconvenient types of non-verbal communication: slumping, looking off out there, playing with the en, wriggling in the seat, sweeping back hair, touching your face, biting gum, muttering. Read more in our article,

6. Practice with Diverse Questions and Interviewers

Prepare from a wide breadth of interview questions, but remember not to memorize the answers. In the initial stages, while preparing for the interview, you can propose our common interview questions section at the end of this e-book. Also, try and get more than one interviewer to conduct mock interviews for you so that you can get a holistic perspective. On the off chance that possible, video-tape your meeting so you can watch your non-verbal communication and make essential remedies.

7. Sort out the Logistics

Ensure that you expect and deal with any logistical issue you may confront on the meeting day. For online interviews likely a Skype interview, this could mean ensuring that your internet connection is good. Also, ensure that you have a backup desktop/laptop/phone and a backup internet connection (such as a data card).

8. Prepare for the tricky ones:

Be aware that every interview is likely to bowl at least a few curveballs at you – especially if you have performed quite well. And the panel is looking to decide if you’re a good fit or a great fit for their institution. How are you going to prepare for these tricky questions? For starters, carry out an interview in your head. Ask yourself tough questions and write down the answers on a paper.

You can take the help of your bestie and ask them to come up with one very tricky interview question, and try to answer those.It may not be very likely that you will get the same questions on the actual interview, but your mind will be better able to confront a difficult question, with all this practice.

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