Interviews are of different types and any of these could be format of an MBA institute.
Patterned Interviews:
Highly structured, systematic. Same questions asked to each candidate in order to compare. Often used to initially screen applicants. Frequently used during on-campus interviews.
Non-Directive Interviews:
Interviewer asks open-ended questions to allow applicant to express himself/herself in a unique way. “Tell me about yourself.”
Stress Interviews:
Used to analyze the candidate’s ability to handle stressful situations. Used to weed out people who react defensively or are easily injured.
Group or Panel Interviews:
A search committee comprised of managers, co-workers or people from other departments will examine a candidate.
Behavioral interviews:
An interviewer asks you to describe situations such as “Tell me about a situation where you had a conflict with your family member. How did you handle it?” The recruiter will use the rule past performance predicts future behavior. If you acted irrationally in the past, the recruiter will assume that you will elicit this behavior in the future. The recruiter will not move to the next question until you have specifically described a situation.
In order to understand better, let us divide the total aspect of facing an interview into: before, during and after the interview.
Before the Interview:
Prepare Yourself. Review your resume and be ready to describe skills, abilities and past work experience. Be ready to describe critical skills that you have such as intellectual competence, leadership, team/personal skills, flexibility, communication, motivation, administrative and technical skills.
Research the company regarding its size, its competition, and prospects for future and recent developments. With knowledge of the company, you can demonstrate how you will be a good fit with the organization. Also, it will insure a more productive interview. Get company literature—through websites, library, company brochures, etc.
Ask friends or family members to ask you potential interview questions. Dress for Success; remember that you can also be judged by your appearance. Make a good first impression. Dress neatly and conservatively. The suggested attire for an interview is as follows:
WOMEN – suit, dress, saree, pantsuit; avoid flashy colors, avoid ill-fitting or tight clothing, wear conservative hemlines. Keep jewelry, makeup, and cologne to a minimum. Hair should be clean, neatly styled and away from the face.
