Interviews are an important part of the online MBA application process. An interview for an online MBA will give the admissions team a better idea of your skills and experience and give you the opportunity to let them know more about you and why you’re an ideal candidate for their online MBA programme.
Understanding What Admissions Committees Seek in MBA Candidates
First impressions last – and it’s no different for MBA interviews. Punctuality is vital, and admissions teams will want to see you present confidently and professionally throughout the interview.
Criteria UK admissions teams may assess during your MBA interview include:
- Your English language proficiency
- How clearly and confidently you articulate yourself
- Whether you can effectively demonstrate your skills and experience are a good fit for the MBA programme
Preparing for Common Online MBA Interview Questions
Just as you would for a job interview, you need to take the time to adequately prepare for an online MBA interview. Going in to the interview well-prepared will help you to anticipate questions from the admissions team, and to boost your confidence as well as your chances of success.
Some ways to prepare include:
- Research the university and their values to ensure you understand them and that your values align with them
- Research the MBA programme’s entry requirements and identify how you meet each of them
- Connect with current or past students to get an idea of what kinds of questions you can expect during the interview
Techniques for Demonstrating Leadership and Vision in Your Interview
Having strong leadership and thought leadership skills and being able to demonstrate these during your online MBA interview is crucial for success.
You can demonstrate these skills by:
- Preparing specific examples of when you demonstrated strong leadership in your career – be sure to not just describe these situations, but also to explain the consequences of your actions in each situation and how these contributed to positive outcomes.
- Proposing a visionary business idea you might have or describing one you’ve acted upon in the past. This can help the admissions team see that you’re able to demonstrate original thoughts and ideas.
Communicating Career Goals: How the MBA Fits Your Professional Journey
The UK admissions team you’re applying to will want to understand why you’ve applied for their specific MBA programme, so it’s critical that you clearly explain how their MBA is a good fit for your individual career goals.
This means you’ll need to research the programme in detail, and identify how the learning outcomes are aligned to what you’re looking to learn to take the next step in your career.
Navigating Career Change Discussions in MBA Interviews
If you’re looking to study an MBA programme, it’s likely that you’re looking for a promotion within your current organisation, or even considering a complete career change.
Being open about your goals, including your ambitions for a career change, will help the admissions team better understand your intentions in applying for an MBA.
Balancing Professionalism and Personality in a Virtual Interview Setting
While it’s important to maintain professionalism throughout an MBA interview, just as it is with a job interview, it’s also beneficial to show your interviewer(s) who you are as a person.
Don’t be afraid of showing them your unique personality – being personable, genuine and a good communicator can also be important factors in determining whether you’re a good fit for their MBA programme.
The Role of Research and School-Specific Knowledge in Interview Prep
If you’re preparing for a job interview, you need to research the company you’re applying to so that you have a better understanding of their values, goals, culture, and ultimately of whether they’re a good fit for your career goals. Again, the same logic applies to MBA interviews.
Researching the school you’re applying to well in advance of the interview will help you better prepare for interview questions and also determine whether the school is a good fit for you and your individual career goals.
Post-Interview Etiquette: Following Up Effectively
While you’ll no doubt be keen to find out whether you were successful in your interview at securing a place on your chosen MBA programme, it’s important to keep in mind the admissions team will need some time to interview other applicants and consider all applications before coming back to you with a response.
If the interviewer(s) don’t give you an estimated timeframe for getting back to you towards the end of the interview, it’s OK to ask them for one. Getting this information from the outset will set clear expectations on when you can anticipate a response.
If the expected timeframe has passed, it’s also OK to contact them to follow-up.
Useful Guides
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Accredited Vs Non-accredited MBAs
Search Online MBA programmes from UK universities.
