Personal interview questions every MBA aspirant should know how to answer

With the CAT results out and calls sent by most IIMs and other B-Schools, MBA aspirants are looking forward to the next stage of the admission process i.e. the GD and Personal Interview rounds. The Personal Interview is of immense importance as it is given a weightage of up to 60% in some B-Schools while considering the applicant’s suitability. It is aimed at testing the candidate’s communication skills, attitudes, interests, and purpose for applying. The questions revolve around a host of topics such as personal, profile-based, courses studied, work experience and type of work done, hobbies, current affairs, etc. To prepare well for the PI round, we bring to you a few suggestions to keep in mind during the PI followed by frequently asked personal interview questions.

Suggestions for the PI round

• Create a personality mind map resonating with your personality. Research about what MBA entails, and why you chose to go for it. Know your interest areas. Put yourself in the place of the interviewer, and think of what the interviewer would want to see in a candidate.
• Do a SWOT analysis that helps you identify your strengths and weaknesses, opportunities that the course will enable you to take, and threats that you could be expected to handle.
• Follow the STAR approach when answering behavioral questions pertaining to past projects or past experience at the workplace. The Situation can be of any volunteer position or from your work experience. The Task involves whatever the situation required you to do. Give a detailed answer and be specific. The Action includes describing how you performed the task followed by the Result i.e. the outcome. Explain what you learned through the exercise.
• Focus on the body language, behavior, and language. It’s important to stay calm and confident throughout. And you’re good to go!

To know more about the Do’s & Don'ts in PIs, join D2C’s course to help you with your preparation.

Frequently asked personal interview questions

1. Tell us something about yourself.
2. Why are you going for an MBA?
3. What are the areas of your academic interest?
4. What are your skills and hobbies?
5. What do you like about your city?
6. What do you think is your biggest achievement to date?
7. What do you think is your biggest weakness?
8. Why this particular B-School for MBA?
9. What do you want to specialize in? Why?
10. How can your particular skill/hobby be related to business?
11. What future do you see for yourself in the next five years?
12. What are the goals in terms of your career?
13. Who is your role model or inspiration?
14. In what way will you contribute to the institute if you are selected?
15. In what way will you contribute to the class if you are selected?
16. Why should we admit you to the institution?
17. What do you expect from an MBA program to equip you with?
18. What is the meaning of criticism for you?
19. What is your way of handling and dealing with criticism?
20. What is that one time when you felt you were out of your comfort zone?
21. When was a chance when you exhibited your leadership skills?
22. What learnings have you taken from your failures?
23. What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced till now?
24. What are the other colleges you’ve applied to?
25. Where have you received calls from?

Apart from these generic ones, the Personal Interview questions can also be asked around your native place or current social issues. It can also be about what recent news interested you and why. The interviewers can also be interested in why you chose MBA, especially if you were a science or a humanities student or if you had a long work experience.

All the best!

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