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Placement interview questions, the end all and be all for an MBA!
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B-School placement interview questions can be tricky. Even basic questions might land you in a fix if you aren’t in the right frame of mind. Where placement interviews are designed to test your mettle, preparing for them in advance can help you ace the interview questions. The right approach and thus, the right answers, can help you land the job you’ve applied for.
Here are a few oddballs of a question that recruiters often ask to catch you off guard. Read through them and devise your own answers to send across a strong message to your interviewer. The message being, you have arrived and are here to stay!
A very basic question, this gives a rough idea of your personality to the interviewer. This question will judge you on grounds of communication, body language and clarity of thought. You’re allowed to talk at length about yourself where you can shed light on the uniqueness of your candidature. Be specific and do not mention the basics you’ve already mentioned in your CV. Let the interviewer know that you have been on a path of self-discovery and have found yourself.
The SWOT analysis is meant to help an individual understand his/her Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Where strengths and weaknesses differ from person to person, opportunities and threats stand in respect to the company you’ve applied to. A brief insight into this beforehand will help you give better answers to the interviewer. A trick question thus, this should be handled with care and must be replied with subtle answers. Your response must be true to your identity and still be coated in a way that does not make the interviewer reject your candidature. Be cautious! Pretense catches the eye of the recruiter.
The answer to this question can be a slippery slope. As long as you have thought through your answer and any leading questions, you are good. For instance, if you see yourself as the CEO of a company, the recruiter may ask you about the kind of organization or the industry. He may ask you on the why and how of it. Just ensure that you are able to steer the interview and the questions in a direction that works in your favor! To have a dream is a good thing as long as you take steps and actions to turn it into reality. The difference between a dream and wishful thinking is easily recognizable!
To be able to do justice to this question you have to be aware of what you want from an employer and what you can offer in exchange. Sugarcoated answers and flattery almost never works in this scenario. Responding to this question wisely will require you to have a good knowledge of the company and the perks it’ll offer to benefit your career. Having a command over the company’s know-hows will show your genuine interest in the company.
A primary focus of any firm is to work in teams. Teamwork requires you to adapt to the company’s work environment and adjust with people around you. For a team to work towards a particular goal, disagreements and disputes must be put aside. This being your first job, you’ll lack prior work experience. Thus, to lay emphasis on your skills, you can illustrate instances where you’ve worked in groups and have displayed leadership qualities or have resolved differences.
This is the final chance to pitch yourself to the employer. Share your strengths and lay them out in a manner that are in line with the company's goals. Convince the panel that you’re genuinely interested in making a career with them. Highlight the skills relevant to the job role that make you a perfect fit for the position. Answer in accordance with the position you’ve applied for. Have faith in yourself, stay confident and be calm.
These are a few basic questions that’ll be hurled at you when you appear for a placement interview after MBA. It is always a good thing to step into an interview where you have thought through all permutations and combinations. Also, being able to guide the flow of the interview in a subtle manner with your answers sends a strong message to the interviewer. Think before you respond and make sure that your answers lie in close relevance to the questions asked.
Like Mr. Ping says to Po right before he is to set out for battle, “The secret ingredient is YOU!” What else do you need? Be cool and gear up for the upcoming interview. All the best!
Here are a few oddballs of a question that recruiters often ask to catch you off guard. Read through them and devise your own answers to send across a strong message to your interviewer. The message being, you have arrived and are here to stay!
How would you define yourself?
A very basic question, this gives a rough idea of your personality to the interviewer. This question will judge you on grounds of communication, body language and clarity of thought. You’re allowed to talk at length about yourself where you can shed light on the uniqueness of your candidature. Be specific and do not mention the basics you’ve already mentioned in your CV. Let the interviewer know that you have been on a path of self-discovery and have found yourself.
What does the SWOT analysis say about you?
The SWOT analysis is meant to help an individual understand his/her Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Where strengths and weaknesses differ from person to person, opportunities and threats stand in respect to the company you’ve applied to. A brief insight into this beforehand will help you give better answers to the interviewer. A trick question thus, this should be handled with care and must be replied with subtle answers. Your response must be true to your identity and still be coated in a way that does not make the interviewer reject your candidature. Be cautious! Pretense catches the eye of the recruiter.
Where do you see yourself 5 years down the line?
The answer to this question can be a slippery slope. As long as you have thought through your answer and any leading questions, you are good. For instance, if you see yourself as the CEO of a company, the recruiter may ask you about the kind of organization or the industry. He may ask you on the why and how of it. Just ensure that you are able to steer the interview and the questions in a direction that works in your favor! To have a dream is a good thing as long as you take steps and actions to turn it into reality. The difference between a dream and wishful thinking is easily recognizable!
Why would you like to join us?
To be able to do justice to this question you have to be aware of what you want from an employer and what you can offer in exchange. Sugarcoated answers and flattery almost never works in this scenario. Responding to this question wisely will require you to have a good knowledge of the company and the perks it’ll offer to benefit your career. Having a command over the company’s know-hows will show your genuine interest in the company.
How comfortable are you with working in teams?
A primary focus of any firm is to work in teams. Teamwork requires you to adapt to the company’s work environment and adjust with people around you. For a team to work towards a particular goal, disagreements and disputes must be put aside. This being your first job, you’ll lack prior work experience. Thus, to lay emphasis on your skills, you can illustrate instances where you’ve worked in groups and have displayed leadership qualities or have resolved differences.
Why should we hire you?
This is the final chance to pitch yourself to the employer. Share your strengths and lay them out in a manner that are in line with the company's goals. Convince the panel that you’re genuinely interested in making a career with them. Highlight the skills relevant to the job role that make you a perfect fit for the position. Answer in accordance with the position you’ve applied for. Have faith in yourself, stay confident and be calm.
These are a few basic questions that’ll be hurled at you when you appear for a placement interview after MBA. It is always a good thing to step into an interview where you have thought through all permutations and combinations. Also, being able to guide the flow of the interview in a subtle manner with your answers sends a strong message to the interviewer. Think before you respond and make sure that your answers lie in close relevance to the questions asked.
Like Mr. Ping says to Po right before he is to set out for battle, “The secret ingredient is YOU!” What else do you need? Be cool and gear up for the upcoming interview. All the best!
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