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Question about business school and material.

Why MBA? What would be your answer if you were asked this question in a Business school(like IIMs) interview?

  • Answer:

    This is a question that doesn't have any 'right' answer, but there are plenty of 'wrong' answers that can kill your chances. So the first step would be to become aware of what not to say. The tips in this response aren't tied to IIM interviews. The principles would apply to any domestic or international bschool interviews (irrespective of whether the MBA program is CAT-based or GMAT-based). WHY MBA: What NOT to say Informally, most MBA applicants will reveal that a higher salary is what they really want. Others might confess that they are sick and tired of their current roles. Some hate their industry. Some dislike their boss. Some want a bigger brand company name on their CV. So they are hoping to escape from it and move to greener pastures. These are all legit reasons for the big 'Why MBA' question, but they can't be the 'drivers'. If your 'Why MBA' rationale starts and stops at any of these reasons, it's more likely to be interpreted as being superficial triggers. Gone are the days when you could just focus on cracking the entrance exam (CAT, GMAT) and put your post-MBA career plans on the backburner for the next 2 years. Most applicants who get called for an interview have got high GMAT scores and impressive profiles to begin with. Think about the additional insights you can share with the interviewer that'll help you knock out the competition and get in. WHY MBA: Reasons that you can include in your response There are many factors that you can highlight - the most impactful being your short-term post MBA goals. Go one step beyond the MBA degree and think about what you will do with that degree after graduation. Some popular reasons revolve around the following: A change of industry / role /  geography Picking up new skills that would be relevant for those new jobs Finding business partners (for a business idea that you already have in mind) Building a strong network that can help you many years after you have graduated Having the right reasons isn't enough. The big challenge is that most candidates will be tongue-tied when it comes to articulating their 'Why MBA' reasons even if they have all the answers in their head. Read this article to see --> http://www.mbacrystalball.com/blog/2010/12/19/how-can-you-prepare-for-mba-interviews-for-free/ Let me know with an upvote if you found this response useful. Good luck! Sameer Kamat Author | http://www.mbacrystalball.com/beyond-the-mba-hype

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I'd recommend you be straightforward. When I was teaching at http://skylinecollege.com I'd appreciate students that would be straight about how the MBA will improve their career track.

Vineet Jawa

(Here is my answer from a similar question elsewhere) To answer this question, you should know what skills an MBA is going to teach you which you may not have picked up during graduation and while working. These skills are not just academic! For example: 1. Academic: You can study subjects in management which may be of interest to you from a career perspective. e.g. Operations Management, International Finance, Advertising Management and so on. 2. Network: The networks you build at an IIM can last a life time. Besides, you also get access to a rich alumni network - these can be invaluable as you climb up the corporate ladder. 3. Personality Development: The coursework during an MBA can be intense. Given the rigours of life at IIMs, you end up having to work in diverse teams and under pressure. This can prepare you for a corporate career where you need to perform under pressure while demonstrating team work, leadership, ownership, accountability and other similar traits. 4. Career Change: If you are a graduate working in IT, you may not get an interview with investment banks for M&A roles. If a career change is your goal, then an MBA can facilitate that. These are just a few examples of way in which an MBA can be helpful - of course, depending on your situation, you may find more! If you would like to take an online mock interview with IIM grad panelists for IIM interviews to thrash out your answers, do check out: http://irikai.com/IIM-Interview-Preparation.php Hope this helps!

Neha Sharma

A fresher can say that a MBA would be the ideal launch-pad into the  corporate world, as it would train and equip them with the soft skills  as well as the tech-know-how of the corporate world. Whereas an  experienced person can talk about the value-addition that a MBA would  provide to his career. For more questions asked in MBA interviews: http://www.indiaeducation.net/management/interview/faqs.aspx

Nishatha Abraham

The best strategy is to the answer concise and yet open enough to guide the interview by allowing your interviewer to ask you follow up questions. I wish to do an MBA in order to change my career path. I have a keen interest in marketing. I enjoy reading about marketing and branding in newspaper sections like Brand Equity. I also continually follow marketing sites like Ad Age. I feel an MBA will give me the opportunity to pursue a more fruitful career in some of the reputed FMCG firms like P&G and HUL. Source: http://mbaclub.in/answering-the-why-mba-question/

Aditi Gupta

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