The interview – application + two pre-interview essays-based – felt like a genuine free-flowing conversation rather than interviewing with a person who needs to go through a specific set of questions before the interview ends (the feeling one has when interviewing with students and alumni). It lasted for about 40 minutes and was extremely enjoyable. The interviewer seemed to have enjoyed it as well and was very amicable (contrary to what I’ve read online, the interview was far from being “too serious,” and the adcom tried to make me feel comfortable).
Given the interview is application-based and personal, I think the questions vary quite a bit. I didn’t have to answer many behavioural questions (no “tell me about a time” type of questions); they felt mostly like questions asked to understand better my experience during the past year at my company. The interview focused primarily on my current employer’s role, how was 2020, and what I hope to do in the future.
The interview was conducted as follows:
– Exchanging pleasantries, how’s the situation where I am based given the pandemic.
– How did my company handle the past 12 months?
– Who are my clients? How did I handle client and team management during the pandemic? What were the challenges? (some follow up questions relevant to my specific company, industry, and clients)
– Alluded to some extent to my data-sample pre-interview essay.
– Is my role more management or professional-oriented? What’s the division between my different “hats”?
– What were my challenges when I first began managing a team.
– Proudest 2020 achievement.
– What am I hoping to find at Sloan? Follow up: what other things (academic or professional) am I going to pursue at Sloan?
– What am I planning to do after Sloan? (post-MBA goals question)
– Extracurricular question and how it may connect to a specific role I may pursue in the future?
– Any questions for me? (I got to ask two questions, and they were excited about answering them)
Overall, the interview only strengthened my hope to find myself at Sloan. I should have utilised the STAR method more in some of my answers, but I was somewhat surprised by the questions I was asked and the nature of the interview (very conversational, engaging, and free-flowing). Hopefully, the structure I provided in my answers was sufficient.
Good luck to everyone interviewing at Sloan!
