My interviewer graduated from Kellogg in 2007, and this was her first Alumni Interview. We met at a coffee shop in the financial district of San Francisco during lunch time. The environment was a bit noisy at times, but it was manageable. She was a few minutes late and I was getting a bit anxious. My advice is that don’t worry too much if this happens. Reach the interview venue a little before time, and try to cool down a bit (don’t freak out and start calling the alumnus, even if you have the number). My interviewer told me upfront that she would be taking a lot of notes, which she did, on the front and back of my resume.
She carried my resume with her and it did not seem like she got a chance to go through it before. So, she asked me to run her through my resume. After I explained in brief my current position and started talking about my previous work experiences, she stopped me as I reached my work in Afghanistan. From there, she went into great details about what I did, how I did it, what I felt (my motivation for working in that country under treacherous conditions), and how people around me reacted to my actions as a team leader. This example is one of my precious ones, so I was prepared to answer any question. However, the amount of details that I had to provide her with was much more than any other interviewer has ever asked me.
These questions consumed almost half of our time, as she delved really deep into the situation. However, with my answers to the different questions, I was able to blend in my passion for my ultimate goals (improving infrastructure), and the inspiration behind my chosen career path. In addition, we were also able to connect on some common grounds related to international relief/aid work, as she had experience working on humanitarian assistance in Panama with the Peace Corps.
She acknowledged that this was a great accomplishment, but also asked me whether this was indeed the greatest. I offered another recent example to answer that question; with this story, I also covered the highlights of my responsibility at my current job.
She had an interview questionnaire with her, and she probably required commenting on certain traits or qualities, but I somehow felt that no set questions were suggested. Because of the in-depth nature of her questions, she could not really ask me a lot of questions. But she told me that she was satisfied about the multiple characteristics of my personality that were demonstrated through my answers.
Time was up, no chance for me to ask her questions. She said that she only had the 30-40 minutes of lunch that she skipped for the interview, and she needed to run back. She worked only a couple of blocks from the coffee shop. It was a very nice first interview experience. The alum was extremely nice and friendly. She showed clear body expressions and enthusiasm, which helped me to adjust my answers accordingly. She took a lot of notes and explained that she did so to ensure that she could best represent my qualities as an applicant to the Admissions Committee. As I briefly asked her about some of her past schooling and work experiences, she appreciated that I have looked into her profile. Also, while answering some of the questions on Afghanistan, related to my personal feelings and emotions as I led my team, she mentioned that I would be a great fit with the student community at Kellogg.
My quick notes of guidance:
Be ready to adjust or modify your answers from what you have prepared, based on what the interviewer is asking from you. Know your Resume in and out; there should not be any point there about which you cannot talk in great details.
Overall, I felt good about this interview. Although I did my interview within the Round 1 deadline, I have submitted my application in Round 2 for the full-time MBA program. So, let’s see what happens on March 28.
All the best to you in your application process.
