Tip Of The Week |
Tip Of The Week |
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Now that many Round 1 application deadlines have passed, some applicants are waiting to see if they're asked to interview with the school of their choice, while others of you are scheduling interviews where you're allowed to do so. People often ask us if they should schedule an interview when it's totally optional. Our advice? Interview only if you're positive you have such a sparkling personality that you'll ace it, hands down. In any other case (which means, for the rest of us ordinary schmoes), it's too risky. While it's very hard to be so dazzling in an interview that you give yourself a huge advantage, it's quite easy to nervously babble your way into a morass of platitudes and inane comments that could tip things against you. When you do find yourself in the interview hot seat, keep the following in mind, compiled by those of us who have seen and hear everything: Top Ten Ways to Tank Your Interview 10. Don't bother with a thank-you note or email. Many interviewers don't send their evaluations in right away; failing to thank them gives your interviewer a reason to think less charitably of you, as opposed to grabbing onto an easy "halo effect" through use of basic etiquette. 9. Use the word "global" more than two times…..in the same sentence. 8. Mention that Al Dunlap is your role model. 7. "Congrats, Chicago is #1 this year! How's it feel to go to the best b-school EVER?" (Really, none of us care that much about the rankings, so don't bother trying to suck up.) 6. Ask questions about anything that can easily be looked up by going through the school's literature or website. 5. Adopt a deer-caught-in-headlights look when asked what you can add to your future classmates' experience. Remember, it's not all about you and what you'll get out of an MBA. 4. "Do you still think a degree at Wharton is valuable after the school's recent drop in the latest Business Week rankings?" Are you just trying to sound clueless? 3. Don't turn off the damn cell phone. Waiting for an organ donation to come through is about the only excuse for this. 2. Mention a 770 GMAT and sit back expectantly, waiting for us to fawn. We won't. 1. "So convince me, why should I consider Kellogg?" |
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