If you are preparing for the interview, congratulations! Getting to that point is not easy.
Now, in order to achieve a successful outcome, it is important to prepare yourself to efficiently convey your strengths and minimize your weaknesses. Following these five keys will help you not only to make a good impression with the admissions committee, but also in your job search after completing your MBA.
You should have knowledge of what is happening in other countries, you don't have to master absolutely everything that happens in the whole world, but you should have a notion of what is most important and how this affects the industrial sector and your professional area.
This is perhaps the most important point, you have to ask yourself what you are passionate about doing in professional and personal terms. Everyone is different, but if you are clear about your competitive advantages and your motivations, it will be easier for you to answer the interview questions. Be clear that there is a difference between the things you do well professionally and the things you are passionate about.
On the internet there are many tests that help you get a better understanding of who you are, such as the one created by Katherine Cook Briggs. They can help you identify passions and those areas in which you are not so good, this webinar can serve as a guide to get to know yourself better.
Self-knowledge also involves being aware of your own weaknesses. If you are asked about them, be honest, but don't bring them up if you haven't been asked. Think about them beforehand and relate them to what you want to do in the future and ways in which the MBA can help you counteract them.
Are you clear about what you want to do, professionally speaking, in the short, medium and long term? This will help you identify the benefit you will get from the MBA; perhaps you want a career change, a better income or to reinforce something you already know, or are you interested in becoming a Manager, Entrepreneur, Director or Consultant?
More important than the goal itself is that you are clear about it and that it is aligned with your professional vision. It is likely that the interviewer will ask you about your future career goal - after your master's degree - think about which industry, functional area, company or country you would like to develop professionally.
In which Grade do you directly or indirectly facilitate change? Change will be constant at INCAE, in your future job, in your country and everywhere. Showing adaptability and flexibility will be beneficial.
On the other hand, it is also important that you define what is the change you need to make to be more prepared for the interview and when you will do it. Maybe it is resolving your current work situation or defining your career goals; whatever it is, do it!
Defining a path to follow and taking action is a practice you should adopt permanently and not only when preparing for interviews.
Use your experience to your advantage; if you have extensive work experience, especially in multidisciplinary areas and multinational companies, it will be a plus. However, experience goes far beyond that.
They also recognize the experience you have working in a team, interacting with people from other countries, your experiences generating impact in your community or through social responsibility and sustainable development.
These tips will undoubtedly help you. But you must be clear that there are no magic formulas for success and the final result will depend on yourself. Sincerity and trust will be your allies so that you can perform at your best. Share everything that adds value to your profile.
This article is based on the webinar "Tips for the Admissions Interview" by consultant Niels Camacho.
Photo by rawpixel.com on Unsplash
