To those of you who received an invitation to interview at HBS yesterday, congratulations!
All of the hard work you put into your application (and into all the other amazing things you’ve done up until this point…) has paid off. Now it’s time to finish up strong and ace the interview.
All current HBS students have been through the infamous 30-minute “get to know ’ya.” At The Harbus, we take pride in the fact that we have been helping students prepare for this test for years with our annual Interview Guide. I highly recommend you read it.
It contains almost 70 pages of advice from current HBS students, including an analysis of 96 real interview questions past applicants have received. It costs $65.00 and we contribute the proceeds to the Harbus Foundation, a non-profit that gives grants to local Boston businesses promoting literacy and education.As you begin your interview preparation, here are five quick tips to get you rolling:
- Know Your Story. Time to dust off the application and resume you submitted last month and remind yourself why you are so great. You’ll receive a variety of questions during your interview, but above all you will want to convey why you want an MBA and how the degree will help you. Know that cold so you can paint the picture for your interviewer.
- Practice, Don’t Memorize. Our Interview Guide will provide you with a long list of questions that you should be prepared to answer. But while practicing your responses is encouraged, don’t become a robot! Taking the time to carefully craft eloquent answers and then memorize those responses is not a good strategy and your time is better spent on #3:
- Read, Read Read. If you don’t already, start reading all the major business news sites (e.g. wsj.com, economist.com, etc.) to make sure you stay current. In particular, you should target publications or websites that cover your industry and employer—you don’t want to get broadsided during your interview! Make reading the news part of your morning routine and keep yourself disciplined.
- Call Your Friends. Chances are you know at least one person who attends HBS, or at least have a friend who knows someone here. Don’t be shy—reach out and ask for advice. If practicing beforehand is something you like to do, ask a friend to give you a mock interview.
- Don’t Stress. The interview is not what decides if you get in or not. It’s only one component of your overall application that is weighed along with all of the other amazing accomplishments you wrote about in your essay. If you relax and be yourself, it will pay off on interview day. lakeisha nicole landrum la keisha
