The competition for admission into a top PGDM college is high and standing out from the flood of applicants can be difficult. The PGDM program interview is your chance to show the admissions committee why you’re a strong candidate for the program. For many applicants, the admissions interview is one of the most nerve-wrecking steps of the entire process. But making a positive impression is the key.
Here are the 8 pro tips to help you ease your nerves and master that all-important interview:
- Do Your Research
Part of preparing for your interview is showing that you know anything and everything about the school or program you are applying to. You want to make sure that you are familiar with the program’s specific philosophy and goals for their students. Incorporating the program’s philosophy and goals into your interview will show that you hold a special interest and will make you appear enthusiastic for placement into the school.
- Generate a List of Likely Questions
To prepare for a PGDM admission interview with an admissions officer, your first step should be to go through your application carefully and generate a list of questions that are likely to spring from a review of your application materials. For example, the interviewer may ask you to tell one or more of the stories that you shared in your application essays or pose follow-on questions about an essay to dig deeper.
See the list of presentation topics for 2018.
- Look for Typical Questions
The interviewer may start off with some general interview questions coming at you such as, “Why are you applying for a PGDM?” or “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?” You should look up for some typical interview questions that past applicants might have shared and prepare some answers. Once you have a list of prep questions ready, you can start practicing your answers.
- Practice
Although you want to be prepared for your interview, you also want to appear genuine and not too robotic. Practice your answers with your friends, family, and admissions coach through mock interviews. Keep practicing until you are able to clearly get your point across without fumbling to find the right words. You also want to prepare a narrative about yourself that should be around two to three minutes. In an admissions interview, there are no second takes, and it’s very easy to confuse or even lose your listener. Translating your stories into a conversational form and then practicing out loud is critical to your success.
- Be Attentive and Listen
Showing that you are being attentive and are an active listener is just as important as prepping your answers. Giving listening cues such as nodding and keeping an eye contact are small gestures that can show that you are attentive towards your interviewer.
- Be Prepared for “Weaknesses” Questions
In addition to asking to share your stories in person, the interviewer might ask you to address weaknesses that are apparent in your application. Therefore, you must review your application with a critical eye. You need to be ready to address those concerns during your interview. For example, if your career has been narrowly focused on one functional area (e.g., marketing), then be prepared to explain what you have done to expand your knowledge of other functions (e.g., finance).
- Ask Questions
Most interviews will end with time for questions so make sure you have some prepared for your interviewer as well. This is when you want to show that you have a genuine interest in the program and ask specific questions that can’t be easily found on our website. You want to come up with quality questions that your interviewer can answer such as, “What do you think is the program’s greatest asset for students?” or “Why did you decide to be a part of ISBR School/ PGDM Program?” Questions like these will help you engage more with the interviewer and display your interest in their program or school.
- Don’t Forget the Typical Questions
It is a given that admissions committee members will ask you some of the classic PGDM interview questions: Why do you want a PGDM degree? What are your career goals? Why do you want to go to our school? Therefore, you need to be ready to ace these typical interview questions as well.
WHAT THE ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE AT ISBR LOOKS FOR:
The interviewer will be looking for concrete and specific examples that reveal one or several of the following traits:
- Influential Leadership
- learning attitude
- Ability to build relationships
- Drive and motivation
WORD OF ADVICE – PREPARING FOR PGDM
- Recall recent positive situations involving work experience, leadership, professional relationships, teamwork, and planning.
- Prepare short descriptions of each situation; be ready to give details when asked.
- Focus on examples not found in your application.
- Ensure the story has a beginning, middle, and an end.
- Be honest: don’t embellish or omit any part of the story.
- Be specific: don’t generalize about several events; give a detailed accounting of one event.
In Conclusion,
Preparing for an interview for the top PGDM course in Bangalore requires you to review your application through the lens of the admission committee, predict the questions they might ask, and outline effective responses to those questions. To ensure you are completely prepared, we recommend you to follow the above simple tips that will lead to a confident and smooth sailing interview.
Please note the Interview dates to apply in your city.
We welcome you to be a part of the No. 1 New Generation B – Schools of India by DM B-School Survey. Become an invaluable asset to your organization with a PGDM program from ISBR. Gain an In-depth study and access to a huge range of experienced mentors who will equip you to diagnose, analyze and overcome the ever-changing challenges faced by the modern businesses.