How to Ace Video MBA Admissions Interviews During COVID-19

Round 2 deadlines for MBA applications are approaching quickly. If you’ve already written a convincing essay and taken the GMAT or GRE, chances are you’re probably thinking about how to best prepare for interviews with recruiters.

Interviews are not only crucial to sell yourself and your accomplishments, they're also the last step in the application process, where recruiters get a feel for who you are and decide whether you’re a good fit for their MBA program.

Given the challenges brought forward by the coronavirus pandemic – including many b-schools closing their doors and shifting the application process entirely online – you may be wondering how you can ace a virtual MBA interview from home.

Here are TopMBA’s top tips on how to stay calm and ensure that your video interview goes smoothly.

Prepare your IT and surroundings

Video interviews can often feel invasive – after all, you’re trying to impress recruiters from the comfort of your own home rather than an office at your preferred b-school. For this reason, preparing and paying attention to your surroundings is key to ensuring admissions committees see your potential and ability to thrive under any circumstance.

First, check your Internet connection, lighting and sound by test calling friends, family or other MBA candidates to emulate the interview environment – this will help you identify any technical issues you may have before the day comes. Next, remove any distracting items and clutter from your background. You want interviewers to focus entirely on you and see you as a professional, and a tidy space will do just that.

Choose the right attire

Dressing up for an interview at home might feel strange, but it’s important that your look reflects your professionalism. As overdressed as you might feel on the day, a formal outfit will help you get in the right mindset. But be careful: try not to overdo it – if you’re uncomfortable at any point during the interview, it might negatively affect your performance.

Do plenty of proactive research

An advantage of doing interviews from home is that you have considerably more time to prepare. Without the hassle of having to travel, you’ll have the opportunity to do more proactive research on the school, such as attending virtual admissions events and connecting with alumni on platforms such as LinkedIn. This will allow you to gain a deep understanding of the school’s culture, which you’ll be able to use during your interview to get your passion across.

And there’s more: unlike for in-person interviews, schools might actually tell you in advance who will interview you via video (or you could easily find out through the email address provided for the scheduled call). Use this to research your interviewers: where did they go to school? Do they have an interesting professional background? Can you relate to them in any way?

Knowing who you’re talking to might ease some of the nervousness and help you think of interesting questions to ask at the end of the interview.

Be ready to answer difficult questions

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of resilience and purposeful leadership. While preparing mock answers or an elevator pitch, make sure to take into account that recruiters might ask you tough questions surrounding your ability to navigate crises. These don’t have to be strictly related to the events of 2020, but it might be worth trying to anticipate  the skills b-schools will be looking for in their future cohorts.

Much like in the case of admissions essays, recruiters will be interested to know how your experiences and accomplishments have helped you grow, so be prepared to show off your ability to be introspective. You don’t need to have a sob story, but an awareness of the world around you will help you stand out and showcase your flair for leadership in our interconnected society.