Skype MBA Interview

Interviews are one of the few chances you get to speak to MBA admissions. Even if you can't make it on campus or don't have the option of an alumni interview, you may be able to arrange for a Skype interview. All you need is a computer with a microphone and a webcam.

How to Prepare for an Interview

• Make sure your Skype profile looks professional. Make sure your profile picture is a nice photograph of yourself. Make sure you have a simple, yet professional sounding username like your first and last name. Avoid anything too personal or too weird.
• Pick out a good interview spot ahead of time. Although you can technically interview from anywhere with an Internet connection, avoid a location with a distracting background. Make sure it is a quiet place where you won't be interrupted -- just like you would with a phone interview for a job.
• Use a computer with a direct Internet connection, since WiFi connections can be unreliable.
• Test your Skype setup. Use the Skype Call Testing Service to test your audio. Test your camera to see how you look on screen.
• Give the interviewers and admissions staff you phone number ahead of time. That way, they know where to call you if you lose Internet access.
• Get the interviewer to give you their conact information ahead of time in case you don't hear from them.
• Be sure to get the time zones right if the school isn't in your region or country.
• Pick out the right clothes. Even though you are interviewing on Skype, the attire is still business dress. Keith Vaughn, Assisant Dean at USC Marshall, told Bloomberg Business Week that unprofessional attire during a Skype interview is one of the biggest mistakes an applicant can make. If you are really stumped on what to wear, ask the interviewer.
• Practice ahead of time.

Skype Interview Tips

• Although you may be interviewing from the comfort of your own home, remember to keep the interview formal and profesional.
• Look at the camera. That's the Skype equivalent of good eye contact.
• Some schools, like Harvard Business school, may invite you a Skype interview instead of an in-person or telephone interview. Do not take this as a sign about your candidancy, since interview format does not imply anything about your status.

Skype Interview Questions

The questions on a Skype interview are similar to the ones used in an in-person interview. Here are some sample questions used in Skype MBA interviews:

• Tell me about your job.
• Walk me through your resume
• Why MBA?
• How did you end up choosing your major?
• Why did you choose your undergraduate university?
• What did you do for fun in high school?
• How did you end up in your current job?
• What is an average day like for you?
• What are your future goals?
• How will an MBA help you achieve your long-term and short-term goals?
• Do you have any questions for me?

Below is a video featuring skype interview tips. It is intended more as general guide to online job interviews, but many of the same rules apply for MBA interviews.