A popping email on my inbox congratulated me on my successful application for the 2017 MIB intake. The email also includes an invitation for an assessment test and an interview on a date that I felt free to postpone.
A rush of excitements followed, while preparing for all that; and they were overwhelming.
Before I prepared, I made sure to familiarize myself with common interview questions. These were:
These questions established a structure for my preparation.
In preparation, I was told many times before the interview to just “be yourself” and I will be fine. Yes, being yourself lies at the heart of a successful interview, but it is solely not the key for admission. Therefore, indeed, I had to structure my preparation while leaving room for improvisation.
Here is what I considered beside being myself:
The interview was for 45 mins to an hour. It consisted of an introduction, common interview questions like the above mentioned, couple of ethical dilemma questions, and general knowledge questions (in regards of international economic and social affairs)
In the introduction I tried to make use of PPF. The acronyms PPF that stands for Present-Past-Future, helped me maintain a proper first impression in featuring such an organized and a sequential introduction. First I started with the present—where I am right now. Then, segue into the past—a little bit about the experiences I have had. Finally, finished with the future—why I am really excited for this particular program. This already answers couple of questions while breaking some ice for further related personal and professional questions.
As for the rest of the ethical dilemma questions, where I was being put in certain – corporate and ethical related – situations, I made sure to spontaneously imagine myself in such situations and answer.
The Masters of International Business is a very unique program, who’s course modules features courses that vary within the realm of social responsibility and impact development. The program also shares the very unique regional specialization; where one gets the chance to choose from either East Asia, Africa or Latin America as a specialization. Further, knowing that those courses are being lectured by renowned professors, who’s their demonstration is derived from field work, in developing countries and from global institutions, was clearly of a major impetus in deciding to join MIB. That being said, the program in return self-reflects with very unique and diverse students. Thus, don’t bother whether you studied linguistics or philosophy before; don’t bother about the lack of your past professional experiences. Because all the interviewer wants to know is if that you are a fit for the program, and the core idea for your fitness lies in your keenness for a sustained future while encouraged to understand today’s global challenges and the mechanics of making impacts and responsible businesses across the globe. My interview centered much around the aforementioned qualities. While I prepared, I yet remained myself.
Good luck to you – future MIB!
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