HBS interview: what to expect
I have my HBS interview on Monday. Do you have any last minute tips for what to expect?
Is an HBS interview a make-or-break interview? How do they view it? Does the adcom generally know which of the candidates that have been invited for interview that they want? Or do they make their final decision based on the interview?
It can be a break exp. but not a make exp, if you screw it up, and blather, or cannot explain yourself, or piss off the interviewer: YOU WILL BE DINGED.
Of the 1800 kids they interview that happens in maybe 180 cases (10 percent). OF those 180, maybe 80 actually know it was a disaster, and walk out REALLY BUMMED, no fooling. Like a kid who wrote me, in response to my wondering about initial report, if this person was just having normal second thoughts, “I cannot tell you how bad it was…………..” That convinced me. THAT KID WAS DINGED. (Phone call w.kid, and details of back and forth really did it). Of the 100 kids of the 180 SCREW UPS who DO NOT KNOW they screwed up, it will be a matter of irritating the interviewer, w. a pattern of evasions, jargon, sports talk, bravado, tin ear replies, and interviewer is not the type (and most are not) who overtly expressly dislike but rather just silenty says, “Keep it up, it’s your funeral……………….” That report gets written up as answers were evasive, arrogant, not aware of audience, etc.etc.
Of the remaining 700 kids who get dinged anyway and are not part of the above 180–their interviews were mostly non-events, but after interview they lost out to better candidates in their silo, however defined, see DeeDee’s explanation of this above.
What interview does not do, IN MOST CASES, is get you in, e.g. turns a marginal app. (by interviewed app. standards) into AN ACCEPT, altho who knows, I imagine if you are borderline, and some guy very similar to you has ok inter. and you have boffo interview, well, maybe you will get in, but that dont happen as much as you might predict.
What to expect: interiewer will be courteous but not empathetic, or gushy, or even warm; inter. may take lots of notes, which can be disconcerting, you will walk out saying, “that was an anti-climax, I did fine, but I did not get a chance to unroll my super leadership answers, or boffo stuff I researched about treks, or my great OTHER failure not in my app…..it was just a chat, and pleasant, with only one substantive team question at the end, s what gives??” WHat gives in most cases is you did fine, and your admit will be determined by rest of app.
December 13th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Sandy,
What is the timing of interviews for Round 1? If one hasn’t received an interview request by the 15th, is one toast?
December 15th, 2008 at 11:25 am
does one need to have a perfect interview to get in? or is it normal if some answers were great, some not so great (but still not totally screwed up)? i guess, what are they really looking for in the interview…
January 2nd, 2009 at 10:30 am
well, it is now Jan 2nd, and if no interview, you are pretty much toast.
As to perfect interview, no, read posts about this, esp. one dated Jan 2, 2009 above, the impt thing is not to screw up.
March 1st, 2009 at 10:37 am
I will be having my interview with HBS this March in Paris. I have received confirmation from the system of my interview, which provided me with details of date/venue for my interview.
I would like to ask if any of you know, if I need to call HBS or reply to their email to confirm my receipt of the Interview confirmation, or no need to do that?
Also, as I talked to most other applicants of other schools, they said they will know the interviewer in advance. I wonder if thats the same case for HBS? (as i received no information of who Interviewer is in my invitation email)
I look forward to hearing your advice soon
THanks,
Katie
March 13th, 2009 at 1:00 am
Katie, you don’t need to confirm it, I think it was also mentioned somewhere in the invitation that it is a computer generated email. If you have questions you should address the adcom general email.
HBS is peculiar for interviews in that you don’t know your interviewer upfront, but she knows everything about you. Expect to talk with a professional of recruitment. I researched after my interviewer on internet after my interview and discovered she had several years of expertise in prestigous fimrs and universities.
Don’t get bothered if you will never manage to establish a human contact with with interviewer, it sounds like they are trained not to disclose appreciation or denial (altough you can infer them).
Expect vague, long and articulated questions, but few follow-up.
Best luck!
March 13th, 2009 at 1:03 am
Kaite, I have just checked the dates. I guess you have already had your interview today.
Hope everything went fine!