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The Indian School of Business (ISB) is a prestigious institution that attracts ambitious individuals seeking to enhance their business acumen and leadership skills. Your ISB PGP interview is a pivotal step in the admissions process, offering a unique opportunity to present your qualifications and aspirations.
In this article, we will delve into the intricacies of the ISB interview, from preparation to execution, providing valuable insights to help you stand out and secure your place at ISB.
High Level Structure for your preparation:
Work/Internships - Clarity of what you did and what was its impact.
Appication Essays - Clarity of your strengths, weaknesses, successes & failures potrayed in essays. Be ready to delve deep into any of the things mentioned in your essays.
LOR - Usually candidates have access to their LORs. The content shouldn't contradict what you're saying in the interview.
Short term & Long term goals - Clarity of short term goal is not mandatory. That's where MBA comes into picture. Clarity of long term goal goes a long way in convincing the interviewers about your candidature.
Reapplicants- What changed since the last time you applied?
Target Role Cases- You can be asked basic guesstimates or strategy/product management/finance cases. Be ready with a short structure that you can use to take a stab at these questions.
Questions from each point that can be asked:
Work/Internships:
Tell us about your most significant work or internship experience. What were your key responsibilities and achievements?
Can you describe a challenging project you worked on? How did you overcome obstacles and what was the outcome?
In your essay, you mentioned a specific accomplishment at your previous job. Can you elaborate on that and explain its impact on your career or the organization?
Application Essays:
Your essays discuss your strengths and weaknesses. Can you give examples of how you've leveraged your strengths to help others? How are you adressing your weaknesses?
In one of your essays, you shared a personal failure. Can you explain what you learned from that experience and how it has shaped your perspective? What would you do differently?
Your essays mention your motivations for pursuing an MBA. Can you elaborate on how ISB aligns with your aspirations and why it's the right choice for you?
Why do an MBA now? You're excelling in your career. Aren't you worried about ROI?
Letters of Recommendation (LOR):
Your LOR emphasizes your leadership skills. Can you provide specific instances where you exhibited leadership in your career?
The LOR highlights your teamwork and collaboration. Could you share examples of successful teamwork experiences from your professional life?
In your LOR, it's mentioned that you have strong problem-solving skills. Can you give an example of a challenging problem you solved at work?
Short-term & Long-term Goals:
What are your short-term career goals after completing the ISB program, and how does ISB fit into your plan? How does this goal link to your pre-MBA experience?
You mentioned a long-term goal of leadership in your industry. Can you outline the steps you believe are necessary to achieve this goal? (replace the long term goal here with what you've mentioned in your essays)
How does your past experience and skillset prepare you for the short-term goals you've set for yourself?
Reapplicants:
As a reapplicant, what changes have you made in your application since your last attempt?
What did you learn from the previous application process, and how has it influenced your approach this time?
Can you highlight specific improvements or developments in your profile or career trajectory that you believe strengthen your candidacy this time?
Target Role Cases:
PS: These might seem challenging at the first look but interviewers won't expect you to answer them like a post MBA grad. Focus on the basics and be logical in your approach.
Guesstimates:
How many gas stations are there in New Delhi?
Estimate the number of people who use smartphones in India.
How many flights take off from the bangalore airport T1 in the world each day?
Strategy/Product Management Cases:
You are the product manager for a popular ride-sharing app. The company is experiencing a drop in user engagement. What strategies would you recommend to increase user engagement?
A leading e-commerce company is facing increased competition. How should they adjust their pricing strategy to maintain market share and profitability?
A pharmaceutical company is about to launch a new drug. How would you develop a marketing strategy to maximize sales and market penetration while complying with regulations?
You are a consultant working with a hotel chain. They want to expand internationally. What factors should they consider in their international expansion strategy, and where should they prioritize opening new hotels?
Finance Cases (if you're into trading or are targetting finance roles):
How do you select a stock to trade/invest?
Explain options to a 5 year old.
What factors impact mergers of two companies?
Don't forget to ask a meaningful question to your interviewer at the end. Something related to their own experience at ISB should be a good end to the interview.
Remember to communicate your thought process clearly and engage with the interviewer throughout the case. Practice with mock cases to sharpen your problem-solving and analytical skills, as this will help you perform confidently in these types of questions during your ISB interview.
A smile and little confidence goes a long way to impress your interviewers. All the best!