MBA Interview …by Webcam?

July 4, 2008 | Leave a Comment

The interview is an important part of the MBA application process. For many MBA applicants, this is the first time someone from the admissions committee is going to hear your voice and see your face. This is an opportunity for the interviewer to experience your passion for an MBA in person.

For MBA applicants who are unable to visit in person, a phone interview was the next best thing. Now some MBA programs are encouraging students to interview via webcam. It may not be an in-person interview, but it does give you the opportunity to exhibit your passion in a more personal manner. If you find yourself looking ahead to a webcam interview, here are three things to remember.

  • Everything communicates. The webcam is going to show your face and everything in the background. Choose your location wisely. The simplest background would be a white wall. If you have an office or study you may choose to be interviewed that setting. Still, be careful of any wall paintings, house decorations, or other scenery that could be a distraction.
  • Look into the camera. Remember that the camera serves as the interviewer’s “eyes”. Your “eye contact” will be determined by how you engage the camera. Be careful not to focus too much on your computer screen. When you talk and look at your screen you will appear to be looking down. Keep your head up, back straight, and look into the camera.
  • Practice. It is a different experience trying to interact with someone through a camera and computer screen. You may not get the body language signals you are accustomed to, especially if the feed has a delay. Your best preparation tactic is to treat this interview just like an in-person interview. Wear your suit, take notes in your portfolio, and practice your responses.

Knock ‘em dead!

Posted by Alzay | Filed Under mba applicant 

Better Than a Professional Statement

May 21, 2008 | Leave a Comment

What do you think of when someone uses the phrase professional statement? For most, a professional statement is a one-time document you create as part of an MBA application. But I know you pretty well, and I know that you can do a lot better than that. Why not create something that has use far beyond your MBA application? Why not create a STORY that has use over your entire career? Watch the video below to understand the importance of a professional STORY.

http://evenbetterconsulting.com/blog/videos/tellyourstory.flv

Don’t get me wrong, a quality professional statement is good. Actually, it is necessary. Still, for too many people the document has short term scope. MBA applicants spend so much time on their professional statements only to throw them away once they are admitted. The assumption is “I’ll revise it once I get settled in school”. Little do they know, that time never comes. MBA students are busy! School work, job search, and social activities eat up whatever time previously thought was going to be used to revisit career goals.

And because there are so many interesting jobs offered to MBAs…students end up running around like a kid in a candy store “looking at all the cool jobs”. They choose the coolest one, graduate, and one year later are wondering where the “cool” went. This brings them right back to their professional statement. They may not re-write it, but they certainly revisit their career goals in order to clarify their career path.

When I talk about a professional story, I am talking about looking at your MBA career with a long term perspective. It’s like having a living, breathing professional statement. Take a look at the video above to see what I mean. Agree? Disagree? Would you like to hear more? Post below to let me know.

Posted by Alzay | Filed Under mba student