So, what does all this mean to those who would like to take the MBA? The first question is, “If I were applying for a position at a company, what questions would you ask me?” This includes the same questions asked of job applicants. Each MBA applicant is going to come across multiple versions of these questions, so it would be beneficial to have a pre-knowledge of the typical format. Some sample questions may be;
“Why did you choose to attend Harvard Business School?” or “Why did you choose to go to Duke University?” The first question takes a simple yes/no answer and asks follow-up questions that will reveal a good deal about a candidate. The second one asks for a somewhat more detailed answer. With these two sample questions, I can give a very good impression of how a candidate will handle a difficult situation.
“How many students have you taken on each case?” This question can actually be narrowed down to “how many students have you successfully had as graduates?” This question asks for repetition, so it should be answered with precision. It is also important to know the number of schools attended. It will be helpful for me to know this when I have an opportunity to interview the candidate.
“What were your three best attributes as a business person?” Sometimes I like to ask candidates about their childhood. They might bring up a childhood experience that is relevant to their success. I always tell them that is part of the process and at times I even take their childhood experience into account when giving the take my mergers and acquisitions quiz for me.
“On a scale from one to ten, how well do you run your department?” This question is great because there are a variety of different departments in any organization. If there are ten employees, a question such as “Do you run each department effectively?” is going to get a lot of “sevens” and “oh’s.”
“What do you do if you are not satisfied with your performance?” This is a common question and one that is easy to answer. I usually point out that I am happy to work with them if they show passion and commitment. If the candidate does not have these qualities, it will be difficult to help them develop them. One of the most important questions to ask is how they would handle any problems that came up during the year.
“How would you describe your strengths and weaknesses?” Again, this question can be tricky because there will be a variety of answers that are given. It is important to keep looking until the right candidate is found. Take my mergers and acquisitions quiz for me and learn what makes a great potential Merger and Acquisition candidate!
“How do you deal with criticism?” Everyone gets bad reviews from time to time. The key here is to learn how to deal with it and take my mergers and acquisitions quiz for me to find out which personality suits them best. Some people respond well to encouragement, while others need to hear why they aren’t doing a good job.
“Do you have what it takes to grow and manage a company?” This question may evoke various feelings ranging from fear to excitement to worry. The best way to approach this is to simply determine if you have the ability to grow and manage. Is leadership something you need to consider developing? If so, then take my mergers and acquisitions quiz for me and find out. If not, it is time to decide if you can handle the increased responsibility that will inevitably come with a management role.
“What makes you confident in your abilities?” If you are self-assured, take my mergers and acquisitions quiz for me to see what kind of answers you come up with. Do you do well working alone or as part of a team? Do you prefer working in an environment where things are constantly changing or is more stable?