Vince's HBS Interview Seminar

Thank you, for registering for our upcoming seminar. Please, kindly prepare the following:

First, continue to prepare answers to common "mirror method questions" listed here https://www.vinceprep.com/videos/mirror-method

Second, read Vince's HBS interview tips here https://www.vinceprep.com/MBA/Harvard/interview

Third, continue to review your HBS application, looking for topics that your interviewer might ask you to elaborate

Finally, continue to meet Agos Consultants before and after the seminar to continue preparing for HBS and other interviews

NOTE: Vince will not be able to meet all of you for one-to-one interview training. Apologies in advance.

SCHEDULE DRAFT

subject to change

part 1 of 3


3:00–3:15 pm

Vince's idea of the HBS interview purpose

  • HBS says, “Your interviewer will be a member of the Admissions Board and will be very experienced in meeting with candidates. He/she will have read your application thoroughly. There is no formula for how an interview will be conducted or list of standard questions. Your written application will be a starting point but the conversation may not stay there very long. Your interviewer is trying to understand you and assess your ability to thrive in our case method classroom. Interviews are not auditions for Harvard Business School. By this I mean that this one step in our evaluation/selection process does not supersede all other elements of your application. After your interview, the interviewer will write a report for your file and the entire application will be reviewed again. The way our model works is that slightly more than half of interviewed candidates will be offered admission.”


Vince's idea of the typical HBS interview structure

  • 30 minute admissions interview

  • As many as 20 questions

  • 40 to 60 seconds per answer


HBS interviews in Japan often focus on three big topics

  • 50% your company and industry

  • 30% your role and department's role

  • 20% your international experience


HBS interview strategy

  1. Have a big idea

  2. Show us that you can achieve your idea

  3. Make a human connection - leave them with a memorable story (but don't try too hard to make her like you)


Key Success Factors

1. Don’t explain everything. Let her ask for examples.

2. Be concise. Keep it conversational.

3. Answer passionately.


3:15–3:45 PM

How do you want to start your HBS interview?

  • "Tell me about yourself" is about who you are now. By contrast, "walk me through your resume" is about decisions you made along the way. Since your HBS interviewer will have read your entire application, she is not likely to ask you to walk her through your resume. Therefore, we will discuss NOT practice answering "walk me through your resume" (WMTYR). Instead, we will practice answering "tell me about yourself" (TMAY)

  • Please, watch the below videos to learn more tips on how to answer these questions.

part 2 of 3

3:45–4:15 PM

Practice answering, "Why MBA?"

part 3 of 3

4:15–4:30 PM

other HBS interview questions to practice (time permitting)

  1. What are your strengths and weaknesses?

  2. What is something you should stop doing, start doing, and keep doing?

  3. Share some constructive feedback that you agreed with and also a piece of constructive feedback that you disagreed with

large group lesson plan (if we have 6+ attendees)

3-3:45 PM

WMTYR

3:45-4:30 PM

Why MBA