From my experience I would suggest the following:

A complete and thorough reflection of WHY an MBA would help you achieve your career goals. Know very well what you wrote in your essays and make sure that you reinforce it in the interview.

WHY MBA? WHY MBA NOW? CAREER GOALS?  ABOUT YOURSELF? (Hint: Show a career progression and also showcase extra curricular activities) WHY XYZ SCHOOL? (Hint: Bring out the match between your goals and what the school has to offer and also what you can contribute and how you can continue to pursue your other interests.) These are all  typical questions and they must be answered VERY VERY well.

Apart from these questions, the MOST important thing is: Have specific examples in your professional and personal life illustrating leadership, failures, hurdles, accomplishments, contributions to organization, and team work. You should have  covered quite a few of these in your  essays, but you will need more examples for the interview. So, make sure you have an experience to quote in each of these areas. ALSO if you say abc is your strength, have an example ready where you demonstrated that strength. Generally you are asked for two or three strengths, so have lots of examples ready for the interview.

It is the same case with weaknesses. Have an example of a specific weakness and also show how you are working to overcome it – it is important to mention this.

In your recommendations ensure that the recommender actually backs whatever you stated in the essays and anything you would possibly say in interview; CONSISTENCY is very important.

In regards to career goals, you are expected to be very focused and clear. The POSITION you would like to get post-MBA, 5yrs, 10yrs and 15yrs down the line. The industry and function must be very clearly stated and you must be in a position to say which company you are looking at post-MBA. Even if your essays don’t specifically ask for this information,  the adcom (the business lingo for admissions committee ) will most likely ask you this during the interview. They are interested to make sure that the MBA program can help you with your career aspirations.

Due to the high level of competition, schools tend to accept students who put in the effort to find out as much as possible about the school. Attending MBA events, getting in touch with Alumni, current students and staff and class visits are a plus. There may be questions in the interview that test your knowledge about that particular school.

Also, make sure you have questions for the adcom as well. Don’t just ask something whose answer can be found right on their school’s website. IF all this is done, you are all set!   Good Luck on your interview!  I know you’ll ace it!

If you’re one of the lucky ones to have secured an interview at one of your top choices, don’t be afraid. It’s time to showcase your speaking and presentation skills in a forum that will make or break your candidacy.

Face-to-face communication is losing its cache because of the time we spend networking online.  Ironically, business deals and admissions decisions are often based on how you present yourself in-person, and not necessarily online or on paper. The more time we spend online or using technology, the less time we have to advance our interpersonal communication skills in a “people setting.”  Good admission interviewers are looking for confident, credible, and in many cases, experienced speakers and presenters when they conduct MBA interviews.  Did you know that 90% of face-to-face communication is non-verbal? Experienced professionals and interviewers can see right through uneasiness, ignorance, and fear.  Don’t be one of these interviewees.  The only way to nail the interview is to prepare.

Preparing for an interview can be done in many ways.  There is no formula for success, just what works for you! Consider doing a mock interview with a mentor or speaking in front of a mirror to observe your non-verbal body language.  Notice the language you use, the filler words in-between thoughts, and whether or not you answer a question with a introduction, body, and conclusion in a reasonable time frame.  The interviewer will notice this. I’d also practice your handshake when you enter and leave the interview. A few years ago, a colleague of mine and I interviewed a candidate for a job and his handshake was feeble.  He had the experience, education, and passion, but his handshake always resonated with me because it wasn’t firm and confident (I later learned that he was left-handed, which could have been a reason for his timid handshake – I’ll never know!).  The lesson is – don’t make an interviewer think twice about your handshake.

Another piece of advice would be to research your interviewer (if you know who it’s going to be) and/or to know something unique about the program.  Anybody can read from a web site, but not everyone can gather a compelling anecdote about the program or its alumni.  Share something credible without coming across like a know-it-all.

Finally, when the interview is done and you’ve asked all your questions, send a thank you note (handwritten) and drop it in the first mail box you see.  People like getting things in the mail. Anyone can send an e-mail.  Be different and stand out by being traditional.

It’s unlikely that you’ll be admitted to every school you apply to or that every interview will be perfect.  Focus on what’s within your control.  In an interview setting, you can set the tone and add value to your candidacy with preparation, execution, and follow through.

Liam Dunfey is an educational consultant with over ten years of higher education experience. He takes pride in helping young professionals advance their careers through graduate school.  He co-created University Advisors Admission Specialists, LLC in 2007. He resides in San Diego, CA.   Liam can be reached via email at ldunfey@mba365.com