Table of Contents
Key Takeaways:
- Harvard MBA interviews typically last 30 minutes and are conducted by admissions committee members.
- Questions often focus on leadership experiences, career goals, and self-awareness.
- Prepare concise stories that highlight your achievements and personal growth.
- Research Harvard's case method and be ready to discuss how you'd contribute to class discussions.
- Be prepared to discuss any aspect of your application, including your resume and essays.
Preparing for a Harvard MBA interview can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. As one of the world's most prestigious business schools, Harvard Business School (HBS) has a rigorous selection process, and the interview is a crucial component. This comprehensive guide will walk you through common Harvard Business School MBA interview questions, provide insights into what the admissions committee is looking for, and offer strategies to help you present your best self.
Whether you're a first-time applicant or reapplying, understanding these questions and how to approach them can significantly boost your chances of success.
Key Aspects: Format, Duration & Interviewer Profile
The Harvard Business School MBA Interview Questions are designed to delve into the applicant's mindset and their potential contributions to both the school and the industry. To successfully pass the interview and secure a place in the class, candidates need to meticulously prepare for each aspect of the interview. The questions posed during the interview can vary widely, ranging from general inquiries to those specifically tailored to your individual goals, ambitions, or experiences.
Here, we present two sets of Harvard MBA interview questions, accompanied by specialized tips for each set. If you're considering applying to this program, it's crucial to thoroughly understand each element and prepare to meet the school's expectations.
- Interviewer profile: Harvard Alumni or Adcom Members (from recent classes like 2019, 2022, etc)
- Interview Duration: Approximately 45-60 minutes
- Content: Primarily resume-based yet focused on self-growth and future plans.
The interview will be divided into two parts:
1. The first part is where the Adcom will ask you questions. This is the major part, with around 40-45 minutes
2. The second part will be you asking the interview team questions, which is around 15-20 minutes.
Harvard MBA Interview Questions Sets
No matter which B-school you apply for, interviewers will likely ask you to walk them through your resume. What's even more crucial will be handling the tricky trio of questions, which are:
- Why an MBA from Harvard Business School?
- Why Harvard Business School?
- Why pursue it now?
If you're preparing for an interview for the Harvard Business School MBA, knowing what types of questions are asked can increase your chances of passing the test. To help you with this, we have put together several sets of interview questions based on past applicants' experiences. Additionally, we've included specialized tips to help you secure your admission to this prestigious institution. Read on to learn more.
Set 1 Questions
- How was the exchange program (when you were a high school student) structured?
- How did you pick your prior employer and move to a different city?
- What is the big-picture view of your prior employer’s structure?
- What is your role at your prior employer? How did your role change as you moved to a more senior role?
- Which division would make the most revenue and which division would make the most profit at your prior employer?
- A follow-up related to my impromptu research on my prior employer
- Was dividing your prior employer into different product companies a good idea?
- Why do you think P/E firm would divide up the company? What was your thought process to go back to your home country and join your current startup from your prior employer and how did the transition go?
- What was the current startup’s mission, and how did it start? I answered the question, added on the long-term civic mission
Set 2 Questions
- A follow-up on how did the users use the product of the startup?
- How current startup is doing, is it still a 10-person startup and what is the business model?
- What were the customer segments and did they change as the current startup scale?
- Who was the lead investor in the current startup?
- Did you participate in fundraising?
- Were there questions from investors that helped the current startup?
- How is working under the CEO?
- Outside of work, what do you like to do for fun?
Set 3 Questions
- Why a particular major and college?
- How has your firm helped you evolve as a person ( 6 yrs in the same company )
- Discussion on recent promotion.
- If you had mentioned restructuring in the company due to covid, The interviewer asked for more details on that and your views on it.
- Why you was promoted when others were getting laid off.
- Most challenging country to work in and why.
- You had 10 international conference publications - which was most important for you.
- Future goals - why you wanted to follow what you wrote.
- Do you think subsidy on renewables is good.
- What your hobbies.
Set 4 Questions
- Specific thing about essay, family background and how it relates to your background and goals
- Why did you go to your first job and how it related to your goals
- How did you handle the fact that your college education hadnt provided you with the basics to work with audit, valuation
- How your participation at an Innovation and Entrepreneurship program connect to you transitioning careers to a startup
- What do you do now (had just changed jobs after sendind application), what does the company do, can you give more detail on what X means?
- Can you explain more about the problems the industry faces
- Question about your volunteer experiences during college, if you had done anything since. How do you choose the institutions I work with or donate to
- What about other industries, if you were not in industry Y where would you be? what if during the mba you do an internship, where would that be?
- Anything you wanted me to have asked you? follow up questions
Set 5 Questions
- Explain your industry and your current job .
- Mentioned a failure in your essay, they asked you why you thought you failed.
- They ask you to rate yourself in 3 areas.
- Current challenges in my job .
- They ask you about a trait consistent with your management style .
- What did you know about HBS? How would you thrive? What would be your challenges?
- They ask about a hobby
- A question you wish to ask.
Set 6 Questions
- Explain what you do?
- What your competitors are currently doing?
- What fresh new regulation is there?
- Explain your project in plain english?
- Why exactly you got promoted?
- How did you persuade your management?
- Explain to me the overall industry environment at the moment you started the project?
- Why you choose exactly that point of time to switch?
- What have you been doing the last two months?
- What are your hobbies?
- What are you doing during Corona?
Set 7 Questions
- Asked how my day was and how was class.
- Asked about an special internship in college I highlighted in my app.
- Asked about a sport I played in college and what it was like being a captain. Asked what was the hardest part of becoming captain.
- Asked about my managerial style on my professional experience. Asked how did I get there and about my promotions.
- Asked how would I solve a problem in my future industry.
- Asked about an extracurricular I'm currently in. How did I get involved/ what do I do/ why did I get involved.
- Asked if there's anything more I would like to share.
Set 8 Questions
- Walked through resume from undergraduate experience to present. Random follow ups on personal interests and current events.
- Undergrad leadership experience
- Why undergrad major?
- Why job/company selected out of undergrad?
- Challenges, achievements in first job. Follow ups
- Challenges, achievements in second job. Follow ups
- Current assignment - how has responsibility increased? (I have worked for same company for 5 years, so the whole interview was showing how I've developed and taken advantage of opportunities in development program)
- Saw one of my interests in resume, asked why I enjoy it and asked me to expand (learning more about personal side)
- Asked where I learn about current events. What am I interested in in my own industry and other industries? What companies am I following, etc.
What Harvard is Looking For in Top MBA Candidates
Harvard Business School (HBS) looks for three main qualities in MBA candidates: a business-minded approach, a focus on leadership, and a growth-oriented mindset. Being business-minded means you should be passionate about using business to solve problems and drive positive change.
This can be shown through your interest in improving companies and industries, regardless of whether your background is in business or another field. Leadership-focused candidates are those who have demonstrated the ability to lead and inspire others, whether through formal roles at work, in extracurricular activities, or community projects. HBS values diverse leadership styles and experiences.
Finally, growth-oriented individuals are those eager to expand their perspectives, solve problems creatively, and engage in meaningful discussions. HBS looks for evidence of personal and professional growth and how you interact with the world around you. They aim to create a diverse class of students from various backgrounds to enrich the learning experience.
For applicants, the average GMAT score at Harvard Business School is an important consideration. While HBS does not have a minimum GMAT score requirement, they expect candidates to demonstrate strong quantitative and analytical skills.
The Harvard Summer School Experience
Personalized Tips Question-by-question
The interview stage of the Harvard Business School MBA application is a pivotal and distinctive element of the selection process. Renowned for its rigorous and probing nature, the interview not only evaluates a candidate's qualifications but also their fit within the HBS ethos. This guide offers comprehensive strategies to excel in this challenging interview environment.
1. Understand the Format: Firstly, recognize that the HBS interview is designed to be a fast-paced, dynamic conversation. Typically, it involves 30-40 questions over a 30-minute period. This format is intended to simulate the case study method prevalent in HBS’s curriculum, focusing on your ability to think on your feet.
2. Application Review: Interviewers at HBS are well-versed in your application details. Candidates should be prepared to delve deeply into any component of their application, including professional experiences, academic achievements, and personal choices. Expect discussions that explore the rationale and motivations behind your life and career decisions.
3. Practice Spontaneity: While it’s important to prepare, over-rehearsed answers are easily spotted. HBS values authenticity and the ability to provide impromptu responses. Practice with a variety of questions, but focus on delivering answers that are thoughtful yet spontaneous.
4. Reflect on Your Career Path: Be ready to discuss your professional journey. This includes explaining transitions between jobs, choices of roles, and your future career aspirations. Understanding and articulating your career narrative is key.
5. Showcase Self-Awareness: Questions about your strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement are common. Display a high level of self-awareness by acknowledging your weaknesses while also discussing how you’re working to address them.
Prepare for your Harvard interview effortlessly! Click here for a Free Profile Evaluation Call. We'll provide personalized tips tailored to your profile. Don't wait. Make a great impression on the Adcom. Book your call now!
Related Blogs:
- Harvard Business School MBA Fees
- Harvard Business School MBA Salary
- Harvard Business School MBA Essays
- Is Harvard Business School MBA worth it
Conclusion
Facing Harvard Business School MBA Interview Questions is a unique opportunity to present yourself as a compelling candidate for one of the top MBA Colleges in USA. Preparation is the key to success in this critical step of the admission process. By understanding the interview format, reviewing your application, researching Harvard, practicing behavioral questions, crafting your story, and staying authentic, you can approach the interview with confidence.
