Preparing for your Full-time MBA Interview

25 February 2021

You’ve just checked your emails and there it is… an invitation to an interview for a place on the Full-time MBA at Warwick Business School (WBS).

By this point, we will have reviewed your application and confirmed that you have met the entry criteria of three years postgraduate professional experience, an upper second class honours undergraduate degree and a well balanced GMAT score, our current average is 660.

Now we want to find out more about you by inviting you to meet with us for an interview.

Our year round application process means that as soon as you complete your application it will be processed and considered. For further information on the interview round schedule please visit our website.

There is a non-refundable application fee of £80 and we advise our international candidates to apply as early as possible to ensure sufficient time to process visa applications, the final deadline will be 31st May 2121.

We want to learn more about your motivation for applying for the Full-time MBA, your experience and achievements, and understand why you would be a good fit in our diverse cohort

Top tips for the interview

  • Currently, we are interviewing virtually and you will be invited to a video interview via TEAMS. If you have not used TEAMS previously it would be useful to familiarise yourself with the functionality of the system. Think about the position and settings of your device, adjust your position, settings, sound and so on until you have it just right
  • Find a quiet place to undertake the interview so you will not be interrupted
  • Dress as you would for a face-to-face interview to make you feel more confident
  • Communicate effectively and give clear answers that are as concise and precise as possible
  • Maintain eye contact
  • Smile. The person interviewing you wants to meet the real you – they don’t expect you to be perfect, so don’t worry if you make a mistake
  • It is important to act professionally but also for you to be comfortable and come across as yourself
  • Lastly, do your research and familiarise yourself with WBS’s culture and CORE values. Think about how you will thrive and add value to your cohort.

Preparing your answers

  • To ensure you are giving clear examples for your competency questions, we would recommend using the STAR technique below so you can detail your answers fully.

Situation – describe the situation
Task – explain the task you had to complete
Action – describe the specific actions you took
Result – close with the result of your efforts

  • Demonstrate the contribution and impact you have had within your role
  • Evidence your successes with metrics and outputs
  • Show how you have bounced back from set-backs and key learnings
  • Include examples that reflect your strategic thinking
  • Use evidence from all aspects of your life
  • Reflect on your leadership style and future development goals
  • Consider what is driving your decision to complete an MBA now
  • Articulate clear career aims and realistic action plans.

We understand that this process might feel daunting, but we want you to feel as relaxed as possible so we can get the best from you and we are able to hear all about your previous successes and ambitions, why you would like to join our MBA programme and what you can uniquely bring to the cohort.

This is not a communication challenge, it is a chance for you to complement your application with tangible evidence of your fit for the Full-time MBA. Relax, breathe, and just take your time.

Good luck!

Find out more about our MBA programmes.