Ace The HBS Interview: An Insider’s Advice

Harvard Business School decided to continue virtual MBA interviews again this year due to pandemic-related uncertainty and global travel restrictions. If you’ve submitted your application to HBS in round one, it’s not too early to start preparing to ace your Harvard MBA interview. HBS typically releases its interview invitations at the beginning of October.

The HBS interview is a search for authenticity – the admissions committee is looking to verify that you’re the person they met on paper. The good news is that you don’t get an HBS interview offer without a really solid shot of being admitted. Meaning, they’ve seen the seeds of success in you if you’re among the lucky few. The interview is your shot at proving you’ll be an indisputable asset to the incoming class.

The bad news, however, is that you can have a completely flawless interview and not receive an offer. After more than a decade working in admissions at both HBS and INSEAD, I’ve seen firsthand the anguish of rejecting some exceptional candidates because of the numbers – for example, 50 bankers vying for 9 spots and some 19 knock it out of the park. It’s rare, but it happens.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM YOUR HBS INTERVIEW

Unlike other top programs, you have just 30 minutes to impress the Harvard Business School Admissions Committee and the added complexity of doing so on video. Expect a seasoned interviewer who has read your entire file and prepared a set of questions with you specifically in mind. While not always possible, HBS aims to pair you with someone experienced in the background you’re either looking to move into or coming from. HBS knows your sector and will have divided applications accordingly, ready to evaluate you against the other contenders in your field.

The HBS interview is unique for several distinctive reasons, including the kind of information the Admissions Committee is looking to hear from you.

“HBS tends to concentrate less on behavioral questions (although these could come up), in favor of delving into your resume to discern your motivations, experience, understanding of your industry (current and future), and decision-making process,” says Fortuna’s Malvina Miller Complainville in her essential article on the M7 interview landscape. They speak of approaching the interview like “a case discussion.” You’ll also need to send a post-interview reflection within 24 hours.

7 TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST POSSIBLE IMPRESSION IN THE HBS INTERVIEW

Know your story and offer a clear rationale for your decisions.
Using your resume as the starting point, Admissions is primarily looking at what you’ve done professionally. But this has less to do with where you’ve worked than why you worked there, your understanding of your role, and your rationale for making certain moves at different stages of your career. Your ability to articulate your thinking behind each of those decisions is essential, along with your ambitions and motivations beyond the MBA.
Persuasively connect your professional ambitions to HBS.
Beyond the power of the HBS brand, the admissions committee wants to know that you understand what its general management program has to offer – what it will do for you, and then how that ties to your specific career vision and goals. You’ll need to be convincing and logical, not only about why an MBA, but why now, and how an HBS degree will serve as a catalyst for your own post-MBA success. Many times candidates focus on leadership, and while that’s part of what HBS is known for, don’t forget that at its core HBS is a general management program, not a leadership school.
Display a nuanced understanding of your industry/sector/market.
The interview will be specific to your unique experiences as well as potentially what you shared in your essay. Is yours a thoughtful plan of action, and is it ambitious enough to be compelling? In terms of your MBA career vision, can you cite a few specific ways the industry might change and demonstrate a broader understanding of the market? If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, can you meaningfully articulate the core challenges and opportunities you expect to face and have you thought it through tactically? It’s not necessarily about right or wrong in terms of your planned pathway – your honesty and sincerity are key, so steer clear of any fabrication of your goals for the purpose of admissions. Whatever pathway you choose, be able to convey how deeply you’ve considered these things. Excelling in a classroom where the case method dominates means you can’t just offer different ideas without supporting evidence – you’ll have to stand up for your points of view.
Convey your authenticity.
The admissions committee genuinely wants to understand who you are and how you think, so don’t try to be someone that you’re not. The better prepared you are to articulate how you made certain decisions and choices, and what you were actually thinking, the more persuasive and believable you will be. Be yourself – it’s your unique rational, thought process, and perspectives that distinguish you from others of an identical or similar profile. In sharing your story, you want the enthusiasm to be there, but let your ability to be genuine be the element that weaves through the entire conversation.
Exude confidence without arrogance.
There is a fine line between arrogance and confidence, and your ability to discern it will show your maturity and acumen. HBS is seeking accomplished candidates with humility. Having humility is about knowing when to credit “me” or “we,” and when to let your accomplishments speak for themselves to a large degree. Don’t distort or exaggerate your importance or abilities – given the company you hope to keep in the coming year, it’s vital to be honest and forthright.

Avoid sounding overly rehearsed.
While it’s essential to be prepared, you want the flow to be natural and conversational. Alas, I can conjure numerous interviews when it felt like the person was hitting the “play” button and reciting a script from memory – which is a big turn-off. The best interviews were always the ones that felt like an engaging, detailed conversation. It’s always gratifying for the interviewer to walk away with a stronger sense of who you are as a real person and what makes you tick.
Adapt to the video medium.
While most of us have become seasoned at conducting Zoom calls, you want to ensure the best possible conditions for your video interview. It should go without saying that your Internet connection should be flawless. Other technical considerations include excellent audio, lighting, and attention to your environment. As my Fortuna colleague, Judith Silverman Hodara, wrote in her recent post on Virtual MBA Interview Tips.

“Video is just as much about what you see as about what you hear. Make sure the space behind your camera is clear and uncluttered. Film yourself against a plain wall if possible, to keep the focus where it should be – on you. Any larger shot of your room in the background should be clean and organized. No passing people, animals, or distracting piles of laundry in view. You can certainly have a small plant or small frame to give a bit of personality to your shot.”

A big benefit of interviewing from home is that you can create the conditions to feel more relaxed – no one will know that you’re wearing pajama bottoms below your suit jacket, for example, or if you’ve doused the room in calming essential oils. That said, pay attention to your posture and other non-verbal cues, such as maintaining eye contact, hand gestures, and energy. As Judith cautions, avoid watching the thumbnail of yourself onscreen (you can turn it off) and keep your eyes on your interviewer.

It’s true that the HBS takes the interview process quite seriously. This is why it’s vital to think deeply about each stage of your professional growth, and about why and how you’ll be more successful with a general management degree. HBS admissions want to ensure you fully appreciate what you’re getting yourself into and that you will contribute in a way that’s meaningful to the program and the community. If the fit’s mutual, both of you stand to benefit.

For more details and advice, view this 18-minute video strategy session on the topic with Fortuna Admissions Director and best-selling author Matt Symonds.

Karla Cohen is an expert coach at admissions coaching firm Fortuna Admissions and former Associate Director at Harvard Business School. For a candid assessment of your chances of admission success at a top MBA program, sign up for a free consultation.