Harvard Business School

Tips for the Harvard Business School Post-Interview Reflection

If you landed a Harvard Business School interview, chances are you’re close to the finish line. Approximately 50% of interviewees get accepted.

But what you do after your interview is just as important as the interview itself. Debbie Choy, an admissions consultant at mbaMission, recently offered a few tips for writing a great HBS post-interview reflection that can help you leave a solid impression on the admissions committee.

USE A CASUAL TONE

The HBS post-interview reflection is a 300- to 450-word submission that is due within 24 hours of completing your interview. It’s designed to give you an opportunity to make your final case to the admissions committee.

One important note about the reflection is the tone that HBS asks applicants to use.

“The admissions committee advises that you think of the submission as though you are writing a reflection after a meeting,” Choy says. “To me, this guidance suggests that your writing style can be more casual than you would use in a typical ‘professional’ write-up and therefore less rigid. Imagine you are composing an email to a colleague. In fact, I always like to read the reflection essay aloud to ensure that it is clear and sounds like a letter addressed to an actual person.”

REFLECT ON THE INTERVIEW

Immediately after your interview, take some time to jot down your thoughts and reflect upon the discussion you had.

“Write down your thoughts about the questions you were asked and how you answered them,” Choy says. “Note the questions for which you feel your responses were incomplete or not as clear as you would have liked. Perhaps you now remember additional information you could have provided.”

DEVELOP A STRUCTURE

A structured reflection will come across strong to the admissions committee. Choy recommends choosing a few main points that you want to focus on including:

• A brief thank you
• Anything you were thrilled to discuss (this could include what you think went well)
• Anything you missed, want to clarify or expand upon
• Why you are excited about HBS (or how you could contribute to the class)

Sources: mbaMission, P&Q

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