7 Tips to Ace Your Business School Interview

These days, good grades alone aren't enough to secure you a place at an institution like London Business School; you also need a winning personality and flawless interview skills.

To help you put your best foot forward, the admissions team for London Business School's Masters in Management, Global Masters in Management and Masters in Financial Analysis has compiled a list of seven tips for acing your business school interview.

1. Be yourself… It's easy to tell when someone isn't being sincere! Your interviewer's job isn't impossible. Your interviewer's job isn't simply to determine whether you're capable. In fact, it's almost certain that if you've made it this far, you are — and now is your chance to shine. At the business school interview stage, the admissions team will focus on whether you fit the institution in terms of personality, school spirit and the wider community.

2. Go into detail! While there are times when being concise is a virtue, be wary of giving overly brief answers in a business school interview. The discussion should flow naturally, not feel like a stilted Q&A. You need to be willing to share anecdotes from your past, to draw fresh business insights from your experiences, and to back up every claim you make about yourself with specific examples.

3. Have the courage of your convictions Changing your stance simply because the interviewer disagrees with you may be a sign of insecurity. A bold, unorthodox position, a sharp argument and a willingness to hold your ground in the face of authority are impressive — as long as, of course, you also show that you are sensible, flexible and able to understand other viewpoints.

4. Review your personal statement and CV before the interview Candidates often forget what they wrote in the personal statement they submitted as part of the business school application. To avoid being caught off-guard, prepare to answer questions about any aspect of your application, however small. Your interviewer may well ask about even the tiniest detail on your CV.

5. Answer the question that was asked One basic mistake to avoid at all costs: answering a different question to the one asked. Make sure you truly listen to the interviewer so you know what they want to know. Don't rush to blurt out your key points at the first opportunity. Rather than throwing everything out at once, be strategic: focus on one answer at a time.

6. Tell a story You need a coherent narrative about your career trajectory. When asked about your goals, explain the reasoning behind each choice you made in the past and how you expect your past experiences to contribute to your future goals. Connect the dots. Why did you decide to intern at companies X, Y and Z? Why did you start a bachelor's in geology — only to switch to film studies in your second year?

7. Finally, try to relax After all, you're interviewing the business school just as it is interviewing you, and you need to assess its compatibility with your own values, interests and ambitions.

Ask yourself, "What matters most to me? Is it a modern, global mindset? Sustainability? Leadership?" Whatever it is, you need to make sure your business school delivers it. After all, business school is a major investment, and you need to make sure it pays off.

Don't worry about nerves — they help you stay alert and show your ambition. Get a feel for the environment, understand your audience, and ask questions at the end. The final few minutes of an interview leave a lasting impression, and you want them to be positive.

Good luck!