I never thought I would ever write on this, but here we are!
Within a few weeks, two different individuals approached me, utterly shocked by their business school interview experiences, seeking advice on what to do.Initially, in the first case, I wanted to give the alumni interviewer the benefit of the doubt, thinking it might be a stress interview. However, I'm glad that the applicant didn't heed my initial advice. Instead, they documented the entire interview conversation and sent it to the adcom (a top global b school), explaining the unfortunate circumstances and earnestly requesting a re-interview, which was immediately granted. The adcom official was exceptionally considerate and even appreciated the applicant for bringing the interviewer's line of questioning to their attention. The alumni interviewer was disqualified from conducting further interviews. No school desires applicants to form a negative view of the school's culture during interviews. Business schools particularly dislike being linked with interviewers who cannot approach interviews with an open mind and provide applicants a fair chance.
When a second applicant recently approached me with a similar problem and described the entire interview, including the way they were questioned, I began to recognize a pattern (this was a different school, on a different continent!). This time I had no doubts and immediately advised the applicant to provide the school with the transcript of the interview, the applicant’s answers and the tone of the questioning. The commonality between the two incidents was that both interviews were conducted by business school alumni, and interestingly, both ended up telling the applicants that they would not have chosen this school if they had the opportunity (the biggest red flag).
An MBA interview is a critical point in the application process where applicants have the opportunity to present their skills, experience and potential in person to the admissions committee or, in some cases, alumni.
However, in very rare cases, applicants may encounter interviewers and this would mostly be alumni interviewers for a lack of training, who exhibit inappropriate behavior or bullying tendencies and do not truly understand the objective behind the interview, creating a difficult and uncomfortable situation for the applicant.The opportunity to interview applicants for a business school is a privilege granted to alumni interviewers by the schools, and they should in no way feel that they are above the entire evaluation system.I hope the following points can help applicants properly identify the circumstances in which it may be necessary to report an MBA interviewer for bullying or inappropriate behavior and take the proper steps to request a new interview.
Recognizing Bullying Behavior:I understand why interviewers sometimes want to stress test applicants. I was once an MBA applicant myself and also had stress interviews where, during one, the interviewer directly questioned my “perceived growth progression”, promotions, increase in responsibilities and learning and even told me at one point “I don’t think you have had a steep career progression”. Looking back on that conversation, my interviewer was perfectly polite and within bounds.
There is a delicate balance between constructive debate and bullying that an interviewer should never cross.
If you observe constant inappropriate aggression, disrespectful language, arrogance on the part of the interviewer, discriminatory remarks, or constant attempts to make the applicant feel insecure and demoralized in a B-school interview, that’s a red flag. It is important that applicants recognize these signs and can distinguish between tough questions and truly inappropriate behavior.
When to Report:If the interviewer's conduct exceeds the bounds of professional conduct and includes offensive remarks, discriminatory practices such as generalizations about demographics, or inappropriate questions, serious consideration should be given to reporting. If the applicant suffers significant emotional distress, discomfort or intimidation during the interview, this may be an indication of bullying behavior. It's important to trust your instincts.
The interviewers may occasionally ask you difficult questions that challenge your thought process, which is absolutely fine. If narcissistic behavior persists throughout the interview, like not allowing the applicant to speak or finish sentences, making fun of and consistently refuting answers, negatively impacting the applicant's ability to present their case by consistently interrupting, reporting such incidents becomes important.
The applicants reach the interview stage because the adcoms see potential in them. A business school interview is an opportunity given by adcoms to introduce themselves in person to an adcom member or alumni interviewer.
Any indication that the person conducting the interview is hindering that presentation themselves must be handled carefully.What should applicants do1. Right after the Interview, Document the Interview:If you have the feeling that the interviewer was not fair, document all the questions asked and your own answers to the interview questions immediately after the interview.
Sometimes applicants say, “Oh, I wont report because I know nothing will happen, school culture will favour the interviewer” or “if I report it could backfire”." These two thoughts have no basis whatsoever.
If anything, your initiative in writing your responses to the interview to the school administration will strengthen their confidence in your statements. Then list specific instances of bullying and describe what was said or done, how it affected you and whether there were any possible witnesses to the incident (e.g. a second interviewer if it was a panel of several people). If an adcom is unable to make the right decision in such incidents, they need to seriously reconsider their selection processes.
2. Contact the Admissions Office:Once you have documented the above points, write an email to the admissions office immediately after the interview in which you clearly and concisely describe the interview. Include your documented notes for reference and ask for advice on how to proceed. If someone advises you not to contact the admissions office, you should not listen to them.
Only the admissions office can provide a judgement on whether your concerns are justified or not. Do not ask other alumni who may not know any better. The younger the alumni, the more likely they will misguide you for their own lack of judgement/maturity. Your goal is to make a case for yourself, so don’t worry about appearing foolish and insecure as a result. Have a growth mindset and trust your instincts.
3. Request a Re-Interview:At the end of the mail to the adcom, politely request a re- interview, emphasizing the impact of the recent line of questioning on your ability to present your candidacy effectively. Express your commitment to the application process and your desire to present your qualifications in a fair and professional manner. Asking for a re-interview shows that you are interested in the idea of attending the school. Your documented responses to the interview questions will help allay any concerns that there was a misunderstanding. Arranging a second interview is really no big deal for admissions committees, and they would be happy to give you another chance if they like you.
For those who have managed to read all of this, I apologize for the lengthy banter. But it irks me how some very capable business school candidates can lose their competitive edge because they are paired with a biased interviewer.
best wishes
Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD alumna, former INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer)
MBAGuideConsulting
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