2022-23 INSEAD MBA Interview Questions & Guide.

QUICK LINKS

INSEAD MBA Interview Overview.
Mock MBA Interview Service.
Examples of INSEAD MBA Interview Questions.

INSEAD MBA Interview Overview.

Each year the INSEAD admissions committee invites a limited number of applicants to interview for its MBA program. Top MBA programs like INSEAD generally interview 2-3 applicants for every available place in their upcoming MBA class. While an invite is sign that you’re in the running for an admit, you’re also now part of a highly competitive subset of the overall applicant pool. You can prepare for your interview with the help of this guide and, optionally, the Mock Interview Service.

Tip: Wondering if interview invites have already gone out? Check out MBA LiveWire for real-time updates.

Two interviews conducted by two different alumni.

During the 2022-23 MBA application season, live INSEAD MBA interviews are led by alumni of the INSEAD MBA program. At INSEAD candidates are assigned two alumni interviewers (each conducts their own, separate interview).

Application-based Interviews.

The INSEAD MBA program conducts application-based interviews. That means that your alumni interviewers will have access to your entire application before meeting with you. The extent to which an interviewer will take the time to actually read through your entire application is debatable. Most will have at least read your resume and your goals statement (Discuss your short and long-term career aspirations with an MBA from INSEAD.) Go to your interview prepared to give your interviewer a 2-minute overview of themselves at the beginning of the interview if asked (note that this is often the first interview question anyway, ‘So tell me about yourself…‘).

If your MBA interview is in-person, bring a paper copy of your resume to the interview location as a courtesy to the interviewer. If the interview takes place online then applicants should have a PDF copy of their resume handy should the interview request that it be sent via email.

Influence of interview on admissions decision? Low to Moderate.

The reality is that a successful interview will not help you lock in an admit to INSEAD’s incoming MBA class, but a failed interview can hurt your application. That’s because with so many alumni conducting interviews, it’s hard for the admissions committee to normalize positive feedback (one alum interviewer might say Tom is ‘great’ while another might report that he’s ‘interesting’. That said, it’s still pretty easy for the admissions committee to take into account blatently negative feedback “The candidate was totally unprepared to answer even simple questions.” “The candidate was rude.” “The candidate’s English was very difficult to understand.”

Your main goal when interviewing with a current student or alum is for them to like you and to think that you have something to contribute to the school (both in terms of the professional perspective you will bring to the classroom and the contributions you’ll make within the student community).

INSEAD Mock MBA Interview Service.

In addition to practicing interview questions on your own, our mock interview service can be a great way to receive feedback on your responses (with a view to improving them).

A mock interview session with mbaSTORY.builders will help you develop and refine answers to a few specific MBA interview questions (like Tell me about yourself? What are your goals? Why MBA? Why school X?). More general questions (Strengths/Weakness?) and behavioral questions (Tell me about a time when…?) are then used to help you develop a core set of stories. Most people have 4 to 8 core stories which they learn to use to answer a variety of interview questions.

Below you can listen to former clients answer MBA interview questions and receive feedback on their answers. You can earn more about

An audit professional answers the question Tell me about yourself in part 1 and receives feedback in part 2 and an employee compensation consultant answers the behavioral question Tell me about a time when you mentored someone in part 1 and receives feedback in part 2.

INSEAD MBA Interview Questions.

Note that a lot of schools have begun asking about diversity, equity, and inclusion during interviews. You should be prepared to talk about these issues and how diversity, equity, or inclusion have played out in your work.

Here’s a list of core questions to practice before your INSEAD MBA interview:

1. Tell me about yourself.
2. What are your short-term goals and how can INSEAD help you achieve those goals?
3. What would you get involved in outside the INSEAD MBA classroom?
4. What would others say are your two core strengths and one area for improvement (weakness)?
5. + Prepare stories for at least 3-5 behavioral questions of your choice. You can access a list of behavioral interview questions organized by categorically at our sister website, resumeSTORY.builders An example would be: Tell me about a time when you encountered pushback. Tell me about a time when you worked in a professional setting that was diverse. What was one challenge you encountered? Tell me about a time when you received constructive feedback.
6. Have you ever encountered a diversity issue in an organization?
7. Is there anything you’d like to talk about that we didn’t cover?
8. + Prepare two solid questions for the interviewer.

Here are some mock interview sequences for the INSEAD MBA program. Studying the sequences will give you a sense of the questions INSEAD interviewers tend to ask.

Sequence 1. INSEAD MBA Mock Interview Questions.

1. Tell me about yourself.
2. What are your short term/long term goals?
3. What exactly attracts you to operational management and specifically in Asia given that your experience to date has been in Europe?
4. Have you had any difficult cultural experiences being European and working in Europe? Do you anticipate any in Asia?
5. What is something that your colleagues/clients really like about you?
6. What is your leadership style?
7. (Behavioral Question) Can you tell me about a time when a team member was underperforming? What did you do?
8. What do you like to do for fun?
9. Any questions for me?

Sequence 2. INSEAD MBA Mock Interview Questions.

1. Can you walk me through your work experience?
2. What did the Innovation Team you were a part of do during the merger?
3. It seems like you’re on a really great career track at your current employer. Why leave for an MBA?
4. Why INSEAD specifically and which non-academic activities would you pursue at INSEAD?
5. (Behavioral Question) Can you tell me about a time when more than one person in a group wanted to lead the group or project? (i.e. several people competing for one leadership role)
6. Can you talk about your leadership responsibilities within the projects you manage?
7. Can you tell me about a company you admire and why?
8. What is your proudest accomplishment?
9. (Behavioral Question) Tell me about a time when you wish you could get in a time machine, go back, and have a ‘do over’. (i.e. change history)
10. (asked in second language) How would you compare North American culture to Spanish culture?
11. (asked in second language) Do you have any questions for me?

Sequence 3. INSEAD MBA Mock Interview Questions.

1. Walk me through your resume.
2. Why did you opt for the international rotational program? How did you adjust to a new culture so quickly?
3. What is your secret to managing others? (Question is akin to, Tell me about your leadership style.)
4. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? in 15 years?
5. Why an MBA now, if you really want to be an entrepreneur you could start your own business without one?
6. Why INSEAD?
7. What is the most challenging part of your current job?
8. What is your international experience?
9. (Behavioral Question) Tell me about a time when you had to convince someone senior to you of your idea.
10. Could you tell me about the extracurricular project/activity that you are most passionate about?
11. Can I answer any questions about INSEAD for you?

Sequence 4. INSEAD MBA Mock Interview Questions.

1. Tell me about your background.
2. What are your short-term goals?
3. Why an MBA? Why INSEAD?
4. What professors and activities are you drawn to in INSEAD?
5. Why not London Business Schoool or HEC?
6. Explain the business model of the startup you would like to build.
7. (Behavioral Question) Tell me about a time when you experienced conflict in the workplace.
8. How do you find time to do all that you do? Could you tell me more about your work with the ABC Foundation?
9. Could you share one strength and one weakness with me?
10. What question do you wish I would have asked you?
11. Any questions for me?

Sequence 5. INSEAD MBA Mock Interview Questions.

1. Tell me about yourself.
2. What was your gap year in South America like? There must be a lot of differences between Argentina and Canada.
3. How have your nonprofit experiences shaped your career goals?
4. Do you think you will benefit from an INSEAD MBA even if most people in your class have a more traditional business background? (i.e. a background different from the candidate’s)
5. ’s program given that not many of your classmates will have a similar background to you?
6. (Behavioral Question) Tell me about a time when you led a team of peers (i.e. without direct authority).
7. (Behavioral Question) Tell me about a time when you didn’t have all the resources you needed to complete a project or task.
8. How do you handle situations when you have to think on your feet (little time to prepare)?
9. Are you considering other MBA programs or alternative graduate programs?
10. You mentioned that you interviewed at Yale’s MBA program. Yale has a much stronger nonprofit program than INSEAD. Why would you choose INSEAD over Yale (assuming you were admitted to both programs)?
11. What do you like to read and what is one trend that you’ve been reading/thinking about recently?
12. What do you hope to get out of your INSEAD experience?
13. I’m happy to answer any questions you might have!

Sequence 6. INSEAD MBA Mock Interview Questions.

1. Tell me about yourself?
2. Why an MBA? Why INSEAD?
3. Why not do an MBA in India (the candidate currently lives in India and plans to return to his home country)?
4. What are your short term and long-term goals.
5. Please describe two strengths and two weaknesses?
6. Have you managed people and what did you enjoy about it? dislike about it?
7. (Behavioral Question) Tell me about a time when you coached someone.
8. (Behavioral Question) Tell me about a time when a team you were a part of was underperforming.
9. Any questions for me?