ISB interview experience 1
My interview was scheduled on 12 November over Skype at 6 30 AM EST. The interview started 10 minutes late as the panel was on a tea break. When the interview started, I was taken a bit off-guard as I was tole that I would not be able to view the panelist since there was no webcam available at their end. It was tricky as I constantly got the feeling that I was being observed while I was unable to read facial and body expressions of my observers.
Q1: Walk us through your professional experience
A1: I described them what I have done in my various roles, about my international experience, freelancing and finally experience in consulting. I kept the answer brief (that is without going in to too much details of my roles, responsibilities and projects)
Q2: What is the impact in dollars to your client and Sapient with respect to your current project
A2: I described the impact and explained that how there are impacts to reputation and ability to function in case the project fails
Q3: Second panelist tried to ask me about why I am doing freelancing, but the first panelist corrected him by mentioning that I have already moved to a corporate role (kind of answered on my behalf)
Q4: why MBA and why ISB
A4: This one was a long answer, so I broke down the answer in to three parts, why MBA, what was I looking for in a MBA program and finally how ISB fits in. The first panelist cut me off towards the end of the answer saying that they “get where I am coming from” and in the interest of time would like to ask me one more question
Q5: What is your leadership style while dealing with diverse teams
A5: I described my style and kept my answer close to my essay
Q5 followup: What is dodd-frank, can you explain it in one sentence
A5 followup: Gave them a quick background of 2008 recession and introduction of new regulations to prevent such occurrence
Q6: do you have any questions
A6: I mentioned that I have three. However, it was almost 30 minutes in to the interview so I asked their opinion. They said that they will have time for one. So I asked them about the bidding process and ELP project selection. I was answered at a high level and said that the details are discussed during the start of the session
The interview lasted for 31 minutes and there was no grilling. At the end, I am not sure how the interview went either way.
ISB interview experience 2
GMAT Score: 700
Profile: 5 years experience in FMCG manufacturing
The interview was conducted through Skype and lasted for 25 minutes. There were 2 interviewers in the panel.
Questions asked are as follows
- Walk me through your professional profile?
- How will you explain Six Sigma to a layman (based on my profile)?
- I was asked to explain with a example
- How did you manage resistance to change in your organization? (I was part of a multi-national workforce in a foreign country and have mentioned tackling resistance to change in my organization. I gave my experience in one of the assignments to explain)
- Did you have to retrench a employee based on performance during the assignment (based on the experience I shared regarding managing resistance to change)
- You have made the career progression within the same organization. How do you think the management would have viewed you before it takes those decisions?
- What do you expect from ISB?
- Why FMCG sector? (based on my essay )
- What is your take on the FMCG sector in recent times, for example Patanjali?
I shared the pros and cons regarding Patanjali
The whole interview was more of a discussion and went well.
ISB Interview Experience 3
There were two Alums (i could guess that by their age) no introduction they went straight into questions.
- Tell me about the business model of your start up
- What are your USPs?
- How many bookings are you doing on a day to day basis?
- What are the expenses?
- What marketing tactics are you applying? And what is working?
- Are you profitable?
- What are the challenges you are facing?
- Why come to isb? Doesn’t your start up need you?
- You are young, how is the experience in leading a team? What are the responsibilities, challenges? What kind of a leader are you?
- So you say you would be going back to your venture, will you be ok with signing a bond that you won’t sit for placements?
- Any questions for us?