So .. in the spirit of brotherhood... and the fact that i don't have a vested interest (since I didn't get an interview call) - forwarding an email thread i read on a similar question on ISB forum

May be it helps.. :-)


--- In isb-pgp@yahoogroups .com, "Ashish Naredi"
wrote:

  To each one his own.
  There is no right or wrong way of preparing. There might also not be a conscious way in which you choose 'a way.' Consciously or subconsciously you keep on taking a few decisions that in hindsight look like 'a way' – a conscious strategy of success. I know that it might sound like a lot of bull but I can't help it – I'm typing this mail while attending my "Strategy Implementation" Class in Term 6 :)

So getting back to the 'ways' of preparing. I've found three broad
'ways':
 
  *1) Spontaneous: * A few don't prepare at all but do get
admission. "What
> is there to prepare?" they ask. "After all the interview is just a
> conversation on what you did, why you did, how you did all that you
did and
> what you plan to do?." These 'type' of people could be two *1)
Those with a
> gift of the gab; and 2) Those with an honest, spontaneous and
unpretentious
> persona.*
>
> While I've found a few of the second type in ISB, I'm yet to come
across
> people of the first type. The problem with people of the first type
is that
> they can be easily caught. At the risk of making the mail a bit
lengthy, I'm
> tempted to narrate a prior interview experience of mine in a
students'
> organization called AIESEC (International Association of Students in
> Economics and management). I was in my under grad then.
>
> The interviewer asked me about my daily schedule and I gave a very
> 'Accha-baccha' kind of an answer. Told him that "I get up at 5:00,
exercise
> for an hour, meditate for half an hour *(Can you believe that
? ;-)*….go to
> college….et all…" narrating how disciplined and busy I was. And
then he
> dropped the bombshell.
>
> "How, if you are so busy, will you find time to work for the
organization? "
> he asked. Gosh, I thought, the chap was trying to figure out how
much time I
> have on hand and I, like an idiot, left no scope for any time in my
> schedule. Then, I started reversing my stand: "I go to college
every day," I
> said, "but never attend classes…."
>
> I cracked that interview and went on to become the Vice-President
of that
> organization ;-) Nevertheless, this is not an approach that I think
will
> work. Surely, not an approach I would recommend.
>
> 2) *Semi-Spontaneous : *This is the approach I adopted for ISB.
This
> entails thinking about all possible questions and being ready with
two or
> three points to speak on for each question. *(Man, I've written so
much
> already…. I'll wrap it up, **at least try to wrap it up** soon.)*
Go into
> the depths of all that you have on your CV, academics, extra-
curriculars,
> work ex, essays, hobbies – everything that you have communicated to
ISB. I
> made an elaborate excel sheet taking one question at a time. I
answered the
> question, posed counter questions, answered these counter questions
and then
> moved on to another question. The idea is not to frame the exact
answer you
> would be giving but just to frame the main points.
>
> 3) *Not Spontaneous (Fully prepared): *These are the types who
frame all
> possible questions and also the 'exact' answer they plan to give.
In my
> opinion, they would come across as neither spontaneous nor honest.
I know of
> a few who followed this approach but somehow managed spontaneity
too and
> secured an admission.
>
> *General Pointers*
>
> 1. So, as you see, there is not 'one-way' of preparing. Select a
way
> depending on what suits you.
> 2. Though this mail stresses a lot on spontaneity, spontaneity is
> important but not the most important or the only important
factor.
> 3. From my experience, I found honesty to be a determining
factor. (I
> come from a family business background and mentioned clearly
that I would be
> looking for a stint in the corporate sector. The admission board
told me
> that they could give me admission only if was committed to
starting a new
> venture or committed to going back to my family business. I
stuck to my guns
> of wanting a stint in the corporate sector – coz that is what I
wanted to
> do)
> 4. Expect the unexpected sometimes.
> 5. Read up interview experiences of others. Dig into Yahoo
groups and
> other forums for more experiences. (You could dig into my
interview
> experience also ;-)
> 6. If you give consulting as your future career choice, you
> *can*expect a case question.
> 7. Relax, be honest, and believe that 'whatever happens, happens
for
> good.'
>
> Ok guys, my class is coming to an end and so is my mail. Hope the
mails
> proves to be helpful.
>
> Best wishes,
>
> *Ashish Naredi*
>
> *Class of 2008*