ISB Interview Experiences 2009 - For class of 2011

1. ISB Interview Experience 1 : Class of 2011 Round 1

2. ISB Interview Experience 2 : Class of 2011 Round 1

3. ISB Interview Experience 3 : Class of 2011 Round 1

4. ISB Interview Experience 4 : Class of 2011 Round 1

5. ISB Interview Experience 5 : Class of 2011 Round 2

6. ISB Interview Experience 6 : Class of 2011 Round 2

7. ISB Interview Experience 7 : Class of 2011 Round 2

ISB Interview Experience 1: Class of 2011 Round 1

ISB was conducting interviews in 4 panels. There were three people in my panel, one was faculty, another was alumni, and third was a marketing person( might be alumni).

Following were the questions asked for the interview:

1. First question was, Tell us something which you have not written in the essays. (All three were having three copies of my full application.)

2. Based on my reply of telecom domain and rural background, second question was, Create a strategy plan for increasing the penetration of a telecom company xyz in rural areas. I was told to make my own assumption about company and target areas and I was given enough time with pen and paper to work on point wise plan.

3. I noted down 4-5 strategy points with example based on my telecom knowledge and there were cross questioning by panel on them.

4. Tell us about your family background in detail.

5. Questions on marriage plan.

6. How will you fund your MBA ( if selected).?

7. What is your current job profile?

8. Please go through your resume. starting from graduation , till current company.

9. Why did you change your first job, and what did you learn in your previous company?

10. I had worked 2 years abroad, there were few questions on the duration, my profile, and what did I learn personally and professionally while abroad.

11. Questions on my current company, job profile, why did i change to current company.

12. I was asked for an example of leadership skills in a situation, where a person is very stubborn and reluctant to work under the leadership of a girl. What will I do?

13. Narrate a situation, when you lost your temper on your collegue. Elaborate more on that.

14. Where do i see myself in 5 years?

15. Any Questions for ISB panel.

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ISB Interview Experience 2 : Class of 2011 Round 1

There were one lady and one gentleman, both were middle aged, I forgot their names but most probably they seemed like faculty problems

I will refer to the lady as L and the other gentleman as G

L > So much traffic in Delhi, sorry you had to wait for interview
Me > No problem, I just got enough time to practice (everybody laughing)
L > What do you think of the traffic in Delhi
Me > I started talking about that everybody have their own vehicle and soon NANO will be on the road and blah blah.. (They both nodded)
L > You have talked a lot about leadership in your essays and rural india, tell us something about that
Me > I told them few things, But she was not impressed at all, so i told her the challenges involved
L >Nodded and said ok fine.
L> What do you do in leisure time?
Me > I told her that i play outdoor sports and go to gym + sometimes i go to school named carterpuri to teach students
G > What do you think is problem with rural India
Me> I talked about education, illiteracy and people not aware of the world and limited resources
G > How this problem can be solved?
Me> I told them my idea (with which he was not impressed)
G > Why you want to do management degree, how you think it will help you
Me> I told them for my next role it is important and for progressing
G > What specific skills you think you will gain from mba?
Me > Messed this answer up (felt really bad)
L> What if we don't select you and what would you do in your field?
Me > Answered that i will keep on working in same industry (they were not very happy with the answer)

On the whole I felt they were not interested in my profile and it was somehow pre decided that they are not going to select me.

The gentleman kept on looking at the walls and things that were placed in the room, which annoyed me a little

So if you see the whole interview was not stress or anything but just a discussion but i felt that they have some pre-decided criteria so thats why I am not waiting for the results :)

ISB Interview Experience 3 : Class of 2011

Essay: "Chalta hai" Attitude

1. So you don't have chalta hai attitude?
2. So you are shifting your career from life sciences to finance, then finance to life science? What are you up to? Or you are complimenting life sciences with Finance?
3. You cleared CFA in first attempt?
4. Do you know which all companies are there in life sciences consulting? What will be unique about your company? Do you feel there is no scope or companies are not there at all? But companies start with small areas and then expand?
5. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
6. Give us bird's eye view of Pharma industry?
7. What is the potential of Indian Pharma industry?
8. What if I have a deal from a big player - should I sign it? Do you know the deal value of recent Shanta Biotech deal?
9. How does western and Indian Pharma environment compare?
10. Why is it necessary for government to do something in this field? Don't you think only Industries are enough?
11. What do you think are the weaknesses of Indian Pharma?
12. What is insurance status in India? Premium paid by government in US?
13. Do you know about any initiatives taken by Indian government?
14. 2 questions for interviewer. For one of the questions interviewer replied how this question is related to your candidacy?

ISB Interview Experience 4 : Class of 2011

My interview was held at Hyatt in Delhi. ISB had booked rooms and the interviews were held there. There were two waiting rooms for the candidates. Unfortunately these rooms were away from the interview rooms and so the people who had finished their interview were leaving immediately after they finished giving no opportunity to sense the mood of the interview in general.

My interview panel had three people. One of them was a current student and the other two were faculty / adcom. Following are the questions that I can recall:

1. Student: As you are a reapplicant, what has changed in your profile since the last time that you applied?
2. Faculty 1: As you have said hat you have received opportunity t lead projects what as per you is the main different in an operational and a managerial role.
3. Faculty 2: Who as per you makes the safest cars? Ans : Volvo
4. Faculty 2: But Volvo cars are priced too high. Comment on that?
5. Faculty 1: What is you dream car?
6. Faculty 2: You mentioned that you have worked on Sustainability drive in your company. Outline your role in these projects
7. Faculty 1: You are vouching too much for Nano. Why are you not working for the Tata's then?
8. Faculty 2: If you were to change one thing in you industry and it is not supposed to be related to Safety or the Environment, What would it be and why?
9. Faculty 2: Questions for us? My question was related to the class size at ISB and this was answered by the student.

As you can see from the questions, my interview was related to my field of work and interest. This made me comfortable with my interview panel and the interview turned out to be more of a discussion. It lasted for 25-30 mins if I remember correctly. It was better that the last time when I gave interview at ISB when Mr. VK Menon was on my panel. That made me very nervous and conscious.

ISB Interview Experience 5 : Class of 2011 Round 2

I was interviewed by a panel of 2 people. One was Mr Kannan (Adcom member) and an alumnus. Below were the questions I was asked.

• What issues do you see in girl education in India? (Since I have experience in girl education in social sector)
• What have you learnt from Football? (Followed by some small talk on football)
• What are the difficulties you have faced as a team lead?
• How have you added value to your company?
• Describe your business plan (As I had mentioned Entrepreneurship in my goals essay)
• What is the USP of your business plan? How is it different from the competing companies?
• What kind of revenues do you expect to generate with the company?
• Would you not be interested in placements in the college?

ISB Interview Experience 6 : Class of 2011 Round 2

My interview was pretty cool n simple... I was majorly asked about my social venture XXXXX, which is basically a NGO dedicated to provide primary education to the underprivileged children. Major questions were as follows:

1. So what made you come up with such a thing.

• Moved by the misery of under privileged children living nearby. - told exact situation and how I came across it.
• Will to make a difference.
• Vision to implement successfully/ involve my family n friends along with me.
• Create awareness in the society

2. How did you initiate and implement your plan.

• Mainly going and talking to parents .. also newspaper ad/ word of mouth
• Renting a school for special children for two hrs
• Talking to the regional Nagar Shiksha Adhikari/ Basic Shiksha Adhikari -- finding out about government schemes.
• Getting recognition/ transfer to government school after primary -- providing a career path
• Co-branding, co-marketing with local social clubs/ participating in their competitions/functions.
• Providing a basic model/structure - benefitting society at large : employing majorly college students who need extra funding to pay off their college fees as VSS staff/ getting government support/ promoting children on performance basis/ provisions for food/books/stationery/uniform.

 3. What were the major roadblocks/challenges in that? How did you overcome?

• Financial - collaborating with clubs/ government authorities to support. -->creating win win situation: co-branding
• Managing over 80 kids all coming from rural background--> experience with time -- organizing/ structuring everything.

4. What are the challenges today

• Expansion when/how.
• Reduce corruption by government authorities and use the government schemes to the fullest.

5. What is your vision for future/ do you want to continue with it..and dedicate yourself completely to such a venture.

• Provide vocational training; coordinate with local business groups to provide employment.
• Support VSS children after primary , providing for their tuitions, etc.
• Start thinking of higher education for well-performing kids.
  

Other questions:
1. From reco: about my weakness: difficulty in delegating work, what have I done to improve it.

• Providing a scenario in which the recommender would have perceived this as a weakness.
• Working to improve it under direct mentorship of my supervisor.

2. Questions for them

• Asked about CAS/ ELP/ Placements.

They forgot to take my essay draft.. so before leaving I submitted it myself.. I think they enjoyed reading it.. :)

ISB Interview Experience 7 : Class of 2011 Round 2

Here are a few questions asked in my ISB interview.

1. Reapplicant: What was the feedback given to you last time?
2. Question on Essay: What leadership initiatives have you taken?
3. Have you approached your superiors because of HR issues with your junior colleagues?
4. Question on short-term goal: If I wanted to work for such and such firm in such and such position, I could as well get it without an MBA. Why do you need an MBA?
5. What hobbies do you have?
6. Questions for us?