INSEAD Interview Questions

One of the most critical steps in INSEAD’s admissions process is the INSEAD interview stage. Unlike many business schools, where interviews are conducted by admissions staff, INSEAD assigns this task to its alumni. For those aspiring to join INSEAD, performing well in INSEAD interview questions is essential. The interviewers not only evaluate your professional achievements but also assess if you would be a good fit for their program.

In this blog post, we will discuss the interview format, common questions, and experts’ tips for acing INSEAD interviews.

INSEAD Interview Format

It is important to know the basics of the INSEAD interviews before you appear in one.

1. Who Conducts the INSEAD Interview

INSEAD Alumni conducts these interviews. This means the interviewers have already gone through the entire MBA experience before you and can assess not only your fit for the school but also your potential to contribute to the community. As our expert INSEAD consultant Praveg, advises “Don’t look it as a job interview; look it as if you are having a conversation”.

2. How Many Interviews

You need to appear in two separate in-person interviews with two different alumni. This approach provides multiple perspectives on your candidacy. Also, before you appear for the in-person INSEAD interviews, you have to appear in Kira interviews, which are basically recorded video interviews.

Common INSEAD Interview Questions

INSEAD interview questions are very specific to your personal trajectory so far. You can expect the most typical classic questions asked in every business school’s interviews. Below are some of the commonly asked INSEAD interview questions:

General Personal Questions:

• Tell me about yourself
• Why INSEAD
• Why MBA
• Why do you want an MBA now
• What are your short-term and long-term goals

Career-Focused Questions:

• Walk me through your resume
• Describe a challenging situation at work
• What are your post-MBA goals

Behavioral and Leadership Questions:

• Tell me about a time you led a team under pressure
• Describe a time you worked in a multicultural team

Ethics and Resilience Questions:

• What ethical dilemmas have you faced

Tips for Answering INSEAD Interview Questions

Preparing effectively for the INSEAD interview involves more than just knowing the questions. It’s about presenting yourself in a clear, confident, and strategic manner. Here are key tips to help you ace the interview:

1. Use the STAR Method for Behavioral Questions

INSEAD places a strong focus on past experiences, particularly in leadership and multicultural teamwork. The STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—is a highly effective way to structure your answers to behavioral questions.

2. Tailor Responses to INSEAD’s Global Focus

INSEAD is renowned for its emphasis on diversity, international exposure, and cultural adaptability. When answering questions about your experience or goals, highlight instances where you demonstrated global leadership or worked with diverse teams.

3. Be Authentic and Reflective

While it is important to prepare and practice, do not come across as rehearsed. Be honest about your experiences, including challenges and failures, and reflect on what you learned from them. INSEAD values candidates who can demonstrate personal growth and self-awareness.

4. Keep Answers Concise but Detailed

You need to engage in a conversation rather than delivering long monologues during your INSEAD interviews. Keep your answers focused and to the point, while offering enough detail to make your case. Be prepared for follow-up questions, so keep extra details in hand.

5. Ask Insightful Questions

At the end of your interview, you will be given the time to ask questions. Use this chance to demonstrate your curiosity about INSEAD and your genuine interest in the program. Ask about your interviewer’s personal experiences, specific INSEAD initiatives, or insights into the school’s culture.

Experts’ Advice on INSEAD Interview

Our expert INSEAD consultant, Praveg, has shared his personalized tips to ace INSEAD interviews. His tips are:

• “Focus on the ‘Why’ aspect rather than the ‘What’ aspect. Ad committees have three elements to questions: What, Why, and How? Candidates limit their answer to just the What aspect and forget to answer the why and how aspects of their answer.

For instance, if you are asked about your post-MBA career goals, and you reply with your answer as “I want to be a consultant,.” Surely, that does answer the question asked, but it answers only the ‘what’ aspect. Admission committees will never be happy with that one-liner response. You need to back up your answer with ‘Why you want to be an MBA consultant’ and ‘How are you going to achieve that goal’.

• For the Kira interview, treat it just like an essay. Treat it like you are turning your essay into verbal words and recording it. Structure it in the exact way that you world structure your essay.

• For the in-person INSEAD interview, look it as a conversation. Do not look it as a one way question-answer thing. Look it as a two-way street. You also need to ask them questions to understand how their time was while going through INSEAD MBA.”

Our experts have helped many applicants get into their dream B-schools with their expert MBA application tips. If you need personalized help to fulfill your MBA dream, we are happy to hop on a 1:1 call with you and help you in this matter.

Conclusion

Preparing for the INSEAD interview is a major step in your application process, and it requires more than simply rehearsing answers. The interviews conducted by alumni are designed to be conversational. By focusing on your professional experiences and personal reflections and answering questions with honesty and insight, you can make a strong impression on your interviewers.

Remember to approach the interview as a discussion rather than a formal job interview, as this will help you feel more comfortable and showcase your authentic self. Whether through the Kira video interview or the alumni interviews, your goal is to present a well-rounded picture of who you are and how you can contribute to the INSEAD community. Be prepared, be confident, and most importantly, be yourself.