洛桑管理學院，面試心得 - 工管

我好像不是美國學校的菜啊 幾個月前 HBS, MIT, Kellogg Wharton 都給我拒絕信
但是也給了我申請 IMD 跟 INSEAD 的機會
感覺起來歐洲學校都比較喜歡我這種樸實不 aggressive 的宅工程師

剛剛繳了保證金 分享一下面試的經驗
希望明年多一點台灣學生

My background:

Female 30+ 大姐姐嗎? @@

NCTU Applied Chemistry BS
Tufts University Chemical Engineering MS
MIT Certificate program

有幾個 publication
運氣好做了一個要申請 IND 的新藥

Pharma R&D 7 Years (USA)
IT 1 Year (Taiwan)

GMAT 690 考很爛啦 Verbal 真難~~~

志向: 改善全球醫療資源 降低新藥開發的時間成本

(可能美國學校都覺得我是在唬爛所以都沒收我，但是我去IMD的時候，
case study 的教授特地在面試過後跑來跟我說很欽佩我的志向.....)


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IMD Interview Process

Key: BE YOURSELF

大概不會有任何商學院會像IMD這樣 在你入學之前就想要透徹的了解你
在準備落桑管理學院 interview 的同時，也是你認識自己了解自己的好機會
不用為著要進入某某學校而扭曲自己 現在洛桑的學長跟我說
你一定要 be yourself，這樣你進來才會開心



[Preparation]

1. Read Case in point. (just get the basic concept, should avoid
using any of the frame work for your case study. It would look
very awkward and stupid)
One guy in my group used the "SWOT" stuff, and he was the ONLY ONE
not accepted in my group.

2. Learn yourself very well: be calm during the one-on-one interview.
They usually asked a lot of "surprise" question

3. Practice good handwriting for the 30 mins impromptu presentation
(will have to write on transparencies)



[Suggestion]

1. Contact IMD alums for interview tips! (if you are applying round 1
or round 2, contact alum instead of current student. 在校生太忙
大概沒時間理你)

2. Meet with your teammates before the interview and get familiar
with each other

3. Wear suit!!!! Does not have to be expensive suit, but make sure
to wear FORMAL interview suit and bring your A GAME!!!!
My interview group is packed with bankers and lawyers, and all of
them wore very expensive suit (one wore all Hermes with Gucci shoes)

4. Do not eat too much for the lunch buffet!!!!!!!!!!!
(the lunch in IMD is like 5 star-hotel buffet!)

5. Ask who is the Professor leading the case study (and try to get
familiar with accent, since most of them are European). You can watch
their videos on youtube IMD channel.

6. In the end of the day would be class visit - make sure to observe
how people interact during the class. It's quite different compare
to American programs. Make sure you like it.

7. Remember to send a THANK YOU note to the adcom, the Professor leads
the case study, and your lunch host (usually would be a student
from your country, could be me next year. :p)

8. If you are interviewing in Lausanne, book your flight to Geneva.
There is a train from Geneva Airport directly to Lausanne (~30mins).



[30 mins impromptu presentation]

Very short case with some basic company balance sheet.
Make sure you understand some basic business concept (such as: revenue,
profit, competition.... that kind of stuff).

Was given 4 different color markers (so you can draw with color too)
and transparencies.

You will have 30 mins to prepare (includes reading, analysis, writing
tranparancies) for the 5 mins presentation. Make sure you mention all
the key points and finish on time.

After individual presentation, Adcom would put everyone together for
another follow-up business deal for the entire group for another presentation.



[IMD 1-on-1 interview (the easiest part of the entire interview process)]

Tell me about yourself. And what do you want to do after MBA?
What do you think the difference of a "leader" and a "manager"?
And what would you do to lead your team as a leader?
Do you think lack of business background would be a disadvantage?
Why did you apply for IMD? (Why not schools in America?)
What is your strength? And what's your weakness?
What would you change if you can change one thing about yourself?
How do you adjust yourself when you are under high pressure?
Tell me three things that you like?

以上的問題會根據申請者有 "巨大的變化"

但是基本上所有的 interview 問題都是針對該 applicant 的特點
像我因為都是做 R&D 沒有帶過人
所以問我的都是 leader/manager/沒有商學背景 那方面拼命打轉
反正就是要摸清楚我為什麼想要讀MBA
如果夠了解自己的話，很清楚自己為甚麼要讀MBA的話，這一步應該很容易
你人生當中的每一個細節都很重要 IMD的 ADCOM 都會仔仔細細的問一輪
你每個工作到底學到了甚麼，為什麼選擇這個工作行業領域都要搞清楚。




[IMD Case Study (after lunch)]

The case was ~ 15 pages (given out 2 weeks before interview)

Start with round table discussion (blah blah blah蔠no big surprise)

And then divided into 2 groups for discussion and summarize the task
(given by the professor right after panel discussion).

During the group discussion, make sure everyone participated for some
task, and build teamwork. The adcom would stop by each sub-group from
time to time to observe each candidate.

In the end the professor gave us opportunity to ask him questions.



最後是 class visit
要準備一個兩三句的自我介紹 然後就可以輕鬆的觀察 current student 囉


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