You might have cleared the entrance exams for a good MBA program. And you might be thinking that the worst part is over. But wait, there’s more to come.

You still have to clear the personal interview (PI) section, which is one of the most crucial parts in the MBA admission process for almost all reputed colleges around the world. It gives the selection board a chance to assess the thinking clarity and the suitability of the candidates for the specific role and gives them an opportunity to showcase their skills and abilities.

Not only on-campus programs, but their reputable online counterparts also require you to appear for a personal interview.

If you are looking for common questions asked in the interviews of MBA admission tests, we are going to discuss the same here.

Tell me about yourself

This is one of the very first and the most commonly asked questions in the majority of MBA entrance interviews, though it may be disguised as “walk me through your resume.” Though as simple as it appears to be, while answering this question you must bear in mind that the interviewer already has your resume. So this is an excellent opportunity for you to highlight such information,  accomplishments, and abilities related to your personality which are not already present in your resume.

Why do you want to pursue an MBA/get a post-graduate business degree?

We all know why anybody would want to put so much time, effort and money into an MBA, or any other course for that instance. To get a good paying job that settles the debts and pays the bills, obviously! But to be brutally honest about your concern for monetary benefits may not be such a good idea. On the other hand, stating utopian aims like the eagerness for knowledge and personal development might make you sound like a philosopher.

The best way to go about it is to strike a healthy balance between ambition and practicality. You can say that you are expecting good monetary returns, but do add to it an aspect of the benefits of good business knowledge and how a good course would enhance your personality.

Why did you choose this college/university?

Such questions require a thorough understanding and knowledge about what the college has to offer, and the specifics that make it different from other colleges. You should confidently state what motivates you to join that particular college, and how the work culture of the college aligns with your strengths and personality.

To successfully execute this, you might require to spend a few hours researching about the college, and it’s working, and then drafting an answer about how it aligns with your skills and future ambitions.

What are your short and long term goals?

Such type of questions has a purpose of knowing whether you are a day-dreamer, or you have certain fixed goals for the later phases of your life, with clearly defined ambitions and objectives. Nobody (including the interviewer) knows about the future, but answering these questions with an attitude of determination and confidence, will show that you are pretty sure about your ability to achieve your goals, howsoever grand they may sound.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

While mentioning your strengths, you can effectively put up your case by highlighting how your strengths are in line with the challenges and demands of the management sector. Have more than one ready, just in case the interviewer becomes curious to know more about them.

Weaknesses are not be stated in a way that makes you look like a complete loser. In fact, they should be carefully worded to disguise them as possible areas of improvement, and avenues for future growth.

While preparing for such questions, you are advised to prepare a rough draft of your answers, consisting of main keywords. You should practice executing the answers in front of a mirror to pay attention to your mannerisms. You can also voice-record your answers when you practice to get an idea about how you really sound and make corrections on pronunciation, accent, etc. wherever necessary.

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It is obvious that when you opt for post-graduation with an MBA, you dream for a fat-salaried, prestigious job instead of a petty one. But your dream will be realized only when you systematically use your qualification to impress an employer. So how do you do it? Let’s see.

IDENTIFY YOUR STRENGTHS

Contrary to popular belief, this process does not involve sheer luck. Even before joining an MBA you have to perform a market survey. Check which specialization is more popular in placements and try to see if it suits your strengths and abilities well.

When you plan to become a master in Business Administration, it means that you are expected to become a master of all business skills. So start your strategy of becoming a master from the very first day. Acquire leadership by taking the initiative, take the lead in various events, and participate in as many debates and job fairs as you can. If your course duration is two years, keep a watch on the placements of your seniors and stay in touch with them. Read business trends frequently and find placement opportunities. It’s all about maximizing your spread by ‘marketing’ your skills.

BE SOCIAL

Nowadays, it is a norm for everyone to have social media accounts on platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter. These platforms provide up-to-date knowledge of the hottest business trends. The primary advantage though, is that it multiplies the number of acquaintances in your professional network. So when you are seeking out those hidden jobs, there’s a chance that you will remain their sights long enough for them to recommend you in campus interviews. This is because it is easy to get a job by reference than by going through the heavily clichéd and clumsy recruitment procedures.

BE PRESENTABLE

You are not in a school which allows backbenchers to get the same marks as front seaters. This is the big bad world where you have to market yourselves, your skills and your abilities. And the best marketing tactic is to wrap yourself in an attractive package to be presentable at all times. The reasoning behind this is that although you may be highly intelligent and possess an excellent academic career, your person accounts heavily in the recruitment process. So be enthusiastic, smart and promising.

BE SELECTIVELY SMART

By the time you are willing to show your caliber, the internship period arrives. Try for the best match between your personal situation and the company you choose. This presents you with two advantages. Firstly, the company may absorb you by observing your talent and secondly, you’ll have credits in your profile of having worked in one of the best companies.

While in an internship, you must convince that you are useful for company’s growth by your deeds. Generally, managers are meant for getting the work done, and the company wants a reliable one. Show them that you have completed your tasks to their satisfaction. So they know your ability to solve complex problems, ability to work with different type of people, manage them in teamwork, project deadline, and marketing. Employers seldom select distinction holders in academics. Instead, they crave experience in a particular field more. A smart business world needs smart workers, not theorists.

For getting a good internship, always show the work you have done. Do not be shy. Mind well that good propaganda can sell stones and dirt, but without any marketing, you cannot sell even diamonds.

DON’T FORGET YOUR GRADES

The packaging is only a start. The contents better are worth it. Smart employers can quickly weed out fake products. Take your GPA [grade point average]seriously and get the best credits you can and include it in your CV. Make your CV as attractive as possible, because recruiters are bored with scrutinizing mundane applications with standard formats unless the company policies state otherwise.

The routine campus-based MBAs have many advantages, and these practices will come in handy. But if you are opting for an online MBA, you need more preparation than what’s listed here. The world is changing at an incredible pace. Run with it and grab the opportunities, lest you get left behind.

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The environment in the recent past has been suffering greatly because of how waste is managed. Mane irresponsible companies have been throwing away waste materials and unused machinery which is unsightly and waste so much space. It is the responsibility of any industry to manage their own waste instead of waiting for community and government intervention. In a typicalindustry,some metals can be recycled. Note that we are not discussing plastics because many industries have embraced plastic recycling already.

• Lead – the dangers of lead to the environment and the society at large are too high. Therefore it is a must that it is recycled. It is found in small quantities in smoke detectors, medical equipment and in small and large batteries.
• Copper – this is an expensive metal that is used is much industrial equipment. It is a good conductor therefore used in wiring. It is also used in plumbing. Its appearance makes its application as a decorative metal easier. Due to its many applications and its cost, it is a good and cost-effective metal to recycle.
• Steel – Steel is used in manufacturing a lot of industrial machinery and has been recycled for many years. A notable characteristic is that steel retains its initial value even after it has been recycled hence still useful in manufacturing other industrial equipment. Its recycling is also energy efficient therefore kind on the environment.
• Aluminium–it is a common metal, found in cans, roofing sheets and other sheet metals and in the body of cars. It is easy to recycle because there is so much of it already in the environment and it is also cheaper than making more.

So, what are some of the environmental benefits of recycling industrial machinery?

1. It’s kind on the environment

Industrial machinery that is no longer in use has a lot of different metals that can be recycled. The extraction of metal ores is an environmental hazard because of the poisonous gases that are released into the environment. This is because, pure metal has to be extracted from the impure ores, a process which leads to the emission of greenhouse gases to the environment. Recycling metals already in the environment would reduce greenhouse gases in the air by close to 500 million tons which is a very significant amount.

• Energy conservation

Processing metal from metal ores requires a lot more energy than recycling. Recyclable metals are already in their pure form;therefore extracting them requires less processing and the methods used are easier than getting them from metal ores. The processing of metal from metal ores depletes the already dwindling natural minerals. It is clear that there is already enough metals in circulation and it would be better if we recycled the ones not in use to reduce the waste on the environment and reduce energy consumption during manufacturing new metal.

• Job creation

Although not directly impactful to the environment, recycling creates jobs in the environmental conservation industry. Not only will it create jobs for the millions of people that are currently unemployed across the world, but it shall alsocultivate the culture of recycling. A ton of scrap metal would require 350 people to recycle it into usable metal. The recycling industry is already boasting of at least two hundred billion dollars in revenue. Imagine the increase if more people embraced industrial metal recycling?

• Reusability

Industrial equipment is very expensive especially if it is bought new. Many startups and small businesses cannot afford to purchase certain equipment and rely on used machinery that bigger industries no longer need or use. With a litter pair, another person can make good use of machinery that would have otherwise gone into a landfill or warehouse. Most industries dispose of equipment when newer technology comes and not necessarily because the old machine doesn’t work. Therefore, one doesn’t need to worry about getting bad quality used machinery in most cases.

• Innovation

Necessity is the mother of invention and the same can be said during recycling. Once people embrace recycling, more energy-friendly ways can be discovered and explored which is good news for the environment. People will also find new items to make from all scrap metals and waste materials that could serve another purpose.

Recycling has existed for a very long time,but more people need to be aware of it. The benefits to the environment cannot be ignored and should be used to advance the 12^th Sustainable Development Goal – Responsible consumption and production.

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