How to prepare for the question ‘Why MBA’?

Guys, Let’s understand one thing. Whatever we are today, we are as a result of ‘torture’ that has been done on us by our teachers in schools, teachers in college, parents, family, society and may be in cases of some of us by our bosses.

What we have been exposed to has made us develop a taste for something, at the same time anti-taste for some other things. In our childhood we have nurtured what we have developed taste for. And in the process we have developed certain skills and certain qualities.

Now, we want to do an MBA, Right.

Let’s understand that theoretically we should try to explore the qualities we have and should choose a career where we can use our qualities. For e.g. I liked explaining things a lot to friends, to people around me, when I was in school. Hence I picked up teaching as a hobby. And when I saw myself excelling in teaching, I thought of making a career in teaching. When I looked more into it, I realized that I like teaching UNCONVENTIONAL ways of solving questions. And so I moved into MBA/CAT teaching and left Engineering entrance exams etc long back.

I hope you are getting an idea of what I am trying to explain.

Now, we have decided to do an MBA, irrespective of the fact our qualities support MBA or not and at the moment we are only interested in designing an answer to ‘Why MBA?’.

So here I go.

Understand this that as a manager you will be required to possess certain qualities, for e.g. present mindedness, time management, perseverance. These are just examples. There are many more, in fact. Now, understand this that MBA will develop certain qualities in us which are important to pursue a career as a manager. But then certain qualities are required to do MBA for e.g Hard work.

Understand this, that till now, I have spoken about 3 phases. What you are now?(Lets call it A) What you expect you will be after MBA? (Lets call it C) and What MBA will imbibe in you? (Lets call it B)

Understand this now. In order to answer the question ‘Why MBA?’ you have to do a mapping of A, B and C. Your answer should look something like this.

‘During my schools days, I use to do this that blah blah blah…And I started developing …..(mention the skills).. When I started thinking about the career during my graduation, I realized that these skills can make me …(Talk of Life as a manager or if you see yourself as an entrepreneur). At this time, I felt the need of doing an MBA because it will develop …(talk of certain skills) and at the same time I think (the skills I have) will help in doing an MBA and hence an MBA’…

Guys, Note that if you design an answer like this, first of all you will get a better idea about why you should be doing an MBA. And don’t you think that if you know better why you want to do an MBA , you will be able to convince them better. Also note one thing, that when you will design the first draft of your answer, that may turn out to be a 2-3 page answer.

Never mind, after 3-5 editing your answer will become a perfect answer that to customize to you. And after 3-5 reading/changes/editing you will be able to say it in lesser words as well.

One more thing, when I suggest this method of designing answer, many of my students end up designing a 5-7 minutes answer. You know that they are not going to hear the you for more than 1-2 minutes. Still, I am saying make a long answer, reason being, when you are in an actual interview, I know you will forget a lot of things. So I know by experience that a 5-7 minutes answer will cut to 3-4 minutes answer after a couple of editing and changes. And in actual interview a 3-4 minute answer will turn out to be a 1 to 1.5 minute answer. I am telling you hardly anyone of you will be able to touch 2 minute or cross that.

All the Best, designing this answer.