Introduction:
Kellogg’s is one of the top business schools and naturally, its interview is thought to be a tough one. No matter what your GMAT or GRE score is, there will be an interview round to assess your overall personality. If you are going for a Kellogg interview you must prepare some frequently asked questions in advance. To help you boost your preparation we have prepared a list of 10 most frequently asked Kellogg interview questions along with answers which will help you to understand the overall pattern.
Most frequently asked interview questions in Kellogg’s interview round:
Ques 1: Give me some information about yourself.
This is a standard question and almost every interview wants to know who you are and why you are here. They can either ask you to tell you about certain things in the resume or directly ask you about yourself. So Be Prepared Because This First Question Will Create the First Impression.
Sample ans: Good morning, my name is ABC. I have done my schooling at XYZ. I have good communication skills and led my team to victory on several occasions. I am a motivated and enthusiastic person who puts my best efforts into whatever work is given.
Ques 2: If you are asked to do something repeatedly and you start feeling bored, how do you motivate yourself to keep doing the task and don’t leave it in between?
The way to ans: You have to show the interviewer that when you take up a task, no matter how boring it might seem you will use certain strategies to motivate yourself and complete it. This can be done either by breaking it into smaller tasks or setting a reward for each accomplishment, or any other way that you prefer.
Sample ans: To remove the monotonous character of the work assigned to me I try to make it interesting by breaking into small achievable goals at the end of which I set a reward for me like taking a 5-minute break or eating a favorite food item etc.
Ques 3: What according to you are the major strengths of your personality that will help you in doing this job better than others?
The way to answer: You have to be familiar with the requirements and the skills they are looking for. Based on the requirements, pick up certain qualities from your personality which highlight what you can do to a task in the best possible way. Don’t forget to tell me how these will help you in the long run to achieve the targets.
Sample ans: Some of the major strengths that I process are good communication skills that helped me to interact and negotiate with the other person leadership skills through which I can motivate my team members and achieve team goals and the ability to appreciate others efforts which makes me a better person as a whole.
Ques 4: What is your approach while tackling a busy day?
The way to answer: In this question you have to show the interviewer your problem solving and time management skills. Since it is usual to have a busy and typical day at work, you should know how to prioritize work. You can even give an example from the previous job where you have used your organizational skills to tackle a busy day and complete all the tasks on time.
Sample ans: Every day I make a list of the tasks that I have to perform and based on that I categorize them into a busy day or a normal day. I would short all the work according to the priorities and keep a checklist for taking down a task as soon as I complete it. If required I might take the help of a fellow worker to complete all the work which is on priority. Otherwise, I make sure that I am done with the deadlines at least a week prior so that there are no last-minute hustles.
Ques 5: Strategies are very important in business. So can you tell me about any situation from your experience so far, where you have formulated a strategy for the smooth flow of the business?
The way of answering: You have to talk about your decision-making and problem-solving skills. While telling about the experience, first tell why there was a requirement for bringing a strategy, what your strategy was and how it helped in achieving that purpose.
Sample ans: I have come across various situations where I have to formulate strategies for the smooth flow of the business. For instance, on one occasion my company felt that we are having a problem of less demand for the product. So we were required to formulate strategies for creating the demand and increasing revenue. My approach was to analyze the previous data, the consumer preferences, and other such relevant statistics. Based on them, I came up with a strategy related to the latest trend in the market. It helped the company in increasing the demand for the product by almost 20%.
Ques 6: What according to you are the weaknesses in your personality?
The way of answering: strengths and weaknesses both formulate an important part of a person’s personality. You should never see that you don’t have any weaknesses. Rather you should show the interviewer that despite weaknesses, you are working hard and don’t let any hurdle stop you from achieving success.
Sample ans: One of the major weaknesses in my personality according to me is that I seek perfection in whatever I do and therefore I sometimes take more time to complete the task. But despite this approach, I make sure that the work is completed on time and there remains no lack of effort at my end.
Ques 7: Why did you choose to apply to Kellogg?
This question can be asked like this also: ‘Why do you want to become a part of Kellog’. In both ways, this is a very important question because the way you answer it will determine whether you have a genuine interest in the course or just doing it for a namesake. It’s advised that you read about the unique points about the university in advance and what makes it better than others. Try to stay aware of all the current updates about the university as it will show your interest in becoming a student.
Sample ans: I want to join this university because it offers a great opportunity to learn and expand my existing skills. The university offers a great research environment. The importance given to practical knowledge rather than theoretical knowledge makes it an attractive option for all those like me who want to bring a change in the overall perception of the business.
Ques 8: If you have to describe your way of management, what according to you would be the pros and cons of your management style and how you think you can improve them?
Way to answer: Through this question, the interviewer is testing your management skills and whether you can assess your style and skills, on your own. You have to show flexibility according to the circumstances while managing different tasks. You can also share some past experiences to demonstrate your management style.
Sample ans: Sir according to me, I adopt a flexible management style depending on the requirement of the situation and the person I have to tackle with. The main benefit of this management style is that it helps me to personalize my approach towards different situations and I don’t have to be rigid. The major problem can be to understand whether this person would require a tough stand or a lenient one.
But my initial approach is to manage my juniors as a coach and understand their point of view and appreciate them for every little achievement so that they can feel motivated. To improve my management style, I take feedback from my juniors from time to time. I would entertain even a criticism from a junior if it is well-reasoned and work upon it.
Ques 9. What all positions you have worked for and what were your major reasons for changing the jobs?
The demand of the question: This question will depend on the resume you have submitted. The interviewer might ask you this question if he feels that you have changed different job roles. You can tell in brief the work you have done in various companies and how they have helped you in your overall development. As a major reason for changing job roles, you can cite better growth opportunities, exposure, better learning, research environment, etc.
Sample ans: I have done some small jobs like cashier and departmental store worker in my initial days. Then I shifted to certain management roles to get better growth opportunities and exposure. One thing that I can undoubtedly say is that whatever job I have done so far has helped me in one way or another to develop my personality.
10. After completing this MBA what do you plan to do?
The demand of the question: This is a general conversation question whereby the interviewer wants to know your plans and why you are seeking this MBA degree. Try to give a clear picture of your future goals and how this degree will help you come closer to your goals.
Sample ans: After completing this MBA degree I plan to start my business. I have some ideas in my mind but I want to develop them by seeking a professional education and doing more research in those areas. I feel that this degree can help me come closer to my goal because of the practical experience and great opportunities that would become throughout this course.
Rounding up:
Kellogg interview round might look like a daunting task but with the right preparation, you can ace any interview. Be well-dressed, behave properly, listen calmly to their question, create a positive environment and Convey to the interviewer your purpose for applying for the program and why you deserve to be one of them.
FAQs (frequently asked questions)
Ques 1: What is the whole interview process at Kellogg’s?
Ans: The interview is often conducted by Admission officers, students, and alumni. So you can expect more behavioral-type questions. It can last around 30 to 45 minutes and tests your MBA skills.
Ques 2: What are the most required skills to clear the Kellogg interview
Ans: To clear the interview you have to show the interviewer that you process wonderful leadership skills, problem-solving skills, teamwork, and the ability to make quick decisions. So you have to work on your interpersonal skills for clearing the interview.
Ques 3: How much importance do Kellogg’s give to the GMAT score and GPA?
The interviewer might get an overview of your intellectual capability through your Gmail score and GPA but this is not the sole criteria. They want to assess your creativity and passion for the job.
Ques 4: What are some of the tips for clearing the Kellogg interview?
Ans: a. Be clear about the goals of the school and why you want to join it.
b. Try to keep the interview interactive by keeping a conversational tone and don’t portray yourself as nervous or overprepared.
c. Whatever quality you cite or they ask about, try to relate it with a real-life scenario.
