London Business School interview questions

## 1. “Walk me through your resume / Tell me about yourself” Real question (very common): “Can you walk me through your CV?” ## 2. Goals / “Why MBA?” / “Why LBS?” Real questions: •⁠ ⁠“What are your short‑term and long‑term career goals?” •⁠ ⁠“Why do you want to do an MBA? Why now?” •⁠ ⁠“Why LBS?” •⁠ ⁠“What is your plan B if your first choice (e.g., consulting) doesn’t work out?” ## 3. Leadership & teamwork questions Common real questions •⁠ ⁠“How would you define your leadership style? Can you give an example?” •⁠ ⁠“Tell me about a time you led a team through change or uncertainty.” •⁠ ⁠“Tell me about a time you resolved conflict as a leader.” ## 4. Behavioral & personal fit questions Typical real questions: •⁠ ⁠“What is your most significant achievement?” •⁠ ⁠“Tell me about a time you failed at something important.” •⁠ ⁠“Describe a time you worked with someone very different from you.” •⁠ ⁠“How would your colleagues describe you?” •⁠ ⁠“Describe a situation where you moved to a new environment and how you handled it.” ## 5. “Why LBS? How will you contribute?” Real questions: •⁠ ⁠“Why LBS?” •⁠ ⁠“How will you contribute to LBS?” •⁠ ⁠“What will you get involved in outside the classroom?” •⁠ ⁠“How would you contribute to our emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion?” ## 6. The presentation / “mini case” element Realistic description: LBS usually gives you 5 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to present on a broad business or opinion topic chosen by the interviewer (e.g., simple case, market entry, or a general question like “Should governments subsidize electric vehicles?”).[2][10][5][3] Simple structure to use: 1.⁠ ⁠Clarify the question (if needed) and state your recommendation. 2.⁠ ⁠Lay out 2–3 clear points. 3.⁠ ⁠Give a brief example or implication. 4.⁠ ⁠Conclude and, if relevant, mention trade‑offs. Example outline for: “Should a traditional retailer invest in building its own e‑commerce platform or partner with a marketplace?”[2][5] •⁠ ⁠Position: “I’d recommend they start with a partnership with a marketplace while building the core capabilities needed for a future direct‑to‑consumer platform.” •⁠ ⁠Point 1 (speed and risk): Partnership gives access to online demand quickly with lower upfront investment. •⁠ ⁠Point 2 (capability building): Use the partnership period to learn about online customer behavior, logistics, and digital marketing. •⁠ ⁠Point 3 (long‑term brand control): Over time, selectively invest in a proprietary platform for high‑margin categories and loyal customers. •⁠ ⁠Close: Briefly acknowledge risks (e.g., dependency on marketplace, margin pressure) and how you’d mitigate them. The goal is not the “perfect” answer but a *structured* and calm response under time pressure.[2][5][3] * ## 7. Example “Why now?” answer (career plateau) Real question: “Why is now the right time for you to pursue an MBA?” ## 8. Quick preparation checklist tailored to LBS Drawn from multiple LBS‑specific guides and reports of past interviews •⁠ ⁠Prepare a 60–90 second “walk me through your CV” story with clear transitions. •⁠ ⁠Have sharp, specific short‑term and long‑term goals plus a realistic Plan B. •⁠ ⁠Prepare 3–5 STAR stories: leadership, conflict, failure, working with diverse teams, driving change. •⁠ ⁠Research 2–3 LBS courses, 2–3 clubs, and 1–2 experiential opportunities (e.g., LondonCAP, Global Experiences) that tie directly to your goals. •⁠ ⁠Practice a 5‑minute, structured verbal response to simple business or opinion prompts. •⁠ ⁠Be ready for personal questions (family background, hobbies, values); LBS interviews can be quite personal and conversational