What is asked in ISB interviews?

ISB MBA Interview Questions: Categories, Expectations, and Sample Answers.

Interviews can be grueling and often becomes tricky when you aren't aware about what to prepare. here are questions that were asked in one the mentor's actual interview and sample answers for reference. Its important to know that the profile based questions vary from person to person and ISB interview is candidate led

The 8 Broad Buckets You Must Prepare For

The ISB interview is not a stress test of facts or a rapid-fire Q&A round. It is a structured evaluation of clarity, maturity, and decision-making. Most interviews follow a predictable pattern, even though the questions may look random on the surface.

Below are the core buckets from which almost all ISB interview questions are drawn.

Personal Narrative

This sets the tone of the interview.

Typical questions:

• Walk me through your profile

• Why did you make these career choices?

• What defines you beyond your resume?

What they evaluate:

• Story coherence

• Ability to reflect on your own journey

• Whether your decisions were deliberate or accidental

Common mistake:

Giving a chronological resume recap instead of a meaningful story with intent.

Work Experience (Deep Dive)

This is the most important bucket.

Typical questions:

• What exactly did you do?

• What was the problem, your role, and the outcome?

• What decisions did you make and why?

What they evaluate:

• Ownership

• Impact (numbers, scale, outcomes)

• Depth vs surface-level exposure

Common mistake:

Speaking in team language (“we did”) without clarity on individual contribution.

Career Goals

ISB cares deeply about goal clarity.

Typical questions:

• What do you want to do post-ISB?

• Why can’t you do this without an MBA?

• Why ISB for this goal?

What they evaluate:

• Logical progression

• Market awareness

• Realism and preparation

Common mistake:

Vague goals like “consulting”, “product”, or “leadership roles” without specific function, industry, and rationale.

Leadership & Values

Leadership is not limited to titles.

Typical questions:

• A time you influenced without authority

• Handling conflict or failure

• Ethical dilemmas at work

What they evaluate:

• Decision-making under pressure

• Value system

• Emotional intelligence

Common mistake:

Hero stories with no reflection or learning.

Analytical & Problem Solving

Sometimes explicit, sometimes subtle.

Typical questions:

• How would you approach X problem?

• What factors would you consider?

• Caselet-style scenarios (rare but possible)

What they evaluate:

• Structured thinking

• Trade-off analysis

• Comfort with ambiguity

Common mistake:

Jumping to answers instead of explaining the thinking process.

Self-Awareness & Maturity

This bucket differentiates strong candidates.

Typical questions:

• Your biggest failure

• What feedback do you often receive?

• What would you change about your past?

What they evaluate:

• Honesty

• Coachability

• Ability to introspect without defensiveness

Common mistake:

Disguising weaknesses as strengths or blaming external factors.

Industry & Context Awareness (Light)

Not a current affairs test.

Typical questions:

• Trends in your industry

• Challenges in your function

• How your role fits into the larger ecosystem

What they evaluate:

• Perspective

• Business awareness

• Curiosity

Common mistake:

Over-preparing GK while being shallow on own domain.

Communication & Executive Presence

This is evaluated throughout the interview.

What they evaluate:

• Clarity and conciseness

• Ability to think on your feet

• Composure and confidence

Common mistake:

Over-explaining or under-answering due to nervousness.

What ISB Is Really Looking For

Across all buckets, ISB evaluates:

• Clarity of thought

• Ownership of decisions

• Learning mindset

• Fit for a peer-driven classroom

If you prepare answers in buckets instead of questions, you will never feel caught off-guard.

An ISB interview is not about sounding impressive.

It is about sounding clear, honest, and intentional.

That is what converts interviews into admits.

Here are a set of questions from an actual interview for a candidate with oil and gas exp and Hence use the below for reference only.

Category	Question	Expectations	Sample Answers
1. Icebreaker & Context Setting	How are you doing today? Interviewers introduce themselves & then start	Build rapport; assess communication, comfort, and tone-setting.	"I'm doing well, thank you! Really excited to be here and speak with you both today."
	Not a formal interview; conducted by alumni	Expect informal tone, alumni perspective, and honest storytelling.	"I understand this is informal. I’m excited to have a candid conversation and gain your perspective as an alumnus."
2. Career Decisions & Transitions	Why did you move from private to public sector? Isn’t technology in alignment?	Understand rationale for switch, long-term thinking, and clarity of values.	"I moved to the public sector to contribute to national infrastructure and gain exposure to scale. While the tech was different, I adapted quickly and saw the macro impact."
	What is GATE?	Check understanding and authenticity of academic path.	"GATE is a national-level engineering entrance exam. I used it to pursue my M.Tech, which laid the foundation for my technical skills."
	Would you continue at IOCL post-MBA?	MBA seriousness, backup clarity.	"IOCL has been foundational, but my next goal is to transition into strategy consulting or impact-driven private sector roles post-MBA."
	Where else have you applied this year?	Honesty, competitiveness.	"I’ve applied to ISB, IIM-L PGPX, and SMU Singapore – all programs aligned with my profile and goals."
3. Post-MBA Goals & ISB Fit	You’ll likely work with private firms post-ISB – thoughts?	Gauge awareness and mental preparation for the transition.	"Absolutely. I believe private firms will offer the scale and pace I now seek. My experience in PSUs gives me a unique advantage in cross-sector adaptability."
	What exactly does ISB offer that you're looking for?	Research depth, alignment with goals, clarity.	"ISB offers a one-year, leadership-intensive program with strong alumni and consulting connects – perfect for my mid-career pivot goals."
	Did you research post-ISB opportunities and long-term goals?	Vision, realism, initiative.	"Yes, I connected with alumni in roles at BCG and Tata Digital. I plan to enter strategy roles in tech-enabled industries, then launch a venture by year 7."
	Which companies recruit from ISB?	Seriousness of research, realistic expectations.	"Firms like Amazon, BCG, and Axis recruit consistently. I'm targeting roles aligned with digital strategy and growth transformation."
	What if you don’t make it to ISB this year?	Resilience, backup planning, emotional maturity.	"I’ll continue gaining leadership experience at IOCL, and pursue online executive courses while reapplying with even stronger credentials next year."
4. Leadership & Team Experience	Travel experiences that shaped your leadership	Real-world exposure, self-awareness, and intercultural competence.	"Travelling solo through Northeast India taught me empathy, adaptability, and decision-making in ambiguity—skills I now use as a team leader."
	Tree plantation drive – did you institutionalize it?	Drive towards sustainability, scalability, and leadership beyond the job.	"Yes, I partnered with the municipal body to create annual goals, built a student-volunteer network, and handed it over to local NGOs for continuity."
	Experience working with diverse people	Cross-functional experience, inclusiveness, openness to varied ideas.	"At IOCL, I led a team from five states, across hierarchies. It taught me patience, the power of listening, and resolving cultural misunderstandings."
	Example of conflict & how you resolved it	Emotional intelligence, maturity, and teamwork.	"Once during a plant shutdown, departments blamed each other. I arranged a root-cause analysis workshop, mediated neutrally, and helped co-create a solution."
	Leading vs. Individual contributor – what do you prefer?	Self-awareness, career aspiration clarity.	"Both roles shaped me. But I find leadership more fulfilling as I enjoy enabling others to perform and aligning them with broader vision."
	What did you learn as a leader/from IOCL?	Reflection, growth, accountability.	"At IOCL, I learned that leadership is about trust. Leading unionized teams taught me transparent communication and walking the talk."
5. Diversity, Inclusion & Values	What is diversity and inclusion to you?	Modern workplace values, DEI clarity.	"Diversity is about representation, and inclusion is about respect. Both are necessary to foster innovation and empathy in teams."
	Did you have experience working with people from diverse backgrounds?	Inclusivity, collaboration in varied contexts.	"My current team includes members from varied geographies and functional roles. This diversity has enriched our problem-solving and innovation."
6. Personal Projects & Passions	Was your blog revenue-generating?	Entrepreneurial drive, initiative, and consistency.	"Initially it was passion-led, but over time I monetized through affiliate links and sponsorships, generating modest side income."
	Entrepreneurial journey, inspiration, future plans?	Risk-taking, creativity, future plans.	"My father, a small entrepreneur, inspired me. I ran a blog-business and plan to launch a sustainable travel tech startup in 5 years."
7. Closing & Candidate Curiosity	Do you have any questions for us?	Curiosity, long-term thinking, interest in school.	"Yes – how do alumni from operations-heavy backgrounds like mine transition into strategic roles at ISB? What resources help most in this journey?"