Getting your MBA - Part 4, Don't Lie!

In thi install Inflatable Boat of MBA Interview tips, I am go to talk about a real no-no...lying.

In a word, don't do it. There ar sever reason why.

A t the top of the list goe back to a veri old sai that goe like this...

"What a tangl web we weav when at first we practic to deceive."

Do you know why thi is? Think about it. If I were to ask you for your name, address and phone number, you would hardli have to think in order to give me the answers. Why? Becaus thei ar true facts. Now, imagin you had an alia with a phoni address and phoni telephon number. You'd have to make a conscienti effort to rememb those thing becaus thei ar not realli a part of your real life.

The more thing you have to rememb the li the greater the chanc of slip up somewher along the interview process. Some question might refer back to other question and if you don't have your li down realli pat, you'r sunk...plain and simple. Trust me, you have to be a real pro to pull off a ton of li at an MBA interview.

Now, have said that, there ar wai to tell the truth without have to sai anyth neg about yourself should you be ask a question that would requir a less than posit answer. For example, let' sai you were ask if you ever had a job in an offic and you hadn't. You could sai someth like, "No, but I have had offic train from XYZ compani when I wa stai with my uncl over the summer. Thei show me around and taught me some offic procedur like file and answer phones. So while I never actual work there, I do understand those job and feel veri confid that I can perform them if I had to."

See how easi that is? What you want to do, when ask ani question, is downplai the neg and accentu the positive. Don't worry, the interview will know you'r do thi but that' what thei want to see...somebodi who look at the plu side of thing and present their strength instead of their weaknesses. Thei don't want somebodi to simpli answer "No" and then look down at their shoe becaus thei feel like a failur becaus of it.