Complete question bank from Great Lakes personal interviews
Profile-Based Conversational Interview • Chennai, Tamil Nadu
GLIM interviews typically include questions about: work experience deep-dive, career goals & why mba, why great lakes, academic background. Common questions include "Tell me about your job profile. What do you do on a daily basis?" and "What are 3 key learnings from your work experience?". The Great Lakes interview style is known as profile-based conversational interview.
For PGPM (1-year program), candidates must have 3+ years of experience. Even for PGDM, work experience candidates are valued. Great Lakes wants to understand the quality of your experience, not just the duration. They're assessing your learning orientation, impact, and readiness for leadership roles.
“Tell me about your job profile. What do you do on a daily basis?”
Start broad, then they'll drill down into specifics
Practice this question“What are 3 key learnings from your work experience?”
Tests reflection and growth mindset
Practice this question“Describe a situation where you had to convince a difficult stakeholder.”
Tests communication and influence skills
Practice this question“What distinguishes you from your colleagues who do the same job?”
Tests self-awareness and differentiation
Practice this question“If you were your manager, what feedback would you give yourself?”
Classic self-awareness test
Practice this questionGreat Lakes invests in students who have clarity on their goals and see the MBA as a strategic step, not just a credential. They want to ensure you'll maximize the learning opportunities and contribute to the cohort.
“Where do you see yourself in 5 years after completing MBA?”
Be specific about role, industry, and why
Practice this question“You have a good job. Why do you want to leave for MBA?”
Explain the gap between current and desired trajectory
Practice this question“Which other colleges have you applied to? What's your first preference?”
Be honest. Saying "Great Lakes is my first choice" when you've applied to IIMs is obviously false
Practice this question“What if you don't get into any B-school this year?”
Tests maturity and whether MBA is a thoughtful choice, not an obsession
Practice this questionThey want candidates who've genuinely researched GLIM and see a specific fit, not those who are treating it as a backup option. Your answer reveals your seriousness and whether you'll maximize the GLIM experience.
“Why Great Lakes over other B-schools you've applied to?”
Have specific reasons beyond "it's a good college"
Practice this question“What do you know about our founder, Dr. Balachandran?”
Shows depth of research about GLIM's origins
Practice this question“Why a 1-year program? Isn't 2 years better for learning?”
For PGPM applicants; have a thoughtful answer about ROI and career stage
Practice this question“Which specialization are you interested in and why?”
Know GLIM's strengths in analytics, consulting, finance
Practice this questionGreat Lakes requires minimum 60% across 10th, 12th, and graduation. They probe academic inconsistencies and assess whether you can handle the academic rigor. For non-engineers, they want to understand how you'll adapt to quantitative coursework.
“Your engineering scores are excellent. Why not continue in that field?”
Explain the career shift logically
Practice this question“There's a significant dip in your academics compared to 10th and 12th. Why?”
Be honest about challenges; show what you learned
Practice this question“How will you cope with finance and accounting as you're from an arts background?”
Show quantitative aptitude or learning ability
Practice this question“What was your final year project about?”
Even if it was years ago, know the basics
Practice this questionMBA candidates should be aware of the business world. Great Lakes also tests your ability to connect current events to business implications, not just recall facts.
“What's the difference between dollar and rupee strength? Why is dollar strong?”
Tests economic awareness
Practice this question“What's your view on AI's impact on jobs?”
Connect to business implications, not just opinions
Practice this question“What are some recent developments in your industry?”
Shows you stay updated in your domain
Practice this question“If you were the PM, how would you improve the healthcare system?”
Tests structured thinking on complex issues
Practice this questionGreat Lakes looks for well-rounded individuals. They probe hobbies to assess genuine interests and to see if you're an interesting person beyond work. Surface-level knowledge of claimed hobbies is a red flag.
“Who is your favorite author? Which is your favorite book?”
If you mentioned reading, prepare for depth
Practice this question“What movies have you watched recently? What did you like about them?”
Tests genuine interests, not curated answers
Practice this question“How do you manage both academics and extracurricular activities?”
If you mentioned multiple interests
Practice this question“What would you do with a month of free time?”
Reveals priorities and genuine interests
Practice this questionGreat Lakes interviews are not designed to stress you out. Instead, panelists have a genuine conversation to understand your background, career goals, and why you believe GLIM is right for you. The interview typically lasts 10-20 minutes with 2 panelists who have read your application beforehand. They may reference your essays, work experience, or academic background. The tone is professional but approachable.
Learn more about handling this style →Great Lakes believes that self-aware candidates with clear goals and strong motivation will succeed in the program. Dr. Balachandran's philosophy was that management education should be transformative, not just transactional. The interview assesses whether you've genuinely thought about your career, have realistic expectations, and will thrive in an intensive program that demands both academic rigor and practical application.
Our AI simulates Great Lakes's profile-based conversational interview approach with follow-up questions and real-time feedback.
Start Great Lakes Mock InterviewValue-Based Group Interview
Stress Interview
Analytical & Entrepreneurship-Focused
Current Affairs & Finance Deep-Dive
Comprehensive Coverage Interview
Balanced Assessment with Extempore
Reading questions is step one. Practicing under pressure is what converts interviews.