Anyone who has attempted the 250–300-word essays or edited the recommendation letter with such word limits knows the challenge of confining oneself to the 1-minute answer. In a minute, you can speak with an average speed of 250-300 words. In MBA interviews, the questions can range from about yourself to your greatest weakness, and there is no one template to answer them. You must customize the answers according to narratives that worked in the essays and include examples that supplement or complement your profile. But confining yourself to 1-minute has its advantages:
1) Attention Span
Our attention span has been dwindling since 2004 when it was 2.5 minutes (150 seconds) to 75 seconds in 2012 to 47 seconds over the past five years. The interviewers are also the victims of our screen culture, where reading a hard copy of a book is confined to a once-a-year vacation event. Unless you are a leading podcaster with interesting guests or unique wisdom to share, you are just talking about your less-than-remarkable life. Perhaps 10% of the interviewees have stories of war, starting a venture, or surviving a life-threatening event. The rest of you are trying to overcome the last roadblock to the coveted seat. Customizing your answer to the 1-minute timeline while covering all the points expected out of the answer should be the first focus.
2) When 1.5-minute works
Any narrative where you are expected to offer one specific example can push the timeline to 1.5 minutes. But our own experience with YouTube videos shows that topics covered in 2 minutes have better engagement. The long-form podcast is often quoted as a counterevidence of the current generation’s long attention span without realizing that in such formats, there are at least ten topics and over 120 sub-topics in an average 2–3-hour Joe Rogan or Huberman podcast. We still have an upper limit of 2 minutes in our attention span, even in one-on-one conversations.
3) 1 Minute Scripting vs 1.5-minute Scripting
While editing recommendation letter questions from 500 words to 250 words, I found an interesting observation. A 250-word letter is more than sufficient to capture the most impactful experience of the applicant. The fillers in the 500 words are a style of formal language that adds 20%, and another 10% is about prefacing the relationship with the applicant. The extra 30% is often around expected leadership traits that are important but not necessary for the applicant to stand out.
The 1-minute answer is a 250-word script, and a 1.5 minute is a 400-word script if the applicant speaks at a medium speed. The 150 extra words make the whole difference in an interview. And you need them when using personal reflection to connect a trend with your goals.
4) How to Script in One Minute
The easiest scripting opportunities for 1-minute answers are around the Tell Me About Yourself question as it follows a sequential format starting with family, education, work experience, and goals. The most challenging ones are around follow-up questions, as they are unlikely to be scripted. Using a stopwatch and timing answers to commonly asked questions is one way to ensure that you have developed a habit of answering questions in a minute.
In interviews, the technique is the opposite of what we have recommended as part of storytelling in essays where, by offering gaps in comprehension, we build interest in your story. In interviews, such gaps can be the reason for rejection. Answer the question first by repeating the phrase from the question.
If the question is, “What is your biggest weakness?”
You should start with “My biggest weakness is …” or the phrase “biggest weakness” should be part of the first line.
I remember a mock interview where every answer from a client started with long-winded motivations and backstories that had nothing to do with the question. Eventually, I offered this quick tip to start the answer with a phrase from this question. And voila, the person was forced to answer the question and then offer a backstory. By the 3rd attempt of the answer, the answer has shortened from 3 minutes to 1 minute.
