I have faced this problem quite a lot where clients come with talking points or an outline for the first hour of F1GMAT’s Mock Interview Service.
The scope of the conversation changes quickly, even with a slight variation in follow-up questions. This could lead to missing certain vital points about the applicant’s strengths, motivation for transitioning to a new industry, or even perspective about certain industries.
I would recommend scripting for these scenarios:
1) Common Questions
You will get the “Tell Me about yourself” or “Walk me through your resume,” questions about strengths, weaknesses, failures, biggest achievement, conflict, leadership, ethical dilemma, post-MBA goals, why MBA, and why the particular Business School. If you are planning to make a career transition with an MBA, you need to be very clear about your motivation. It’s better to repeat the goals essay in the interview than to search for words or reinvent a new narrative. A lot of the narratives from essays will be repeated. You just have to practice the narrative in a conversational tone.
2) Industry Trends
If you are from a trending industry, the interviewer will ask follow-up questions about what is happening in the industry and the future and how you will leverage the school network to achieve your goals in the industry. The worst offense I have seen is in capturing insights into the industry. The numbers should be accurate, the change in market conditions should be validated through proper research, and you must build a case on where the industry is heading. Such a complex narrative does not work with just talking points.
3) Practice
The talking points are a proxy to avoid practicing with a script. You have bullet points of what to cover, and you are hoping that in the real interview, you will not fumble and remember the sequence of what needs to be said. This kind of confidence doesn’t work even for applicants with client-facing roles. You need to practice. I would still recommend that you write a version of your answer. Look at it and practice. Once you have internalized the answer, then go with the talking point. The best examples are stand-up comedians who practice close to a year in over 100 clubs before recording a one-hour special. These are professionals whose job is to talk in front of an audience and make them laugh. You can’t beat their process in an interview that could determine your future.