University of Virginia Darden MBA Mock Interview
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Question 9 of 30
What DEI programs have you participated in and how do you view them?
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Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
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Karrie Day is a certified career coach and strategist with a passion for helping her clients define and reach their professional goals. She offers career advancement services such as brand development, resume writing and critiques, job search strategies,
"I work for a large real estate investment firm and have always enjoyed participating in various business resource groups. For example, I serve as a mentor for a group that focuses on mentoring women to help them develop as leaders and identify career growth opportunities. I also served on a committee last year that reviewed our company's pay equity analysis results and provided a recommendation on necessary adjustments and procedures to address pay inequity and avoid it in the future. I appreciated the opportunity to uncover bias and actually do something about it.
I view DEI initiatives as an important stepping stone. I would like to believe that we can one day operate in a professional setting where we all receive equal support and access to opportunity. I would like to believe that we rise to a place where we have addressed diversity issues to a point where our main focus is allowing for greater diversity of thought and experience. But we are not there. I am grateful that some companies are taking healthy steps in the right direction. I would like to see that continue, and it is clear UVA Darden is on the same page."
Karrie Day is a certified career coach and strategist with a passion for helping her clients define and reach their professional goals. She offers career advancement services such as brand development, resume writing and critiques, job search strategies,
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are currently popular interview topics. According to my research, MBA program interviews at UVA Darden are no different. Interviewees report questions on this topic in a range of formats, but they all seem to center around views on the topic, actions taken to support it, and the values that drive a candidate to participate in related DEI programs. It is clear that the admissions committee wants to know how you fit into their goal of improving DEI at UVA Darden as well as developing the leaders of the future that will continue to move these programs in the right direction.
Karrie Day is a certified career coach and strategist with a passion for helping her clients define and reach their professional goals. She offers career advancement services such as brand development, resume writing and critiques, job search strategies,
There are a number of acceptable paths you can take when answering this question. Not all DEI experiences are positive, and not all programs are fruitful. Provide an authentic answer and discuss your experience. However, be sure to end on a positive note in the event you include your negative experiences within your response.
The main goal is to convince your interviewer that you understand the importance of DEI programs and you would be willing to participate and support them at UVA Darden if accepted into the MBA program.
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