I have got interview invitation from HBS. I would appreciate any sharing/experience from you on how best to prepare for this interview? Many thanks in advance.

The Harvard MBA says:

First of all, congratulations.  The numbers say that if you get an interview, you’ve got nearly a 50% chance of getting accepted.

Second, there are two things you should do to prepare for your interview.  This is a sales opportunity, and you should treat it as such.

1) Research the prospect (interviewer) and really understand their needs.

If you know who’s going to be interviewing you, really research them.  Google them.  Look them up on LinkedIn.  Check and see what others have written about them.  You should walk into your interview with a good sense of who that person is.

2) Understand your product (you), its unique selling proposition, and how it meets the needs of the prospect.

You need to take a long, deep, and honest look at yourself and figure out what you’re really about.  When I did my interview with HBS, I positioned myself as a true start-up guy, someone with a very different background from the typical consultants and bankers.  I emphasized that I could bring a different perspective to the classroom, including rare things like Internet experience (this was 1998) and the fact that I was a Creative Writing major in college, and had taught public speaking at Stanford.

Remember, what the school is looking for are people who will make the HBS experience more interesting and productive for their fellow students, and who will make loyal and generous alumni that build the school’s brand and contribute money to its coffers.

Figure out how you can help the school and your fellow students, and emphasize those points.  Getting into HBS isn’t about being worthy or winning some kind of “check off the box” contest–it’s about convincing your interviewer that HBS gets something unique and useful by admitting you.