Managing a business is a dream of many young people. We want to earn big, live well, and leave some mark in our country, or at least in a local community. Needless to say, the vast majority of business management graduates won’t manage an entire business. They will end up working in sales, marketing, FP&A and other departments of big corporations, leading a small team of people at best–which isn’t a bad career by any means, to be honest. But what should you write on your application, or say in the school admission interviews? What do the people in the admission committee want to hear from you? We will try to find the answers on the following lines.
Before we proceed to 7 sample answers, let me give you a few pointers. First of all, dare to dream. You can say that you want to run your own business one day (in a specific field), or manage some big operation in this or that industry. Big vision helps with motivation, and you will need some motivation to learn the subjects, pass the exams, and eventually earn your degree in business and management. Secondly, be as specific as you can. Saying that you hope to “manage a business” doesn’t sound too convincing. But saying that you want to run your own winery, for example, in this or that location, producing about 100,000 bottles of artisanal wine, sounds like a plan, and something that will give you the extra boost of motivation when you need it the most.
Of course, winery is just an example, and you can talk about any business, or any job you’d like to have one day. Just try to be specific, and do not worry much about the viability of your dreams. Few weeks later, nobody will remember what you’ve said in your school admission interview, or what you’ve written on your application. When trying to get in, however, it is nice to have some vision you can follow.
Let’s proceed to the sample answers. You will find on my list all sorts of answers. Answers for future entrepreneurs, for people who prefer the job security to the exciting yet risky journey of an entrepreneur, as well as some unconventional answers, and also an answer for people who simply do not know yet what they want to do with their life. I hope at least one of them will resonate with you, and will inspire you to come up with your own, unique answer to this tricky interview question. I wish you good luck!
7 sample answers to “Why do you want to study business management?” interview question
- I dream of running my own business one day. Have a certain vision on my mind, actually a couple of ideas. One is a game design studio, in my city, because I have many friends who are great programmers and can imagine creating something of true value with them. Another idea is a coffee plantation, artisanal coffee to be more precise. I am a coffee lover and see a lot of opportunity on this market. People will always drink coffee, and there will always be room for quality coffee growers and producers. Of course, before I can proceed with any of these two ideas, I have to learn how to run a business, how to manage both people and resources. Your study program is an ideal way of doing so, and that’s why I decided to apply.
- I see my future in a big corporation, one of the companies on Fortune 100 list. And I dream big--one day I hope to manage at least one hundred people in the job, and earn a six figure salary. I know it is a long way, and not an easy one, because many people have similar dreams. But I am motivated and ready to study extremely hard, because I know that nowadays, a good degree is the first step, and without having it, a Fortune 100 company won’t even invite me for a job interview. That’s why I want to study business management, earn my degree, learn a lot, make some connections. Once done, I can progress to the next step in my professional career.
- To be honest with you, I chose business management because I am not sure yet what I want to do with my life. Business management is in a way a universal degree. Every organization–public or private, needs some managers. As a manager you can work in IT, healthcare, non-profit, finance, sales–you can work in any field. I hope that as I grow older, progress with my studies, meet interesting people at the college and understand life better, I will come to a firm conclusion about my future. And with a prestigious degree like this one, I will have many doors open…
- I have several reasons for doing it. First of all, I see the field as a great match to my strengths and personality. I’ve been always a leader in my circles, be it at high school, in as sports club, or even in my family. And I enjoy the role, and the responsibility it carries. What’s more, I’ve always dreamed of having a big impact, and in order to have a real impact–in any organization or community, you need to have a managerial or leadership position. I believe that with a degree in business and management I will have a chance to apply for such jobs, at least down the road, once I have gained some working experience. And I also believe that I will learn a lot about managing people and processes here, and am excited about the subject of study.
- The answer is simple: because I want to manage a business, my own business to be precise. I already have a small business, an online website in the car niche, offering quality content to the readers, as well as selling some car parts and relevant stuff. But I see some limitations with this model, and I also want to have some theoretical knowledge of running a business operation, and it is also nice to have something to fall back on, because every business can bankrupt, or your priorities in life can chance. With a good degree I can always apply for jobs–if something unexpected happens, or if I do not want to run my own business any longer.
- I chose business management because I want to manage our family business. It is a smaller company with twenty employees, and my father is already in his late fifties, and would love to leave me the reins one day, in few years from now. But I do not want to have the position just because I am the son of the founder of the company. I want to know my stuff, to understand the theory behind running the business. What’s more, I have big plans with this company. I want to expand to new markets and triple the number of employees. As you can see, I approach this very seriously. Earning a degree in business management–and more importantly, learning how to manage a business, is a crucial part of my plan…
- Speaking honestly, money is the answer. I do not dream of spending my life working in a fast food restaurant, or behind an assembly line in some big factory. Do not understand me wrong though–I respect these people, and understand their role in our society. There’s no shame in any work that is legal. At the same time, however, I do not want to be mediocre individual with a mediocre salary. I want to earn big, and hold a managerial role in some well-known company. Because I want to have a big impact in my job, and at the same time have enough money to live a great life, start a family, and so on. I see my studies here as the first step on this fascinating career journey. And that’s why I want to study business management, and invest into my education…
Special Tip: What if I told you that you can practice your answers to ALL tricky behavioral interview questions for (future) business managers, getting an immediate feedback from a life-like AI interview coach? And that you can start doing it for free, and it is a lot of fun too? 🙂 Check out this page on our partner website, Real Mock Interviews, pick a question and start practicing for free, either on your mobile phone or on your computer. Enjoy and thank me later!
Ready to answer this one? I hope so! But it won’t be the only tough question you will face while trying to get to any great university. Check also sample answers to the following tricky questions:
- Does your academic record accurately reflect your capabilities?
- Do you consider yourself a leader?
- Why did you choose this university, and not another one?
