There are three steps in the process of admission to management institutes: Test, GD and Interview. The second and third stages are an assessment of your personality with the requirements of the career. It shows your communication skills, awareness, ability to think logically and also how well-read you are. Group discussions and interviews, however, are not difficult. This feature describes how you can prepare for them and get over your fears.
Aspirants for professional courses would do well to develop their personality and prepare well for the group discussions and interviews: after all, their professional life would involve a lot of interaction with people. Institutes and companies use the Group Discussion (GD) technique to assess whether a person is confident and well-read enough to present cogent arguments. An interview helps a recruiter to know the candidate and assess individual capability for the course/job at hand. Both these exercises are a test of confidence, team spirit and capability. That is why these exercises are part of the selection process, not only in MBA programmes but also in the recruitment process of companies.
It must be remembered that a manager has to deal with a number of people in his everyday life, ranging from clients, subordinates and superiors. He should deal with each of them politely, while not compromising his stand. The GD is held to test whether a person has the basic confidence and communication skills required to be a manager.
There are two basic things that a candidate must keep in mind in GDs:
- Make an effort to speak
- Be coherent and sensible opening his/her mouth.
The first step involves fluency in language and confidence to speak up in front of strangers. The second step tests your awareness and thinking. Students should develop both capabilities. It is a long process and cannot be acquired in one of two weeks, and calls for concerted effort.
Develop the confidence to speak in a group
The foremost skill to be developed—which will be an asset for life—is that of public speaking. Unfortunately, many Indian students lack this skill because our education system does not lay emphasis on these skills. For many students even speaking English is a problem. On the other hand, those who are educated in English medium schools may have the ability to speak in English, but lack the confidence or the ability to speak sensibly.
Students must rise above these limitations imposed by the education system and develop these skills on their own. Practice, seek professional help, listen to good English being spoken. According to Warren Buffet, public speaking is one of the most valuable skills that one can acquire in a lifetime.
At the same time, it is also important to read and be aware of issues that confront us. Topics in GDs are usually on current topics so if you have read something, it will give you the confidence to speak out. Debate with friends and from opinions about issues so that you can hold your ground in a discussion or in an interview.
How GDs are conducted
It is important to know what to expect in a GD. The first thing is to speak something and make a contribution to the group. This may be a difficult task considering that in a group of 15-20 people, all are equally anxious to make their mark. Many people may be quite aggressive and will not let anyone speak. One must, therefore, be prepared to speak up even as things get hot. Do not expect anyone to give you a chance to speak. Often, one must take a leadership role and bring order to a group.
The scenario will be something like this: about 10-15 students will be seated in a semi-circle. There will be some observers either in front or at the back. A topic will be given and after two minutes or so, the group is asked to proceed. Sometimes the group may be asked to choose a topic on its own out of three given topics. The idea is to see how people work in a group and arrive at a consensus. Even if the group is not given a choice, that is one of the things that will be assessed. The evaluator usually does not intervene in the proceedings of the discussion.
The GD is about 10-15 minutes long. This is all the time you have to make your mark. As the number of students called are four to five times the number of seats available, one must stand out in terms of contribution to the group, in order to get selected.
The idea is to convert the interview calls into admission offers. Some students get many calls but cannot get admission offers, because they lack fluency or confidence. This is really tragic, since the handicaps can be overcome with just a little bit of effort.
Why Group Discussions?
Most jobs and management schools do not want bookworms, but people who are outgoing and smart as well. Group discussions help check whether a person can articulate his thoughts and hold his ground.
What is observed?
* Ability to speak intelligently
* Leadership skills
* Confidence
* Consideration for others
* Manners
* Aggressive behaviour
* Substantial viewpoints
How to prepare?
* Form an informal group and discuss serious issues
* Discuss current affairs with parents or elders
* Watch news and current affairs programmes
* Read some good magazines and newspapers
* Always think of points in favour and against the topic
Some important tips
* Always be polite
* Never criticise
* Give others a chance to speak
* Make sure you intervene 4-5 times in the discussion
* Be coherent, make your point and let others discuss
* Do not be aggressive or loud
* Play the leader
Case studies and essays
Sometimes, instead of a topic for group discussion, a case study is given. This consists of a small personal or business situation. Students are required to discuss the situation and to come up with several solutions and then choose the best one. A typical case of business situation is that you are a manager and one of the workers does not work despite repeated warnings and the group is asked what action would they take?
A typical personal situation case could be like this:
You are among a group of eight friends (four boys and four girls) and go on a motorbike expedition to the nearby hill station. On the way to the hill station, you have to go through a village hamlet. One of the two vehicles, which was cruising ahead of the other two, runs over a village kid and flees from the spot. Meanwhile, elders in the village come to know about the incident and decide to search for the culprits. There is only one route to get back to their home town. What would you do?
In analyzing a case, a few things have to be kept in mind. Usually the group comes up with a solution without discussing the facts given in the case. Or, one solution is suggested by someone and everyone agrees with it. The correct way to go about discussing a case is to first describe the situation, think of alternatives and then select the best one. A group consensus should be aimed at.
Group Exercise : A variation to the theme is to give a group exercise. This consists of a task that the group has to accomplish. Students are observed as to how they interact with the group and fulfil their responsibilities to achieve the task that is given to them.
Essay : Increasingly, institutes are also asking candidates to write an essay or two when they report for the GD. This is to assess whether they are capable of writing reports and letters and also whether they can coherently put thoughts on paper. Some of the topics that have been given for the essay in the past are: "If you are not meeting competition you are creating it", and "Mind is like parachute, both work when open."
Students must be prepared for any variations in the selection procedure as institutes are at freedom to modify the procedure. For example, students going for the Symbiosis interview may have to face three rounds before elimination, one normal group discussion on various specialisation related topics, second was a case study, and third was an essay of about 10-15 lines in 10 minutes on a topic. Other institutes may do without GD and have a long interview (about 40 minutes). The panel is able to assess the candidate based on this long interaction. However, the IIMs have the following weights in their selection criteria: Written score in CAT—20%, Performance in Class X and XII—25%, Performance in Bachelor's degree—15%, GD—7.5%, GD Summary—7.5%, Performance in Interview—20% and work experience— 5%.
Make a Portfolio
An interview is a time for showing your achievements. Put all your certificates in a file, but that is not all. Put in any pictures you might have of functions, receiving prizes, dance and drama performances. Even if you have not done these things, put in something that you do well. If you are an artist, for example, include in your portfolio pictures of your paintings. Hobbies can also be properly represented. If you have an interesting hobby or activity, chances are that the interview will be on that activity, giving you a lot of confidence.
Tips Preparing for the GD
The preparation for the GD has to be two-pronged: first, develop confidence in speaking English in a group, and second, keep an adequate battery of viewpoints and counterpoints in your arsenal. These two steps are essential in participating in GDs. Students who have participated in debates and declamations will find they are better off; unfortunately in schools and colleges only a few students actually develop these skills. If you have never participated in such events, it should not limit your performance, since one must make a start some time or the other. Do not limit yourself by imagined fears.
Apart from this, try to exhibit some leadership qualities. Steer the conversation so that the group reaches a consensus. If the group is getting rowdy, try to bring order in it, though it may be quite difficult to do so. Pay attention to three stages: the beginning, the discussion itself, and the summing up. It is always good to be the first one to begin and lay down the agenda for the group. Mention the issues that should be raised, without giving your opinion. If you do not have any idea about the topic, it is advisable to let someone else start.
During the discussion, keep making interjections at regular intervals. learn to speak in a paragraph and do not stop until interrupted. Even then, you can continue speaking by saying firmly to the person who is interrupting, "Let me finish", or "We will just come back to you."
When you see that no new arguments are coming up in the group, it is time to wind up. Sum up by prefacing, "It seems we have reached the end of the discussion." Sometimes each person is given one minute to summaries the GD. Do not give your own viewpoint at this stage but sum up the points raised during the discussion.
Remember also that institutes have no fixed criteria as to what qualities to check during a GD. Usually, it is the impression that matters. One may come across as being too timid or too aggressive. Such people will usually be rejected. The qualities that will see you through are politeness, the ability to participate in a group, leadership, making yourself heard without being loud. Contrary to what is believed, people who make a nuisance of themselves by not letting others speak, are not selected.
Interjections should be made without being rude. Do not cut into mid-sentence. On the other hand, if someone cuts into your speech, politely ask to be heard: "I would like to complete what I was saying..." rather than rudely asking a person to shut up. Sometimes all these rules do not work, especially if the group is a rowdy one. Since it is survival of the fittest, do not be cowed down and make a bold effort to make yourself heard.
One warning may be in order at this point. Many students who have not been to formal discussions make the mistake of using the language they are used to—slang or expressions used by TV jockeys. While it may be fashionable to do so, the impression conveyed' by such language is that you are non-serious and even stupid. We are sure that no student would want to exhibit this impression, but despite warnings, such things happen again and again!
SOME TOPICS YOU CAN EXPECT THIS YEAR
- Is the nuclear deal beneficial for India?
- How can India tackle the threat of terrorism?
- How can India deal with the economic crisis of the West?
- Is it time for a new Constitution?
- India's farmers do not want modernisation?
- Agriculture vs industrialisation: what does India want in the future?
- Can India ever achieve communal harmony?
- Are armed forces right to protest against pay commission?
- Do celebrities have the right to privacy?
- Floods and calamities: does India run on the will of God?
- A world without politicians.
- Let us legalise corruption.
- Coalition politics is harming India.
- Global warming is a fad of rich nations.
- Are we becoming a nation of cricket idiots?
HOW TO FACE INTERVIEWS
The interview is not a Q&A session, in which someone asks questions and you answer to the best of your ability. On the other hand, an interview is a conversation in which the interviewer is trying to discover the best in you, or your suitability for the position you have applied for. The ability and skill of the person being interviewed is to lead the interviewer by offering helpful facts and information. Remember that questions will be asked on whatever facts the candidate offers.
For example, if you answer in monosyllables about your name, qualifications, hobbies and experience, the interviewer has no option but to ask questions that may seem unrelated. On the other hand, if the candidate is forthcoming about his interests, chances are that one thing will lead to another.
One of the first things that you will be asked is about your name. Rather than just give the information (which is already given in the form), a candidate can use the opportunity to tell something about himself, one's city or even one's interests. Subsequent questions will undoubtedly be based on this information, especially if one has been able to bring in some exciting facts.
Very often interviewers take cues from the answers given by the candidate and want to elaborate on them. So one can lead the interview by mentioning those things in which one is confident. For example, when one is asked to introduce oneself, it does not mean that one simply speaks out the name and what he is doing. If a person ends with an interesting hobby or activity one was involved in, the chances of the interviewer asking questions on it will be very great. Likewise, one should try to end answers on interesting leads which can be picked up by the interviewer.
The candidate has to present a good impression. One must be aware of current events and controversies. Many people frantically collect books and magazines the moment they receive a call and spend time getting confused. They lap up advice on how to prepare for interviews published in newspapers and guides. Such advice is all but useless because it is doubtful that one can become erudite by reading some books at the last moment. A long term reading of newspapers helps because one will know the background of issues involved.
Awareness about current issues is gained by watching television programmes or reading magazines. One should be aware of the economic and political situation. Form your own opinions. It is always beneficial to discuss these things with elder brothers or sisters and parents. By doing so, one will learn about the possible questions that can be asked. There is a good chance that one may be asked something about which one does not know a thing. The best thing in such cases is to say politely, "I don't know, sir."
Tips for Interviews
1. APPROPRIATE DRESS: Always dress formally. Men should wear a suit or a blazer with a matching tie. Informal dress, such as jeans and T-shirts, are definitely avoidable. Just make sure that the clothes you wear are your best-no stains or patches. Cleanliness, well-groomed hair, a fresh shave for men and polished shoes are a must for any interview. Women should wear a formal suit, western or Indian, and give a neat look. Apply a light make-up. Avoid very trendy or highly creative clothes and jewellery.
2. BE ON TIME: This may seem simple but many people lose their way and end up late for the inter view. Leave early enough to arrive on time, giving yourself margin as you are going to be in a new city. Do not give excuses. It is better to arrive early and spend time having a drink than to arrive late.
3. APPUCATION FORMS: Complete all parts of the application in the detail requested. Do not leave any columns blank (hobbies, prizes and awards, statement of purpose). Make sure that whatever you have achieved should be in the form.
4. PREPARE FOR COMMON QUESTIONS: Some common questions are: Introduce yourself. Why do you want to do MBA? Where do you see yourself in 5/10 years? What are your hobbies? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Students should be very comfortable in answering these questions. This means that you should have carefully thought through these questions and mentally prepared answers for them. Try to be a little different from the general answers that are given by youngsters these days.
5. GREETING: Your greeting must be formal: "Good afternoon Sir. It's nice to meet you" is preferable to "Hi". Do not sit down until you have permission to do so. When the interview is over, remember to thank the board and take leave formally and pleasantly.
6. BODY LANGUAGE: Keep a pleasant expression. One can understand that a student going for a first interview is nervous, but even then, try to be pleasant. Sit up or stand up straight. Look people in the eye and answer questions directly.
7. HOBBIES: Show your interest and passion in a hobby by carrying something with you. If you are fond of drawing, carry something that you have made recently and show it to the panel. Similarly, recite a few lines from a poem if poetry is your hobby. If your hobby is dancing, carry some pictures showing your performance.
8. PERSONAL HABITS: Some students, trying to convey the impression of "cool" use slang language or display obnoxious habits, such as chewing gum, speaking into the cell-phone when others are present, and using outlandish hair styles. Leave all of this at home. When you go for an interview, remember that it is a formal presentation and everything-your language, dress and style should show that you have the potential for being a good manager.
9. PAST HISTORY: There may be questions about your college, or past employers. Don't be too negative about them. If you didn't like studying or working there, be specific.
10. LISTEN: Don't jump to answers even before the question has been asked. If you are not sure, ask a clarification by saying, "I did not understand the question." Reflective listening encourages people to tell you more and helps make you a more responsive manager. Try paraphrasing a speaker's comments by repeating the essence of the words in his own words. A good listener develops a sense of what is central to the speaker's message and reflects that thought. By using the speaker's own words, you let him know you're really paying attention and that you understand exactly what is being said.
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