Tips on interviews and Group
Discussions
Many companies conduct group discussion after the written test so
as to check on your interactive skills and how good you are at communicating
with other people. The GD is to check how you behave, participate and contribute
in a group, how much importance do you give to the group objective as well as
your own, how well do you listen to viewpoints of others and how open-minded are
you in accepting views contrary to your own. The aspects which make up a GD are
verbal communication, non-verbal behaviour, conformation to norms,
decision-making ability and cooperation. You should try to be as true as
possible to these aspects.
1. In a group discussion what should
my objectives be and how should I achieve them?
2. Is it wise to take a
strong stand either in favor or against the topic right at the start of a Group
Discussion ?
3. Is it a good strategy to try and be the first speaker on
the topic in a GD?
4. In an interview how does one handle the question
"Tell us about yourself?".
5. Is it better to have a longer selection
interview or a shorter one?
6. In the MBA entrance interview how do I
justify my decision to pursue the MBA programme?
In a group discussion
what should my objectives be and how should I achieve them? In order to
succeed at any unstructured group discussion, you must define what your
objective in the group is. A good definition of your objective is - to be
seen to have contributed meaningfully in an attempt to achieve the right
consensus
The key words in
this definition are 'seen', 'meaningfully', and 'attempt'. Let us understand
what each of these imply in terms of action points : The first implication
is that merely making a meaningful contribution in an attempt to achieve
consensus is not enough. You have to be seen by the evaluator to have made a
meaningful contribution in n attempt to build the right consensus.
In
other words you must ensure that you are heard by the group. If the group hears
you so will the evaluator. You must get at least some airtime. If you are not
a very assertive person you will have to simply learn to be assertive for those
15 minutes. If you get cowed down easily in an aggressive group, you can say
goodbye to the business school admission.
Many GD
participants often complain that they did not get a chance to speak. The fact of
the matter is that in no GD do you get a chance to speak. You have to make
your chances.
The second important implication is that
making just any sort of contribution is not enough. Your contribution has to be
meaningful. A meaningful contribution suggests that you have a good
knowledge base, are able to structure arguments logically and are a good
communicator. These are qualities that are desired by all evaluators.
Many GD participants feel that the way to succeed in a GD is by speaking
frequently, for a long time and loudly. This is not true. The quality of what
you say is more important than the quantity. Don't be demoralized if you feel
you have not spoken enough. If you have spoken sense and have been heard,
even if only for a short time, it is usually good enough. You must have
substance in your arguments.
Therefore, think things through carefully.
Always enter the room with a piece of paper and a pen. In the first two minutes
jot down as many ideas as you can. It pays to think laterally. Everybody else
will state the obvious. Can you state something different? Can you take the
group ahead if it is stuck at one point? Can you take it in a fresh and more
relevant direction? You may like to dissect the topic and go into the underlying
causes or into the results.
One way of deciding what sort of
contribution is meaningful at what point of time is to follow two simple rules.
First, in times of chaos a person who restores order to the group is
appreciated. Your level of participation in a fish market kind of scenario can
be low, but your degree of influence must never be low. In other words you
must make positive contributions every time you speak and not speak for the sake
of speaking. The second rule is applicable when the group is floundering. In
this situation a person who provides a fresh direction to the group is given
credit.
The third implication is that you must be clearly
seen to be attempting to build a consensus. Nobody expects a group of ten
people, all with different points of view on a controversial subject to
actually achieve a consensus. But did you make the attempt to build a
consensus?
The reason why an attempt to build a consensus is important is because in most
work situations you will have to work with people in a team, accept joint
responsibilities and take decisions as a group. You must demonstrate the fact
that you are capable and inclined to work as part of a team.
What are the ways that you can try to build consensus?
First, you must not just talk, you should also listen. You must realize that
other people also may have valid points to make. You should not only try to
persuade other people to your point of view, but also come across as a person
who has an open mind and appreciates the valid points of others.
You must
try and resolve contradictions and arguments of others in the group. You must
synthesize arguments and try and achieve a unified position in the group. Try
to think of the various arguments of yours and others' as parts of a jigsaw
puzzle or as building blocks of a larger argument for or against the topic.
Try and lay down the boundaries or the area of the
discussion at the beginning. Discuss what the group should discuss before
actually beginning your discussion. This will at least ensure that everyone is
talking about the same thing.
Try and summarize the
discussion at the end. In the summary do not merely restate your point of view;
also accommodate dissenting viewpoints. If the group did not reach a
consensus, say so in your summary
You must carry people with you. So do not get emotional, shout, invade other
people's private space.
Do not bang your fist on the table except in
extreme circumstances. If you have spoken and you notice that
someone else has tried to enter the discussion on a number of occasions and has
not had the chance to do so maybe you could give him a chance the next time
he tries. But do not offer a chance to anyone who is not trying to speak. He may
not have anything to say at that point and you will just end up looking
foolish.
The surest way of antagonizing others in the GD as
well as the examiner is to appoint yourself as a de facto chairperson of the
group. Do not try to impose a system whereby everyone gets a chance to speak in
turn. A GD is meant to be a free flowing discussion.
Let it proceed
naturally. Do not ever try to take a vote on the topic. A vote is no substitute
for discussion.
Do not address only one or two persons when
speaking. Maintain eye contact with as many members of the group as possible.
This will involve others in what you are saying and increase your chances of
carrying them with you. Do this even if you are answering a specific point
raised by one person. One last point. You must not agree with another
participant in the group merely for the sake of achieving consensus. If you
disagree, say so. You are not there to attempt to build just any consensus. You
have to attempt to build the right consensus.
Is it wise to take a strong
stand either in favour or against the topic right at the start of a Group
Discussion ?
In theory yes. If you believe something why
shouldn't you say so? If we are convinced about something our natural response
is to say so emphatically. However in practice what is likely to happen if you
take a very strong and dogged stance right at the beginning of the interview is
that you will antagonize the people in the group who disagree with you and
will be unable to carry them with you and convince them of the validity of your
argument. We therefore recommend that after you hear the topic you think
about it for a minute with an open mind and note down the major issues that come
to your mind. Don't jump to any conclusions. Instead arrive at a stand in
your own mind after examining all the issues in a balanced manner. Only then
begin to speak. And when you do so outline the major issues first and only
then state your stand. In other words give the justification first and the stand
later. If you were to state your stand first chances are that the others in the
group who disagree with your stand will interrupt to contradict you before you
can elaborate on the reasons why you have taken that stance. In this
situation the evaluator will only get an impression of what you think and not
how you think. Remember you are being evaluated on how you think and not what
you think
Is it a good strategy to try and be the first speaker on the
topic in a GD?
In most GD's the opening speaker is the person
who is likely to get the maximum uninterrupted airtime. The reason is simple -
at the start most other participants in the GD are still trying to understand
the basic issues in the topic, or are too nervous to speak and are waiting for
someone else to start. Therefore the evaluators get the best chance to observe
the opening speaker.
Now this is a double edged sword. If the opening
speaker talks sense naturally he will get credit because he opened and took the
group in the right direction. If on the other hand the first speaker doesn't
have too much sense to say, he will attract the undivided attention of the
evaluators to his shortcomings. He will be marked as a person who speaks without
thinking merely for the sake of speaking. As someone who leads the group in the
wrong direction and does not make a positive contribution to the
group.
So remember speaking first is a high risk high return strategy.
It can make or mar your GD performance depending how you handle it. Speak first
only if you have something sensible to say. Otherwise keep shut and let someone
else start.
In an interview how does one handle the question "Tell
us about yourself?".
An often asked opening question.
Perhaps the most frequently asked question across interviews. Your opening
statement needs to be a summary of your goals, overall professional
capabilities, achievements, background (educational and family), strengths,
professional objectives and anything about your personality that is relevant and
interesting. This question represents an opportunity to lead the interviewer in
the direction you want him to go e.g., your speciality or whatever else you may
wish to highlight.
Your intention should be to try to subtly convince
the interviewers that you are a good candidate, you have proved that in the
past, and have a personality that fits the requirement. Remember that the first
impression you create will go a long way in the ultimate selection. Keep in
mind, most candidates who are asked this question just blurt out their
schooling, college, marks and qualifications. All this is already there in the
CV.
Why tell the interviewer something he already knows?
A final
word on approaching this question. Once you have said what you have to say -
shut up. Don't drone on for the sake of speaking for you just might say
something foolish. Sometimes interviewers don't interrupt in order to give the
candidate the impression that he has not spoken enough. This is just a stress
inducing tactic. Don't fall for it, if you feel you have spoken enough. In case
the pause gets too awkward for you just add something like,
"Is there
something specific that you wish to know about me?" Is it better
to have a longer selection interview or a shorter one?
The length of an interview in no way is an indicator of how well an interview
went. This is especially so when there are a number of candidates to be
interviewed for example in the civil services interview or the MBA entrance
interview. In the past a number of candidates have reported varying lengths
of interviews. Nothing positive or negative should be read into this. An
interview is only a device whereby the panel seeks information about the
candidate. Information that will help the panel decide whether or not the
candidate should be selected.
If the panel feels that it has gathered enough
information about the candidate in 15 minutes of the interview commencing and
that it has no further questions to ask the interview will be terminated in 15
minutes. If on the other hand the panel takes an hour to gather the information
required to take a decision the interview will last for an hour. In either case
the decision could be positive or negative. It is a fallacy to believe that
interview panels take longer interviews of candidates whom they are more
interested in.
No panel likes to waste its time. If an interview is lasting
longer than usual then it only means that the panel is seeking more information
about the candidate in order to take a decision.
In the MBA entrance
interview how do I justify my decision to pursue the MBA programme?
When
you are asked this for God's sake don't tell the panel that you are looking for
a "challenging job in a good firm with lots of money, status and glamour". That
is the first answer that most candidates think of. Unfortunately it is the last
answer that will get you admission. In the answer to a direct question on this
subject you must convey to the interview panel that you have made a rational and
informed decision about your career choice and your intended course of higher
study. There are broadly six areas which your answer could touch upon
:
Career Objectives : You could talk about
your career objectives and how the two year MBA programme will help you achieve
them. This implies that you have a clear idea of what your career objectives are
and how you wish to achieve them. For example you may want to be an entrepreneur
and wish to set up your independent enterprise after doing your MBA and then
working for a few years in a professionally managed company. You could explain
to the panel that the MBA programme will provide you with the necessary inputs
to help you run your business enterprise better. But then you must be clear
about what the inputs you will receive in the MBA programme are.
Value Addition : That brings us to the second area that
your answer should touch upon. What is the value you will add to yourself during
your two year study of management. Value addition will essentially be in two
forms knowledge and skills. Knowledge of the various areas of management e.g.
marketing, finance, systems, HRD etc. and skills of analysis and communication.
You will find it useful to talk to a few people who are either doing their MBA
or have already done it. They will be able to give you a more detailed idea of
what they gained from their MBA.
Background : Remember, there must be no
inconsistency between your proposed study of management and your past subject of
study or your past work experience. If you have studied commerce in college then
management is a natural course of higher studies. If you are an engineer this is
a tricky area. You must never say that by pursuing a career in management you
will be wasting your engineering degree. Try and say that the MBA course and
your engineering degree will help you do your job better in the company that you
will join. But then you should be able to justify how your engineering
qualification will help
Opportunities and Rewards : You could also
at this stage mention the opportunities that are opening up in organizations for
management graduates. Highlight with examples. At the end you may mention
that while monetary rewards are not everything they are also important and MBAs
do get paid well. You must not mention these reasons as your primary motivators
even if that may be the case.
General Tips
-
A good level of
general awareness will come in handy so that you aren't at a loss of words on
certain issues
-
Understand the
topic and analyze it mentally before speaking
-
Be clear about the
purpose and content of your viewpoint
-
One should be able
to communicate his views in an effective manner to everyone. Be clear in speech,
audible but not too loud and above all remain confident
-
Remember the six
C's of effective communication -- Clarity, Completeness, Conciseness,
Confidence, Correctness and Courtesy
-
You should maintain
eye contact with all others in the group and not focus on a particular person
for he may benefit from that
-
Be responsive to
ideas from other people and seem to be very receptive and open-minded but don't
allow others to change your own viewpoint.
-
Starting the
discussion is considered to be good however it isn't that important; what is
important is that you speak for a period long enough for you to be able to
communicate your viewpoint
-
Always mantain your
calm and never get aggressive. If you haven't been able to talk then one can
cut in saying "Excuse me, but what I think is .........." or something of that
sort
-
Never lose your
temper and never attack anyone on a personal front. Your attitude should be one
of cooperation and not one of conflict
-
Don't lose sight of
the goal of the discussion
-
Listen to any
criticisms and give them a thought before trying to defend your views
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