Welingkar’s Institute of

Management Development &

Research
Group Discussion and
Personal Interview Tips
For MBA aspirants
 Written Test
 Written Test is a rejection
Technique
 It Checks:
 Analytical Ability
 Time Management

 Performance under pressure

 Creativity

 Aptitude
Rationale behind conducting GDs

 Corporate roles focus on team

work
 GDs put ‘team skills’ & ‘conflict
resolution’ abilities into action
 They bring out the personality
 Check if you can work with a
team, accept different
perspectives & reach a solution
Excel at the GD with
 Communication Skills
 Team Skills

 Analytical Skills

 Personality

 Knowledge of current events

Communication Skills mean

 Clarity of thoughts & expressions

 Brevity

 Knowledge

 Logic

 Language skills
Team Player Skills mean
 Active listening
 Ability to steer the group
towards the conclusion
 Being assertive and not
aggressive
 Being sensible, sensitive &
objective
Analytical Skills mean

 Defining the topic early

 Looking at different perspectives
 Structuring the thought process
Personality means
 Assertiveness
 Initiative
 Creativity
 Inspiring Abilities
 Listening skills
 Awareness
 Interpersonal Skills
 Problem Solving Skills
 Persuasive Skills
 Get knowledge of current events from

 Newspapers
 Magazines
 Business Books
 Self Help books
 Novels
 CNBC
 CNN
 BBC
The panelist gives you points for:

 Content
 Delivery
 Body Language
 Leadership Qualities
 Team Player Skills
 Listening Skills
Different roles you can adopt
in a GD
 The opener
 The first mover
 The giver of examples
 The discussion expander
 The mediator
 The devil’s advocate
 The late entrant
 The closer
Do’s in a GD:

 Know your facts

 Listen carefully to those who know
more than you & add to their points
 Read newspapers & magazines for
current affairs
 Clarify & define scope of discussion
early & outline areas that could be
discussed
 Involve others
Don’ts in a GD:

 Adding to a fish market situation

by shouting aloud to be heard
 Attacking members on a
personal front
 Criticizing arguments without
providing solutions
 Completely quietening down
 Playing multiple roles since
there are no takers
Specific Problem Areas
 What if I don’t know much about the topic?
 Listen carefully to others and build up with facts that are related, play a mediator
 What if I have started on the wrong foot & my idea has been shot down?
 Take it gracefully and not personally, get back into the GD with a new point
 What if I have not spoken for more than half the GD & now I wish to?
 It is never too late if one has a good point to make, you could get extra points for
speaking precisely and succinctly
 Should I take notes in the GD?
 You could. It will help you make the summary
 Is presentation more important or content?
 Both have equal weightage. If content is very strong, presentation can be
sacrificed, but not the vice versa
 Should I have strong views on the topic or conciliatory ones?
 Do not sit on the fence and do not make opinions in the first 3 minutes; The key
is to discuss and come to a conclusion or issue, not make up one’s mind and
then convince others.
 What if the GD is filled with cross talk. How can I make myself heard?
 If it is a fish market scenario, then play the mediator. If there are too many
people talking and many mediators too, raising one’s voice a little to get heard
and then modulating it once you have everyone’s attention is a good tactic.
 In many GDs with cross talk, most candidates who talk all the time get
disqualified. Even if other participants may not get to hear you fully, if you talk
well and for the right time duration, the panelist is sure to switch off from the
mayhem and get your point.
Body Language

 Dress Code
 Boys: Light Shirt, Dark Trouser,
Appropriate Tie
 Girls: Salwar Kameez

 No chunky jewelry or accessories

that make noise
 Attract, do not distract
Body Language
 Sitting Pose:
 Not too forward or leaning back, sit
straight
 Cross Legged lightly, not apart and
do not shake the legs
 Do not point fingers or pens/pencils
at others
 Eye contact with all participants, not the
evaluator
 Do not laugh and do not frown too much
Personal Interview

 Its all about YOU

 You lead the interview
 Stress only on your positive
points
 Be honest
 Be yourself
Tips
 Hands should not be damp or
too cold
 Handshake technique
 Permission to enter and sit
 Be ethical and at the same
time not unnaturally idealistic
 Its all about the impression
Questions

 Tell me something about yourself:

 To get you comfortable
 Talk about name, background, family,
hobbies strengths and aim in life
 The last point should be a lead point
 Why MBA?
 Do not mention:
 Money
 MNC
 Everyone else is doing MBA
Questions
 Tell me some of your strengths and
weaknesses
 Strengths: Elaborate and give short
examples where possible
 Weaknesses: Mention few and elaborate
how you are working on nullifying them
 No strengths cloaked as weaknesses
 I am too perfect, so I end up being a bad team
player
 I am a workaholic, so I don’t get time for
myself
 As long as someone likes you for these
weaknesses, it is not a weakness
Questions
 Where do you see yourself 5,
10, 15 years from now?
 Find out about where you want to
go, what are the steps to get
there and make a time trajectory
 Don’t be overly optimistic or
pessimistic, be realistic
Questions
 Why our B School?
 Read up and go about the school
you are about to enter and use
their USP in your answer
 Scan the website and brochure
thoroughly before preparing this
answer
 Why should we select you?
 Match their USP with your USP
Questions

 General Questions:
 About your curriculum
 About your work

 About your family

 About your hobbies

 All this information should be

on your finger tips
Strategies that always work

 Using the ‘thoughtful’ look

 In ‘your opinion’
 ‘I will need more information sir’
 ‘I would like to break the answer
into parts’
 ‘I can try to attempt that
question logically’
Common errors
 Taking interviewer’s comments
personally & arguing
 Getting defensive & negative
 Judging panel on the basis of their
outward hostility
 Getting de-motivated early on
 Slackening in enthusiasm after
writing off the interview
 Avoiding silences by indulging in
verbal diarrhoea
All the Best!!