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Education Plus
Tackling GD
Most students confess that they have no idea how to approach that all-important group discussion stage of an interview. GD becomes all the more crucial because most companies use it as an elimination round. Though there are informal/formal rules and regulations about interview etiquette, GDs remain a grey area.
Most GDs start off as a fish fight with everyone trying to throw in facts and figures and culminate in heated verbal brawls. Topics are open-ended and not too specific, which leads people to take off at a tangent which make them look stupid. Keep aside your competitive streak and any tendency to be dominating, because most recruiters are on the lookout for team players and not obnoxious go-getters.
Experts helped us make a list of a few pointers mentioned here in order of importance. Firstly, content. Having mentioned “content”, this does not call for you to be an encyclopaedia or rattle away figures and statistics. “As a recruiter I look for whether the point you raise is relevant, adds to the discussion or enhances the group’s approach to the subject,” says Mr. Chowdhary. The second-most important aspect is your capacity to put forth ideas in a coherent way (note: we say coherent, not eloquent, so do not start elocuting, it is simply a waste of time and a put-off). Thirdly, group behaviour. “One cannot stress the importance of this enough. From your ability to listen to your etiquette and group skills, it is very important,” he adds. And last on the list, but not least, because this is what separates the communicative from the intelligent, is the ability to lead or steer the discussion. This does not mean you play headmaster, but simply that you try to think different and mobilise the group by providing fresh aspects of the case.
Ways to bell the GD: Start discussing issues with your friends. Knowledge, though not the focal point of your grading, is important because it will empower you with confidence to an extent. It helps to keep yourself abreast with what is happening in the world around you; be it specifically in your field or generally in the world around you!
Telephonic interview
Usually, it is only for screening at the first level, so do not try to get somebody else to speak. It won’t be too long before that cat is out of the bag!
DEEPA KURUP
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