Put your best foot forward

It's the time of the year when MBA aspirants gear up to secure a seat in the top business schools of the country. Along with performing well in the written tests, there is pressure to do the same in the group discussion and interview rounds as well. Here are some suggestions that can help you in these rounds.

Group discussion

Group discussion (GD) is a part of the admission process for many MBA institutes. The candidates are assessed on skills such as listening, communication, teamwork and leadership, among others. Thus, while preparing for GD, one should keep in mind that these skills are demonstrated well. Apart from this, it is also important to keep the following aspects in mind:

* Keep yourself updated with current affairs and the current happenings in the fields of Indian economy and general business.

* It is also important to display good etiquette during the discussion. This includes keeping eye contact, maintaining a positive body language, active involvement and being courteous.

* Starting the GD is invariably considered as positive. Starting a GD includes setting the direction of the discussion. However, this is a double-edged sword as if the discussion doesn't start off on the right foot, it can go against you.

* Speaking clearly and communicating your opinion without making complex statements is critical to enabling others quickly understand what you are trying to say. Doing so can help them contribute meaningfully as well.

* GD also highlights the importance of listening skills. If you appear to be lost in your own thoughts, it is a clear indicator that you are just thinking about what to say next and not actively listening to others. Listening helps you contribute meaningfully in the discussion instead of just saying something random.

Here are a few aspects that need to be avoided during a group discussion:

* Avoid turning the GD into a fish market.

* Avoid abruptly cutting others while they are still making a point.

* Teamwork is shown in forwarding the discussion smoothly and not by passing the opportunity to somebody else, especially when you have not contributed much to the discussion.

Some institutes also conduct a written test to assess the aspirants' writing skills. While preparing for this, pay attention to the sentence structure, flow, grammar and clearly articulate your thoughts.

Interview

The most crucial component of any admission process is the personal interview (PI). Many colleges and universities consider PI to be the most effective tool to check the suitability of the candidates for admission, particularly for management programmes. It helps the interviewer to not only understand the motivation of the candidates but also gauge their competencies.

So, what competencies do B-schools look for? They essentially look for competencies that lead to a candidate's outstanding performance in the programme and subsequently, in his or her job. These include self-management and control, communication, interpersonal relationship, leadership, initiative and achievement orientation, and teamwork and collaboration. As in the case of GDs, candidates are expected to demonstrate these competencies while responding to the questions asked during the interview.

Often, questions are asked in an indirect form. So, it is up to the individual to understand the question and answer appropriately. As most of the questions may be on your competencies, it is important to articulate specific instances where you had showcased you skills. So, talk about the actions you took and how you were able to overcome the problem.

In addition to these competencies aspirants may also be tested on domain related knowledge. Keep yourself updated with what is happening in your area of interest. Above all, be enthusiastic but keep your calm and come across as a confident, grounded and thoughtful candidate.

(The author is associate professor, T A Pai Management Institute, Manipal)