GD - PI Guide

B-schools conduct GD/PI when students have already gone through an acid test. Isnt
clearing MBA entrance test enough to show that you are worth it? The simple answer is
NO, because B-schools are simply not looking for walking dictionaries or logarithm
books. They want candidates who can be trained and polished to be managers. The
entrance test is just one stage where they see whether you have basic acumen to
understand the course that will be taught during the MBA programme. In that too some
parts of personality like ability to take decisions, ability to perform under pressure and
analytical and logical thinking are assessed. But in order to get a complete idea of a
candidates personality, B-schools go through this long process of assessing candidates
personality.
There can be various ways of assessing an individuals personality but group discussions
and personal interviews are accepted tools to select a student because in a limited time
they can give a fair idea to B-schools whether a candidate can become a manager or not.
Students may argue that if this is the case, then knowing what B-schools are looking for
and presenting yourself accordingly can actually help. Knowing what B-schools are
looking for can actually help but not in preparing you for a superficial mask but to help
you assess whether you have those traits which B-schools are looking for.
This brings us to other question: are managerial traits natural or can they be acquired? If
they are natural, what is the need to do MBA? An MBA course teaches students how to
achieve larger goals and it polishes those personality traits. But there are some basic traits
that a candidate should have to go through the MBA process and to know that institutes
conduct GD/PI.

Group discussion
A group discussion is generally a 20-to-30 minute process whose larger objective is to
select those candidates who have the ability to perform in a team. Apart from this, the
kind of topic given also helps panelists to know various traits of a candidates
personality. In most of the GDs you are made to sit in a semi-circle and discuss a given
topic. The topic can be as general as Women make better managers or as specific as
India-US nuclear deal. What matters in group discussion is your stand on the topic, your
ability to analyse the given topic, your awareness about the topic, and the way you
present the topic. One person from the group is asked to introduce the topic, what follows
is the discussion and the conclusion. The focus here is more on leadership and decision
making, because in a GD you may or may not reach a consensus because the issues given
to you are debatable. The end result of GD will not always be to reach a consensus but to
assess your peoples skill.

The Winners Have

Good listening skills: Listening doesnt mean hearing. It means listening and
understanding what the other person is saying. If you have good listening skills, you will
be able to keep a track of where group discussion is moving. You will know different
points that have already been raised and you have to bring in some new point.
Knowledge of the topic: Some years back content was the most important aspect of GD.
Although content still holds its importance but in addition to that you are also weighed on
how analytical and aware are you about your surroundings. Earlier it was just about
discussing pros and cons of an issue but now knowledge gathered from various sources,
analysed and presented in a structured form holds the key to success in GD. Reading
newspapers, magazines, and going through Economic Survey would help in enriching the
content of GD.
Confidence: You have all the knowledge and good listening and analytical skills, but you
do not have confidence to assert what you are saying is right, may prove a negative point.
In GD panelists do not know you personally; they would only be able to judge you from
what you speak.
Introduction: Introducing the topic can make or break the situation. May be you do not
speak for the next 10 minutes, but if you give a good introduction you are in. When the
GD begins, everybody is speaking and you might not even be listened. But when you are
asked to introduce the topic, you can take the situation forward. Explain the topic, dont
read what is written. Give brief introduction to the topic and what you think of it. People
think that taking a stand in GD might to go against them. But there is difference in being
assertive and in being rigid. You are expected to give your point of view.

The Losers are

Those who speak a lot: Of course not speaking in GD will not take you anywhere but
speaking too much can also make you lose the GD. You have all the points and you can
speak a lot on GD. But it is not a one-man show. It is a group discussion. If you try to
grab the attention of the panelists, cut other person short, it shows that you are not a team
worker. Also speaking a lot on the topic and just repeating one point will not be
appreciated. You do not speak in the entire GD, but give valid points twice that can add
value to the discussion, will be appreciated.
Those who become emotional: There are topics that involve some sensitive issues. You
have all the valid points to support that women make better managers, but bringing in the
element of argument and accusing other persons in the group will only help you in
getting rejected.

Those who over-dominate: You are taking and managing the group discussion well,
listening to the arguments, giving your point of view and letting everyone speak,
everything is in your favour and suddenly you decide to be a godfather of somebody who
has not spoken at all and who doesnt have one single argument to present. Cutting short
somebody who is making a valid point and asking the silent one to speak, can actually cut
your points.

Personal interview
Your academic skills were checked in the entrance test, your peoples skills were checked
in GD, now comes the turn of gauging you on your own standards. The B-schools want to
know how much you are aware of yourself and how much you relate your goals to your
personal self. Students spend most of the time in going through course books whereas 90
per cent of the interview questions are based on you. What could be better than answering
questions on yourself? But answering questions on yourself can catch you in a tight spot.
There can be some rules set when it comes to GD because there are certain expected
etiquettes, but there can be no rules set for the interview because everyone has sui generis
personality. The best way to tackle interview is to sit and know you in and out. Think
why you want to pursue MBA. Think and make a list of your strengths and weaknesses.
Not only will it help you analyse your personality, will also help you prepare many other
questions for the interview. The most commonly asked questions are:
Why do you want to do MBA?
What are your personal goals?
Where do you see yourself 10 years down the line?
What are your hobbies?
What are your strengths and weakness?
Tell us about yourself.

Winners Have
Self awareness - You should be able to delve on each and every aspect of your
personality, family background, the city you come from and the institutes you have
studied in. If you are aware of your strengths and weaknesses you will be able to justify
them, for example the panelists may ask you about your poor academic record. As long
as you know why you under-perform you can prove that.
Goal clarity - You should know where the MBA programme fits in and how it will help
you achieve your long-term goals. There might be different reasons for doing MBA for
different people and even for one person there can be more than one objective to do
MBA, but you should analyse it beforehand rather than doing it in front of the panel.

Ability to maintain calm - The real you comes up when you are under pressure
situation. The panelist will try to grill you on your weakness or on the answers you are
giving. They want to put you under pressure and see whether you lose your calm once put
under pressure. Students at this situation become nervous and it starts showing on their
faces.

The Losers
Give tutored answers: You have your own strengths and weaknesses. But while
attending the mock interviews you were told how some students gave impressive answers
and got selected. If you would try to give the same answers, you might be caught.
Lie to the panelists: They are very experienced people and can catch you if you try to
bluff them on your academic record or on a fact-based question or when you try to
answer the question even if you dont know the answer.
Think that battle is over
The interview is not over till the last question is asked. The moment a candidate says, I
am sorry Sir, I dont know the answer, he starts coming under the pressure. There is no
harm in accepting that you do not know what the population of China is. They might try
to put you under pressure by asking you the population of Africa, once again you say
sorry and the pressure starts mounting. The next question is of your interest, which book
did you read last? You know the answer but since you have already come under pressure
you might not be able to answer this question properly because you are nervous. A chain
of events that might ultimately lead to getting rejected.

Group discussion: Evaluation criteria

Group discussion is an important dimension of the selection process. Any institute
requires students to work with others for effective functioning. Therefore, people skills
are an important aspect of any MBA program.
In todays context, the educational institutes and organizations are interested in team
players rather than individual contributors. During the Group Discussion, the panel
essentially evaluates the candidates potential to be a leader and also his/her ability to
work in teams. Remember that institutes are typically on the look out for candidates who
will inspire to lead and succeed and for that you need to be a good team player.
Here is a sample list of skills assessed during a group discussion:

Leadership skills:
Ability to take leadership roles and ability to lead, inspire and carry the team along to
help them achieve groups objectives.
Example: To be able to initiate the group discussion, or to be able to guide the group
especially when the discussion begins losing relevance or try to encourage all members to
participate in the discussion.
Communication skills:
The participating candidates will be assessed in terms of clarity of thought, expression
and aptness of language. One key aspect is listening. It indicates a willingness to
accommodate others views.
Example: To be able to use simple language and explain concepts clearly so that it is
easily understood by all. You actually get negative marks for using esoteric jargons in an
attempt to show-off your knowledge.
Interpersonal skills:
Is reflected in the ability of the individual to interact with other members of the group in
a brief situation. Emotional maturity and balance promotes good interpersonal
relationships. The person has to be more people centric and less self-centered.
Example: To remain cool even when someone provokes you by with personal comment,
ability to remain objective, ability to empathize, non-threatening and more of a team
player.
Persuasive skills:
Ability to analyze and persuade others to see the problem from multiple perspectives
without hurting the group members.
Example: While appreciating someone elses point of view, you should be able to
effectively communicate your view without overtly hurting the other person.
Problem solving skills:
Ability to come out with divergent and offbeat solutions and use ones own creativity.
Example: While thinking of solutions, dont be afraid to think of novel solutions. This is
a high- risk high-return strategy.
Conceptualizing skills:
The ability to grasp the situation, take it from the day to day mundane problem level and
apply it to a macro level.
Example: At the end of the discussion, you could probably summarize the findings in a
few sentences that present the overall perspective. Dont be disheartened if you dont

make it after your first group discussion. The best possible preparation for a group
discussion is to learn from ones past mistakes.
One possible scoring scale would be:
7 exceptional, completely prepared, superb discussant, this person contributed in a
most superior fashion in all criteria
6 very good, solidly prepared, significant participation and contributions, very high in
nearly all criteria
5 above average, well-prepared, good discussant by most criteria
4 average, prepared, some participation and contribution, weak in some criteria and
good in others
3 below average, partly prepared, weak discussant
2 poor, poorly prepared, very limited/meaningless contribution or participation,
deficient in several criteria
1 extremely poor, obviously not prepared, did not participate, added nothing to the
groups effort

Group Discussion: what and why?

GD is a discussion by a group of people which involves an exchange of thoughts and
ideas. Group Discussions are largely used by institutes where there is a high level of
competition. The number of participants in a group may vary from 8 to 15 people. In
most cases a topic or a situation is given to the group and the members have to discuss it
within a given period of time.
What the panel looks for:
All that one observes in a GD can be categorised into two broad areas: the Content and
the Process.
The content is all about the matter (or the what) spoken in the GD. Whereas, the
process refers to the how, when and why of the GD.
Both are equally important and need adequate attention at all stages.
A high quality contribution with no regard to the process is as suicidal as one which is
high on packaging with little content.

Critical success factors in a GD

Cognitive skills or knowledge
The most important aspect of your contribution to a GD is the quality of content (QOC),
which is reflected in the points you make, knowledge of the relevant subject, and the
supportive examples you give.
Comprehension of the core idea
It is essential to deliver high quality content. But to do that, you should speak on the topic
and not deviate. The panel basically wants to see whether you have identified the crux of
the problem and whether you are offering relevant solutions.
Logical reasoning
It includes understanding the topic, generating quality arguments, analysis and a
progressive approach to a justifiable conclusion. This is one of the necessary attributes to
be seen in an influential participant. Such people convey an impression of being open
minded and logic driven rather than opinionated.

Behavioural and personality skills

This includes certain attributes like rapport-building, team membership, participation,
patience, assertion and accommodation, amenability, leadership, etc.
Communication skills
You should be able to articulate your thoughts properly and you should also be able to
understand what others are trying to say.
Clarity of thoughts
In whatever you say, follow a logical sequence/order rather then presenting the points in
some bits and pieces.
Body language and eye contact
These are some tools which check your level of confidence and whether you can work
together effectively in a group or not. So, be sure to maintain eye contact with everyone
in the group.
Strategies for a successful GD
Sailing through Group Discussions successfully is an art. Here is a look at some
strategies that will take you a long way in winning the day.
BE NATURAL: The best mantra is to be your natural self. Do not manufacture
artificial responses. See a GD or an interview as just an extension of any other routine
situation you encounter. This will induce spontaneity in your responses and will save you
the unnecessary What should I do if . . .? problem.
MUST SPEAK: The first principle of participating in a GD is that you must speak.

For any GD, take a piece of paper and a pen with you and use them unless specifically
asked by the evaluators not do so. Before you start speaking, think through the major
issues in the topic in the first two minutes. Jot down points on the paper or mentally work
out the framework for analysis. Start speaking only when you have understood and
analysed the topic. If another participant has started the discussion even before you have
read and understood the topic, you could try to ask the person to wait while you finish. It
may, however, be better to continue with your analysis, while listening to what is being
said, and to speak only when you are ready.
If you do not understand the topic, then either ask the group what the topic means and
accept that your ignorance will be obvious to all or else wait. May be the meaning will
become clear after a few minutes of the discussion, when someone else discusses it.
Avoid speaking in turn as it leads to an unnatural discussion. A GD involves a freeflowing exchange of ideas among participants. Even though there will definitely be chaos
in most competitive GDs, as all participants will be keen to be heard, any suggestion of
order, such as speaking, in turn, is unacceptable.
OPENING AND CLOSING A DISCUSSION: Opening a discussion is a high risk
high return strategy. In most GDs, the opening speaker is the person who is likely to get
the maximum uninterrupted air time. The reason is simple most other participants will
still be 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 speakers. Now this is a double-edged sword. If the opening speaker
talks sense, he will get credit because he opened the discussion and took the group in the
right direction.
If, on the other hand, the first speakers start lacks substance, he will attract the undivided
attention of the evaluators to his shortcomings. He will be marked as a person who speaks
without thinking and merely for the sake of speaking. Also, he may be marked as
someone who leads the group in the wrong direction and does not make a positive
contribution to the group.
So remember, speaking first can make or mark your GD performance depending on how
you handle it. Speak first only if you have enough sensible things to say. Otherwise, keep
yourself silent and let someone else start.
Try and summarise 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, but remember, do not force a consensus. Forcing a
consensus could end up working against you.
ENTERING A DISCUSION: Identify the way to enter the discussion. In a loud GD
where there are three or four aggressive participants, and where a number of people tend
to speak at the same time, it becomes difficult for others to get a chance to speak. This is

the most frequent problem encountered by participants. There is no foolproof solution to

this problem. And such a situation is pretty much likely to prevail during the actual GD
that you participate in. However, it is crucial that you speak. How can you do this?
Some guidelines on interjecting in a loud GD
You will have to decide which one is appropriate.
Enter the troughs: Every GD has its highs and lows. There are times when the noise
level is high and times when it is low. You could wait for the lows and time your
interjection then. However, in some GDs, if one waits for lows, he/she would never get a
chance to speak.
Enter after a person has made his point: The success of an interjection depends not
only on assertiveness but also on the receptiveness of others. If you interject when
someone else has just begun speaking, before he has made his point, it is unlikely that he
will let you have your way. On the other hand, if you wait till he has made some of his
points, he will be more amenable to letting you speak. But dont wait too long!
Enter with a supportive statement: A useful way of starting your interjection is by
supporting a point that has just been made. People will let you speak if they think you
agree with them or if you praise them. Try starting by saying something like, I agree
with that point and I would like to add . . .
Alternatively, praise the person who had just spoken by saying, I think that is a very
important point . . . . In all probability, he will let you speak. Once you have the floor,
you could either extend the argument or you could switch tracks by saying, . . .
however, before we spend more time on that issue we should be discussing . . .
Enter by increasing volume: The most natural way of entering when you find that
others are not listening is to raise your voice. This is not the smartest way of interjecting
and in a GD where everyone is shouting, there is only a slight chance that it would work.
To be effective, however, you will have to combine this tool with some of the others
mentioned, as it is unlikely to succeed on its own.

Personal Interview
How to Prepare
While intimidating for some MBA-hopefuls, the personal interview represents a prime
opportunity. Interviews allow you the chance to not only put a face and personality to the
name and credentials on your application file, but also to express your academic,
personal, and professional accomplishments, experiences, and intentions.
Duration of interview sessions can vary widely. For busy admissions officers, 15 minutes
is not uncommon. For some alumni interviewers, one hour is often the minimum, with
the maximum sometimes stretching beyond two hours. Typically, expect interviews to
last between 30 and 60 minutes.
Most business-school interviewers pose similar questions. Usually, theyre interested in
what youve accomplished and experienced (academically, personally, professionally),
and why you made the choices you did. In some cases interviewers are intimately
familiar with your application file, and simply want more detail expressed live and in
person. In others, interviewers know only your academic or professional credentials and
count on the interview to hear your story for the first time.
While some questions differ from one school or interviewer to another, most adhere to
three lines of questioning:
1. Why do you think now is the right time to pursue an MBA?
2. How will you fit into our program? What will you bring? What will you add?
And,
3. How will you do in the real world after you graduate?
Why do you think now is the right time to pursue an MBA?
For this question, interviewers are looking for responses incorporating specific examples
from your academic, personal, and professional experiences. Further, they want to know
the reasons behind your major life decisions. Our advice to tackle this kind of question is
to focus on that schools strengths, and answer the Why Now? query in terms of both
your short- and long-term objectives.
Interviewers also want to determine how serious you are about attending their particular
school. If a school is interested in you, they want to find out how interested you are in
them.
To this end, its not unusual for interviewers to ask you where else youre applying and
why. Also, its in your best interest to demonstrate that youve done your research by
asking about specific aspects of a school, like their curriculum, class size, facilities,
faculty, or alumni network.

How will you fit into our program? What will you bring? What will you add?
Most b-school class sizes are relatively small and take on characteristics of small
societies. Coursework is more often than not organized around a team approach, so
teamwork becomes critical in and out of the classroom. For many admissions directors,
establishing and maintaining effective, successful teamwork is a top priority. Therefore
theyre looking for applicants who will flourish in a team atmosphere.
Emphasize your most successful team experiences. Highlight too your critical thinking,
leadership, and social abilities. Dont be shy about expressing yourself confidently, but
avoid egotism, or bragging. Admissions reps are looking for personalities who will fit
into their programs culture, and add value to it.
How will you do in the real world after you graduate?
After graduation when youre back out in the real world, you represent the MBA program
you were a part of. Admissions officers care greatly about the reputation of their program
out in the world marketplace, knowing well that their graduates can add to it, or bring it
down. Your skills in personal interviewing give them a sense of how youll do in the job
market. Listening skills, professionalism, and that intangible, confidence, are the three
principal attributes interviewers listen and watch for to indicate how you might do down
the road, with your MBA in hand.
The motivation of B-Schools is threefold:
to assess the overall marketability of each candidate
to aggressively recruit the truly outstanding candidates away from competitive schools
to market and promote their own programs
The interview allows the school to determine whether your interpersonal skills are as
stellar as your academic ones.
Why do they require an interview? The applicant pool for selective MBA programs is
filled with thousands of candidates who all look great on paper. They have good
academic record and CAT scores, along with a few years experience in a professional
setting. The B-Schools know that most of them can handle the program and build a
successful career after graduation.
But they are seeking only the BEST candidates: those dynamic individuals who possess
that rare balance of academic prowess and interpersonal strengths to become an effective
leader. They value many traits beyond what is on the candidates application, including
integrity, negotiating skills, sensitivity and good judgment. An interview is your
opportunity to distinguish yourself from the pack and demonstrate your managerial
potential.
You may wonder how can a short meeting be weighed the same as four years of
academic achievement? Quite simply, the interview isnt ABOUT academic ability; its

about whether you have the temperamental and psychological strengths required to be a
successful leader.
Your interviewer wants to learn what you are like as a person and how well you respond
and communicate. We want to understand your values, how you think and how well you
handle yourself under pressure.
The B-Schools want to admit students who are able to handle the rigors of business
school on an academic, personal, physical and psychological basis. Your interview is
your opportunity to convince us that you are up to the challenge.
A Profile of Successful Applicants
B-Schools particularly probe the following five areas:
a) Professional experience. Some B-Schools seek students who have been exposed to the
reality of business and the exhaustive commitment that is required to succeed in top
management. Ideal candidates usually have experience working in a managerial position
for at least two years after completing their bachelors degrees. Be prepared to discuss
your experience, including volunteer work, and how it shaped your understanding of
business.
b) Knowledge of the field. Be prepared to discuss different specialty areas in business
and their responsibilities. Interviewers will also expect you to discuss current issues in
business, including the economy, taxation, foreign competition, the role of technology
and ethical challenges in the field.
c) Personality. Leaders must communicate clearly, handle complex issues, manage stress
and successfully interact with people from all walks of life. Be prepared to demonstrate
that you are a happy, healthy, well-adjusted person with a strong commitment to
leadership. Also be prepared to discuss your experience working on project teams,
including situations which yielded less-than-optimal results.
d) Motivation. For many years, applicants flooded top MBA programs because they
wanted to make the big bucks. Others applied because they werent happy with their
current job prospects. Many candidates fail to articulate why they wanted the degree or
what they hoped to accomplish in the future. This is an obvious red flag in the admissions
process. Top business schools use the interview process to carefully screen out applicants
who are fuzzy on their goals. Be prepared to clearly explain why you want/need an MBA,
why you are applying now, and why you selected that particular school.
e) Balance. We seek applicants who are well-rounded and well-adjusted. Theres nothing
more disheartening than an applicant who looks great on paper who can only talk about
his/her academic performance. Theres much more to life and business than memorizing
and regurgitating facts. Successful applicants are animated, full of life, with enthusiasm
for their family, friends and the world around them. This is reflected through knowledge

of current events, sustained interest in hobbies and outside interests and a strong
interactive role in their communities.
Interview Preparation
A school visit is your best opportunity to see the facility, interact with faculty and
students and impress multiple members of an admissions committee. You will see firsthand whether this is the right place for you and whether you will fit in. Being on campus
also allows for a natural conversational flow about the program, equipment, class size,
resources, etc., that is hard to establish off-site.
Review as much information as possible on your resume. Your interviewers will review
your file before speaking with you and jot down notes for possible interview questions.
Re-familiarize yourself with your grades, essays and research topics so they will be fresh
in your mind before the interview. At the very least, be prepared to discuss your three
most significant:
i) Accomplishments and what they mean to you
ii) Personal attributes of which you are most proud
iii) Abilities that will make you an excellent leader
Whenever possible, incorporate these strengths into your answers. Also be prepared to
discuss your weaknesses. Most applicants naively think that they dont have any
shortcomings and are blindsided by these questions. Although its difficult to talk about
possible deficiencies, your job at the interview is to recognize questionable points in your
background and to discuss them confidently and directly.
Learn as much as possible about the particular business school and its program. The more
information you have, the better you can anticipate typical questions and ask intelligent
ones yourself. Be ready for the inevitable questions about why you want to attend that
particular business school. Dont say something lame like its location or low tuition;
youll sound limited and shallow. Focus instead on the schools excellent faculty and
their reputation for finance. Know what areas of research they are famous for and the
companies that employ their graduates. Read every bit of material you can find about the
particular school and be prepared to customize your answers to reflect its strengths.
What youll be asked
You should be prepared for these potential areas of questioning:
* Your childhood, personality, family, college life, hobbies, sports and outside interests
* Your professional and leadership experience
* Your career goals, political views and breadth of business knowledge
* Your motivation to obtain an MBA; why now, why our school

Be prepared for a wide range of questions, from casual inquiries about your family to
probing questions about ethical/legal issues. Also be prepared for general questions about
current events and items of interest in popular culture. Nothing is more disheartening than
interviewing an academic genius who doesnt know who the Vice-President is.
Tips to Asking & Answering Questions Effectively
1) Keep your answers short, but informative. Be prepared to offer a 4 to 6 line answer to
every question. This is enough to share a few thoughts and to stimulate further discussion
if the interviewer desires. Try to avoid simple yes and no answers or responding in
monosyllables. Show interest in the questions and sincere thought in your responses.
2) Avoid sounding self-centered. Cite your achievements, but demonstrate an appropriate
level of humility. When discussing professional accomplishments, acknowledge the help
and support of your teammates, mentors, teachers and role models.
3) Dont reveal insecurities. Accentuate the positive and dont dwell on the weaknesses in
your background or application. Dont give any indication that you arent willing and
able to meet the rigors of business school. Your job on the interview is to convince them
you are the right candidate: they wont believe it if you dont sound sure of yourself.
4) Watch your tone. Youll certainly be asked a few stressor questions that are designed
to test your ability to handle conflict. Dont get defensive. Your tone can be revealed in
both the words you choose and your voice. Practice responding to difficult questions with
a friend before the big day. It will help.
5) Listen carefully to the interviewer, no matter how nervous you are. Too many
candidates ask questions at the end of their interviews on topics that weve already
covered. Although youll be stressed during the interview, this isnt acceptable. It simply
confirms that you werent listening, which is the kiss of death for a business school
applicant.
Best Tips for Interview Success
1) Prepare for the interview extensively: review your application, learn about the school,
and prepare answers for the typical questions
2) Practice answering questions aloud before the interview until you can handle all types
of questions confidently
3) Walk into the interview with an air of confidence and professionalism. Offer a firm
handshake and a professional demeanor
4) Listen carefully to the interviewers questions and answer accordingly. Dont babble
incessantly about a related topic or answer the question you wish he had asked

5) Be yourself. If your answers are ambiguous or inconsistent, the interviewer will likely
consider you a poor candidate. Dont send out any unnecessary warning signs.
Your success will ultimately depend on your ability to sell yourself to the interviewer. (S)
He is seeking the following traits:
:Maturity
Communication Skills
High Energy Level Confidence
Listening Skills
Sense of Humor
Leadership Potential

Honesty
Motivation
Pride
Initiative
Analytical-Skills

If you have them, flaunt them.

Prepare for the typical interview questions. Most of the interview questions come from
two categories
(1) Standard questions for all students like Why MBA, Why IIM etc.
(2) Questions tailor-made for you based on your essays and your resume.
The interviewer may wish to probe into some of your claims to fame in your
resume/essays. Be sure to review your application, essays and resume prior to the
interview. The worst thing you can do is contradicting yourself at the interview.
List of standard questions
* Why do you wish to pursue the program that you have applied to?
* Why do you want to attend this school?
* Name some other schools that you have applied to?
* Tell me about yourself.
* What are your career goals?
* Where do you see yourself in ten years?
* What value can you add to the program?
* What are your greatest achievements?
* What do you consider your three top strengths/weaknesses?
* Why should we accept you?
* Do you have any questions?
Most of the above questions would have been covered in your resume in one form or the
other. Review the exercise that you did in the resume section to get your life in
perspective. The interview is your big chance to elaborate on things that you could not
cover in your essays. You should also be ready with 3-5 good questions that reflect your
concerns about the school and your success in the program.
Other typical interview questions would most likely be from one of these categories:
a) Undergraduate Education

TIPS
Remember your interviewers are from the academia, so give adequate importance to
learning and education. Show your commitment to learning and growing. Talk about
your extracurricular activities and how these activities helped build your well-rounded
personality. Detail your contribution as well as what you learnt. Describe how your
schooling will help you in achieving your career goals. Describe any leadership
experiences and what you learnt from those experiences.
b) Work Experience
Be enthusiastic about your job experience. Portray yourself as one who tries to exceed
expectations. Stress on teamwork, motivation, continuous learning and ownership. Be
positive when talking about your boss or your firm. If you changed jobs, it should have
been motivated by a desire for more challenges, more responsibilities, opportunity to
grow and so on. Avoid negative comments like unappreciated, underpaid etc. Dont be
afraid to talk about a failure. Stress on what you learnt from your failure. Describe
your leadership experiences at work. Leadership potential is a very important quality
desired by all MBA programs.
c) Goals
TIPS
Show that you are committed to your career objectives. Your goals should be consistent
with your experience and your desire to pursue further education. Be practical where you
see yourself in five years (refrain from making a statement like I will be the CEO of
Hewlett-Packard) and be prepared to demonstrate how advanced training and education
will help you achieve your goals. Highlight some of the strengths of the program to
further justify your choice. Make sure that all your answers connect and reflect the
thought you have put in planning for your future.
d) Personal
TIPS
Be sure to prepare a brief outline of your upbringing. Take every opportunity to show
that you are achievement oriented and strive to develop both personally and
professionally. At the same time, show yourself to be a well-balanced and sensible
person with varied interests. In your choice of books, it does not matter whether it is
science fiction or biographies: the idea is to show yourself as knowledgeable in whatever
interests you pursue.
Being selected for an MBA interview is your one chance to show the admissions
committee who you are beyond your essays and application. In many cases, its a step
closer to getting in.
Since business schools have various interview policies, be sure to find out what the
process is at the schools youre applying. The interview plays a very important role for

the B-School to understand an individual as he/she comes into an interview under a bit of
stress. But its a chance for somebody to come and talk about their background, their
path, how they discovered the MBA and why it makes sense for them.
The interviewer will only have 30 minutes to an hour with you. In this short window, you
not only want to leave a good impression, but a lasting one as well. To do this, first and
foremost, know all your basics. Why do you want an MBA? What are your future goals?
Sound like questions you spent hours on for your resumes? Well, they should. Youll
have to be able to communicate these very basics to your interviewer. But speaking about
yourself is a lot different from writing, so its probably a good idea to practice aloud.
Those preparing for interview should sit down with their mentors to discuss their path
and plans and dreams and really kind of get into a mock interview experience. The more
you interview-it is a skill-the better you become. So, making sure that youve talked it
through with somebody who can kind of quiz you, you can get your language straight so
that you can map out what you want to say. But also, at the same time, allow yourself to
be natural and to kind of follow the train of conversation. So, its a chance for you to take
the thoughts that have been internalized and externalize them where somebody else can
understand them. It is important to talk out loud and not just think it through inside your
own mind.
All the interviewers have in front of them is the applicants resume. The admissions
committee does check to see if what you say in the interview matches with what you
wrote in your resume.
One commonly asked question during the MBA interview is: How will you contribute to
the MBA program? This is also one that many applicants get stuck on. Youll find the
answer by doing some digging. Its very important that an applicant understand and do
research about the particular school. So, to talk about how you will contribute without
knowing what the school offers can really show some chinks in the armor. So, its
important to understand what that school values, and what the areas or student groups are
that you would have interest in, and what you bring to the table that you believe is unique
that would help others grow around you, because its really a give-and-take kind of
approach in the MBA experience.
So, its about: Will you contribute? Will you be involved? Or will you be a taker? So,
understanding whether its leadership, or student group involvement, a particular area
around community service, or about your background or your cultural upbringing that
might give you a sense of a different perspective. But all of those things will be important
to articulate because it gives us an indication of whether you have done your research or
not. I think thats very important because fit and match is what were all assessing at the
point of the interview-whether you fit our culture and we fit your culture, in terms of the
types of people that you would want to be around.
Open-ended questions like Talk about yourself, can be tough to answer. Where do you
begin? And where should you end?

When asked these kinds of questions, dont be afraid to take a moment to pause. And
understand what you would like to communicate within that open-ended question. So, if
you have two or three points that you want to make along the lines around discussing
yourself-which is, basically, where you come from, how you got to this point, and why
youre here at this table and chair right now talking about an MBA-think about minimum
points, a couple of things you want to cover.
You shouldnt let any discussion go beyond maybe a few minutes, because then you cut
down the chance for a conversation to ensue. And, sometimes, its not bad to close a
question that youve been asked with another question for them-Tell me about your
experience,-so that it becomes more of a conversation as well.
Addressing weaknesses can also be a challenge. While its important to be honest to the
admissions committee, you dont want to blurt out unnecessary shortcomings. The
question posed about an applicants weaknesses, or frustrations at work, or an ethical
situation, or a time when they failed is a very common question. So, any interviewing
candidate-no matter how successful-should prepare an answer for that question. The
response should be nuanced. It should be a serious story-not something trite.
Its just not enough to say, Well, Im a bit of a perfectionist. Its only going to be useful
to respond to the question in a way that shows that youve given it some real thought. Its
something that is a legitimate weakness or failure. And its equally important, naturally,
to demonstrate that, as the applicant, youve learned from the failure or youve taken
steps to correct the weakness. If its a weakness in the applicants academic background,
for example. Lets say the candidate is strong but has a modest score on the quantitative
portion of the CAT and little to no math background in their academic history or their
vocational history. A candidate would be well-served by noting to the interviewer that,
although I dont have a lot of background in math, Ive taken steps to remediate that. Im
already enrolled in a Maths class and look forward to the quantitative aspects of my
MBA program. If its a failure-lets say something in the work place-then the applicant
wants to take the further steps in saying that there were lessons learned, and that the
experience was life-changing and in a positive way and, certainly, not the kind of failure
that would ever be repeated. A really good applicant can take this question and turn what
might be a weak area on the resume into a positive, based on the way that the applicant
has addressed it.
Remember that an interview is meant to be a conversation. Here is an account of some
common mistakes candidates make. Many people come in with such fixed descriptions of
what they want to say that its no longer a conversation, but it is a regurgitation of things
theyve memorized.
Another shortcoming is going on and on talking about accomplishments but not allowing
the conversation to kind of form. The interview is really a dialogue, and theres got to be
some interest by the candidate to understand the interviewer and vice versa. Its important
that the common pleasantries really do take place and that a conversation can ensue.

Candidates should practice a lot and just relax once they get in there. But most
importantly, be yourself and know yourself. Dont try to be more than you are and dont
try to be less than you are. You have to believe in yourself as well.
Here is a quick rundown of things to remember.
First: Learn as much about the interviewing school as possible. That could be visiting the
campus, talking to students and alumni, meeting with faculty and staff, reading
descriptive books like Your MBA Game Plan. Then weave that knowledge into the
interview as seamlessly as possible.
The second step is to develop an interview framework-to be able to speak for six to eight
minutes, for example, in an engaging and comprehensive way discussing their work
history, their academic background, why an MBA is appropriate now in their career path,
and why the interviewing school is the perfect fit. For other types of questions, applicants
should maintain answers that are confined to about 60 to 90 seconds.
Third, stay flexible. Candidates should, as best as possible, anticipate all sorts of
questions and do what they can not to freeze up if theyre posed with something odd or
unexpected. On a kind of similar vein, the interviewing styles can vary pretty wildly from
maybe a laid-back interview to something thats much more professional and focused,
thats far more common when a top member of the admissions committee conducts the
interview to, occasionally, a practically-hostile interview. Theyre rare but theyve
happened enough that students should be prepared for that kind of contingency.
Four, remember how theyre going to come across to other people. We would never
suggest that someone change themselves just for the sake of an interview. Its probably
transparent and its just phony. Most successful applicants are typically self-aware,
modest, confident, empathetic to others-all the kinds of attributes of any emotionally
intelligent leader.
Fifth and finally, be mindful of the basics. Dress professionally, show up on time, project
warmth and make eye contact, keep answers as brief and focused as possible based on the
question, speak with enthusiasm and energy, be as humble as possible, certainly ask
questions at the interview to better clarify the schools admissions requirements. And
finally, the applicant should do what he or she can to close the sale.
Use this list to help prepare your responses and thoughts on the following topics:

Reasons for choosing a particular institute

Talk about a class or school experience from your undergraduate university that
you still remember
How were you active while in college?
Reason for choosing your job
Why an MBA?
If you have a lot of experience: why do you want to get an MBA now? If you
dont have much experience, what will you gain from an MBA now?

Where do you see yourself after the MBA?

What types of companies are you interested in working for after getting MBA?
What are your long-term and short-term goals?
What motivates you? What makes you get up in the morning each day?
Why this school? Which other schools have you applied to? Reasons for choosing
them.
What do you expect from the classes at our school?
What is your ideal breakdown of lectures and case based studies?
What do you offer to our program and community?
Current events questions
Your opinion on national political, corporate, business events
Walk through of your resume
How would your colleagues/batchmates describe you?
How would your friends describe you?
In five years, how do you hope people describe you?
Talk about a time when you had a disagreement with someone. What happened?
Talk about a team situation where you faced an obstacle.
Describe an ethical dilemma you faced. How was it resolved?
Describe your contributions or involvement in community service
How do you generally solve problems?
What is your leadership style?
Discuss a time when you were part of a group of peers and you failed to meet
your objective. How did you deal with this?
What are your three strong points?
What are your weaknesses? What are you doing about it?
Which is your top priority school?
Will you attend our school if youre accepted?
If you didnt have to worry about money, what would you want to do?