As aspirants to a management programme you will have already started the delirious process of preparing or revising for the entrance tests that are scheduled around the months of October, November and December.  Now would be the time to have quicker revision plans for concepts, mock tests and also regular reading. Most candidates expect to be up to date on the current affairs and general knowledge only at the last moment. This approach is not entirely good. Building one’s general awareness cannot be achieved overnight it takes time and procrastination is definitely not advised in this case. Being unprepared in this matter can also cost you that coveted seat in your dream b school. You would ask why focus on general knowledge and current affairs now since these topics would be more relevant at the Group Discussion or the Personal Interview? It is not so since there are entrance tests which do have a section on general knowledge or awareness as part of their exam. And this is certainly not to be taken lightly.

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How to conduct yourself in a group discussion is known to many however it is still better to understand the workings and the changing nature of this all important selection procedure in order to ace it. A group discussion has been part of the MBA admission cycle for a very long time. However today few of the top institutes seem to have an alternate process namely the essay writing task as part of the selection in place of the GD. Majority of the management institutes in the country continue to hold the group discussion as part of the MBA admissions.

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The selection process to a B-school is generally a three step process; it involves an entrance test at the outset. Qualifying this would ensure candidacy for further rounds. Further selection rounds usually comprise Group discussion/Essay and  the personal interview, which is the final step in MBA admissions. A group discussion focuses on your ability to co-ordinate, contribute and work in a team/group. Displaying your leadership qualities in this case can be an added cherry on the icing. A personal interview is a platform where you are tested as an individual. The main attributes looked into here would be your personality, attitude and communication skills.

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Our heart skips a beat and excitement peaks as you get that much awaited call to the final stage of the process of selection to a Business School – the personal interview! Reaching this stage has not been easy; tremendous effort and hard work went into your preparation for the written test and group discussion. And at this final stage you just cannot afford to falter.

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Over the years many students have asked me as to how to handle a Stress interview. And I have always asked them if they have found any interview stress free. Invariably the answer has been “No.” This is the starting point to convert “dread” to “self assurance”.  Treat all interviews, as equal and then a Stress interview will stop holding any fear for you!

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Getting mentally prepared for different scenarios that may arise during a Group Discussion (GD) is absolutely vital. Since this article is mainly aimed at students who wish to appear for competitive exams like CAT, CET etc. I believe each one of you by now must have figured out which way is best to fight stress and nervousness. It is but natural to have butterflies in one's tummy just prior to a GD. What I am going to suggest is something that would work positively for one and all and help to improve performance in tense situations. Just before you enter the GD or examination hall, inhale and exhale as forcefully as possible, make sure your exhalation process is accompanied by a 'hmm' sound. This is a very effective tool to overcome nervousness.

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The second stage in the entrance process for almost all B-schools in the country is the group discussion. As it is imperative to get an outstanding score in the competitive written entrance exam, it is also of paramount importance to perform well in GD without which all the hard work and toil might just go in vain. Ostensibly it goes waste, but because from a different philosophy one’s hard work and persistent effort never go waste, it enriches the individual in some way or another. In the present context, not being able to achieve the basic objective is reason enough to consider the effort gone waste.

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Introduction:
In a few weeks time, a very lucky group of people will be facing an incredibly tough time – GDs and Interviews to high profile institutes! Clearing them is their ticket to nirvana. A lot has been written about how to prepare for interviews, body language, writing resumes, etc. But the most crucial thing is to know how evaluators judge you.

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