Extempore Speaking in admission procedure:

These days, Group Discussion after written test has become very obvious and had made it difficult for the admission panel to select the candidate with the right kind of attitude and knowledge. To break off with the regular planned process, the Extempore Speaking has been introduced in the admission process of many top MBA colleges like International Institute of Management (IMI), Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), etc. Few colleges are making it tough by including the extempore speaking together with the GD and PI.


FMS - Know the basics of extempore and ways to prepare:

FMS conducts GD, PI and extempore for selecting the students. Extempore - in the context of FMS - you have to speak without preparation. The FMS extempore takes place in between the GD and PI. After completing your GD, when you go for the PI, you will be given a topic to speak for a minute. There is no basis on which the topic can be given to you. It can be anything and everything.

• Topics to expect
  Generally, the extempore topics are not very tough. The topics range from something very personal like hobbies, academic background, a particular or recent incident, a common saying or proverb or an issue of current affair. So be prepared to speak on anything and everything.
  
  Last year, some of the extempore topics were Dressed to kill, Your Dream Girl, My Impression of the Panel, The color of my shirt, Properties of Sun, to name a few.


• How to go about it?
  While you get the topic, do not rush to start even if you feel that you are well versed with the topic. Take some time to gather your thoughts according to points. And then start with the first point and carry on with the flow. Since the duration of your speech will be very less, your time will end before you can actually talk on all the points which you had arranged. So it would be best to prioritize your points and say accordingly. It should not so happen that you start your introduction to the topic and as soon as you think of coming to your main points, you are interrupted by the panel informing you that the time is over.
  
  There are also possibilities that you may not be able to come up with enough points and finish in few seconds only. In that case, the panel would ask you to speak more. So even if you don’t have much idea about the topic given to you, or can’t gather much point in the initial few seconds, while speaking, try to think about other related points.
  
  But make sure that you follow a particular structure of introduction, main body and conclusion otherwise it will just be a haphazard collection of words. But these should be absolutely crisp and to the point. Don’t drag one point for long.
  
  If you don’t have much to say on your topic or can’t think of many points, then arrange your introductory points in a manner which will give you a good start. If you can recollect some relevant points during your introduction, you can also say that but keep in mind that you start it in an appropriate manner.
  
  On the day of your extempore, avoid nervousness and be confident. By the time you will have to appear for extempore, you will be already done with your GD. So your initial nervousness shall be gone by that time. But in the next stage, you would be meeting the panel all by yourself; you might face nervousness but remember that you should be able to do away with that as you have to appear confident in front of the panel so that they believe in you.


• Practice speaking for a minute
  Though there can be a varied range of topic and you really cannot presume what your topic can be, but still you have to practice. The best way to practice for extempore is to practice speaking for a minute or two every day. Since you can be given any topic, you can start your practice with a simple topic and move on to a little higher level. For example, let the topic be your favorite color. Then in front of your friends or seniors, speak for a minute. Ask them to keep an eye on the watch so that you don’t exceed the time limit. Continue this practice till the day of your personal assessment round.
  
  Don’t forget to take feedback from your friends or seniors who are judging you. Keep a check on your body language, diction and speaking. Don’t be too conscious while speaking. Utilize the first few seconds in collecting your thoughts and get going about it.
  
  In this way, you can choose a topic everyday based on your profile, the subject you studied, your interests, person who inspire you and anything you can think of which might appear in your extempore.

WHY COMMUNICATION SKILLS A VITAL ONE FOR MBA STUDENTS

B  Schools  essentially look forward to the  best of communication skills from MBA aspirants so naturally importance to this skill is a top priority. Today you will read article on:   

Importance of Communication skills

 

In today’s multifaceted environment, direct, comprehensible and coherent communication is necessary to drive the success towards the organization and the reward for this success goes to its leaders. Listening, conflict resolution, and communicating uniformly are important communication skills. 

 

There are 7 Cs of communication that provides a checklist for making sure that your meetings, emails, conference calls, reports, and presentations are well constructed and clear – so your audience gets your message. 

 

These 7 Cs of communication are Clear, Concise, Concrete, Correct, Coherent, Complete and Courteous.

 

When a communication has all these ingredients, the communication is communicated successfully. For example: If a manager posts a notice to all staff in his section telling them that there will be a staff meeting at 3.30 that afternoon, everyone will get the message loud and clear. On the other hand, if a receptionist leaves a message on your answer phone, asking you to call back your manager in Sales before 5.00pm, there is a probability that you check that message after 5.00pm and miss this important call.

 

Similarly, if a company encloses a slip of paper in every employee's salary information sheet at the end of a month informing them of the new mission statement that the company has decided upon, it is very obvious that each and every employee will go through it once they collect their salary statement. But if this slip is inserted in the menu of the canteen, it is not certain if everyone who gets one will read it.  

 

Successful communication is a skill, which is inbuilt in many leaders but also can be learned by those who are eager to improve their communication for success, both at personal and professional level. One, who wishes to be a good communicator, will have to appreciate its very foundations of 7 Cs.  

 

Here are some important points that we should consider for effective and successful communication: 

 

•To know what we want to say and why?

 

•How will we say it?

 

•Listen to know the feedback

 

•Reach understanding, agreement or consensus. 

 

A successful leader or manager is one who understands the key issues of the employees by asking them several questions and analyzing them. Also, by demonstrating some sense of responsibility about being aware of their concerns and suggesting them that he would tackle them in the right manner. When a manager shows these traits, people get influenced and appreciate him as they believe in his message and what he represents.  

 

Good communication skill has other essential elements as well, like: 

 

•Acknowledging others communicating with you by listening to them.

 

•It is also an excellent idea to rephrase and repeat what is being said to you. This, not only, insures that you understood what u heard but more importantly what the speaker meant.

 

•Using examples or personal experiences to explain is also helpful in communicating your ideas.

 

•Speaking clearly and distinctly is extremely important.

 

•You can communicate with a positive attitude whenever you speak. People will be more interested in what you say if you are using a positive sentence structure.

 

•Reading between the lines i.e., analyzing what is being said is also very important as many people have a hard time expressing themselves. You can help them by trying to interpret what they mean.

 

•You also need to build a trust and honesty bond between you and your employees in the conversation. This could be done by making them feel more at ease and so that they are more likely to exchange ideas.

 

•Successful communication requires a connection between the parties to a conversation. Try to build a connection. This could be best done by finding a common ground or common interest to open the way to a good conversation. 

 

If there is any disconnection in the communication, you should keep on asking questions and taking responses, until you get to the heart of the key issues and ensure that there are no any hidden agendas, motives, assumptions or unconscious beliefs amongst your employees. Once these barriers are removed, you can be assured of positive and successful outcomes.  

 

We should always remember that we have the power to change the results we are getting in our life. It’s up to us to take ownership of our thoughts and actions to achieve our desired results.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS IN INTERVIEW

1. Why should we admit you into our MBA program?
2. What are your strongest abilities?
3. What skills would you be bringing to the classroom?(relevant if you have job experience)
4. What are you looking for in this program?
5. Where do you want to be in 5 years?
6. Why do you want to study in this institute?
7. What does "success" mean to you?
8. What does "failure" mean to you?
9. What are your three major accomplishments?
10. What have you disliked in your past jobs? (If you have worked in more than one organization)
11. What kinds of people do you enjoy working with? (If you possess work experience)
12. What kinds of people frustrate you?
13. How long before you can make a contribution (Not monetary) to the institute?
14. In the past year, what have you been dissatisfied about in your performance?
15. What according to you is your ideal job and how will this program help you realize the same?
16. What can you tell me about your past bosses? (If you have work experience)
17. Which is more important to you: money or the type of job?
18. What have you learned from your activities in college?
19. Were your extracurricular activities worth the time you put into them?
20. What have they taught you?
21. What qualities should a successful manager possess?
22. What two attributes are most important in your job?
23. What major problem have you encountered and how did you deal with it?
24. What have you done that you consider creative?
25. Who do you admire? Why?
26. What do you get passionate about?
27. What courses are you taking?

Sample Questions & Suggested Answers

Justify your decision to pursue the MBA program?

Don't tell the panel that you are looking for a "challenging job in a good firm with lots of money, status and glamour". Instead, you must convey to the interview panel that you have made a rational and informed decision about your career choice and your intended course of higher study. There are broadly four areas which your answer could touch upon:

• Career Objectives: You could talk about your career objectives and how the two year MBA program will help you achieve them.
• Value Addition: Value addition will essentially be in two forms knowledge and skills.
• Background: This is where you connect your past to your future. If you are an engineer, try and say that the MBA course and your engineering degree will help you do your job better in the company that you will join. You should be able to convincingly justify how your engineering qualification will help.
• Opportunities and Rewards: You could also at this stage mention the opportunities that are opening up in organizations for management graduates. At this stage mentioning superior monetary rewards for management graduates may not be a bad idea.

Why do you think you would enjoy your chosen area of study (Eg: Marketing)?

Marketing is key to the success of any organization and the function has always appealed to me, because it requires a combination of creativity, strategic and analytic ability - all qualities that I feel I possess. Through discussions with some of my seniors, I have a pretty good idea of what it's like to work toward taking up a marketing job, and I know I will enjoy the work. 


How do you spend your spare time?

I have a good collection of books of different genre and enjoy reading. In addition, I love driving during late evenings or on rainy weekend afternoons. Also, for the last two years I've been volunteering at the local children's hospital on Saturday mornings.


What are your strengths and your weaknesses? 

First of all, take time to write down 3 of your strengths and 3 weaknesses. These are examples from personal life; you can quote your relevant real professional life examples. 

"Since my childhood, I have a habit, if I want to go to a movie and my parents wanted me to finish my maths homework first, then I used to solve the Math’s problems first and also I used to make sure that I do it correctly. I would not care how much effort was involved, how much convincing was required, so my first strength is that I am a determined person.

Secondly, I have a habit, when I take up some work; I make sure that I do it very well. It was my dad’s 25th birthday. All my family members had completed the decoration, but I started when everybody finished, because I was not satisfied with the way it was done. I worked alone for four hours and at the end of it, everyone appreciated it. Moreover, my father, for whom it was a surprise, was delighted. My second strength is that I love perfection and I achieve it most of the times.

Now as I have told you about my strengths I would like to share with you something. One of my strength of being a determined person is also my weakness. When I take up some commitment, I invest so much energy, hard work and efforts in it that I sometimes neglect my personal life, social life, health and family life. I still remember I have not visited my very close friend since last 2 years. My strength of being a determined person is also my weakness.

My mother tells me that I spend a lot of money. I think she is right and but from other perspective, I think what I am doing is also right. Whenever I buy something – clothes, watches, shoes, I buy best quality products, and good products or services are always expensive. My second weakness is that I spend a lot of money on quality products.”

The first thing you need to do prior to interviewing is assess yourself. This includes listing your strengths and weaknesses, your accomplishments and achievements, reviewing your strong and your weak subjects, and recording some of the key decisions you have made in your life.

You should then review your interests, the disappointments you've encountered, your work environment likes/dislikes, your business and personal values, your goals, needs, restrictions, and life style preferences.

MOCK INTERVIEW 4

Scenario-4: 

An interviewer (Mr. Tyagi) is in conversation with a candidate (Archana) who does not seem to be much open to people, although her entire academic life and score in written test are commendable. But her GD performance is not that great. Mr. Tyagi wants to examine if Archana is worth giving a chance in his institute.

Archana: May I come in Sir?

Mr. Tyagi: Please, have your seat.

Archana: Thank you sir.

Mr. Tyagi: So Archana, you are a commerce student and want to pursue finance?

Archana: Yes Sir… I have completed B. Com with Accounts Honors. I was always interested in numbers and figures, so have decided to become a finance manager since childhood.

Mr. Tyagi: What qualities do you feel a successful manager should have?

Archana: The key quality should be leadership--the ability to be the visionary for the people who are working under them. The person who can set the course and direction for subordinates. A manager should also be a positive role model for others to follow. The highest calling of a true leader is inspiring others to reach the highest of their abilities.

Mr. Tyagi: But Archana, what I can make out from our conversation is that you are not a very outgoing person. Is there a reason for this or do you consider this as your weakness? 

Archana: Yes sir… you observed it very right that I am not a very extrovert person. There is no specific reason for the same and I don’t consider this as a weakness. Throughout my academic life, I have performed the way I decided and was expected to. I never fell short on my professors’ expectation and performed my duties well. My little reserve nature has never been a hurdle for me.

Mr. Tyagi: If I were to ask your professors to describe you, what would they say? 

Archana: I believe they would say I'm a very devoted person, that I put my mind to the task at hand and see to it that it's accomplished. They would say that if they ever had something that needed to be done, I was the person who they could always depend on to see that it was accomplished. They would say that I always took a keen interest in the subjects I was studying and always sought ways to apply the knowledge in real world settings. And I am not just guessing what they would say, in fact, I'm quite certain they would say those things because I have with me several letters of recommendation from my professors, and those are their very words. I can show them to you as well.

Mr. Tyagi: If you had to live your life over again, what would you change?

Archana: That's a good question. I realize that it can be very easy to continually look back and wish that things had been different in the past. But I also remember that things in the past cannot be changed, that only things in the future can be shaped. That's why I continually strive to improve myself each and every day. That's also the reason why I want to become the very best finance manager the company, which will hire me, has ever had. To make positive change. And all of that is still in the future. So in answer to your question, there isn't anything in my past that I would change. I look only to the future to make changes in my life.

Mr. Tyagi: Well said Archana. I am very impressed I must say. I wish you all the best in life. You can leave for the day. The final decision of the admission committee will be conveyed to you soon. Thank you.

Archana: Thank you Sir.

MOCK INTERVIEW 3

Scenario-3:

An interviewer (Mr. Mehta) asking questions from a candidate (Nisha) who was working in a BPO part time along with her BA. She has scored well in entrance test and GD.

Mr. Mehta: Hello Nisha, so how are you feeling today? Nervous or excited or both?

Nisha: Hello Sir (With a courteous smile). Yes sir, I am excited as well as nervous as you can see. But I know how to handle stress as I have done it before as well.

Mr. Mehta: Really… so how do you manage stress with work? 

Nisha: Stress is a part of life so one must accept it as it comes in the way. When I am confronted with stress, I tend to find out the cause of it. There are various causes for stress, it may be due to self reason or may be due to others too. If I see there are people who are adding to my stress level then I believe in discussing with them and focusing on the professional as well as personal issues that lead to such stressful situation. So what ever be the cause, I approach it with a flow chart method, i.e. starting with the root cause and doing the follow up. One tends to lose temper but life/work teaches you to stay calm and use logical ways to find out the solution. This is the only way to achieve your pre-determined goal within time frame, I believe.

Mr. Mehta: Do you have a goal? Where do you see yourself in 5 to 7 years from now? 

Nisha: Setting goal is very important for me sir, so I do have set a goal for me. Although it's certainly difficult to predict things far into the future, I know what direction I want to develop toward. Within three years, I would like to become the very best HR Manager for the company that hires me in the campus placement after 18 months from now. In fact, my personal career mission statement is to become a world-class expert for Human Resources. I will work toward becoming the expert that others rely upon. And in doing so, I feel I will be fully prepared to take on any greater responsibilities that might be presented in the long term.

Mr. Mehta: It feels so good to hear such motivating future plans from kids your age. I wish you all the very best. You will soon get to know the final decision of the admission committee.

Nisha: Thanks a lot for your compliment sir. Have a nice day ahead. 

MOCK INTERVIEW 2

Scenario-2: 

An interviewer (Mr. Dubey) taking interview of a fresher candidate (Rachit) who has cleared CAT and scored well in GD session.

Ritesh: May I come in sir?

Mr. Dubey: Hello Ritesh, please come in. Take your seat.

Ritesh: Hello sir, Thank you.

Mr. Dubey: So you have scored 97 percentile in CAT… Congrats…. What do you think? Is it a great achievement?

Ritesh: Thank you Sir… Yes, it is a great achievement as I had put in a real hard work in the preparation. But at the same time it is only half a battle won.

Mr. Dubey: What are the major reasons for your success?

Ritesh: Many years ago I learned an important lesson from Mr. Dewakar Sinha, my first most important mentor. He told me his secret to success was to 'Look at each day as a new opportunity to be your very best. Set high goals, be honest, never say no, and be in the company of people who share your passion for doing their best.' I've always remembered that advice and try to live it every day. While preparing for CAT, I used to be very self motivated, determined and honest. I really liked working hard and enjoyed what I did and I also tried to surround myself with people who shared similar passions. I generally thrive in such environment. I am looking forward to find same environment in this institute.

Mr. Dubey: Why do you want to study in this institute?

Ritesh: I've always wanted to gain knowledge instead of mere earning a degree. This institute has got several years reputation in the field of academics and a long list of experienced and talented faculty. This was the main reason for my interest in this institute. Also, I have been in touch with a number of alumni of this institute for their guidance regarding my CAT preparations. I could pursue this course anywhere, but I'd rather study in an institute whose products I trust.

Mr. Dubey: Well… Ritesh. It was nice talking to you. You will get the admission department’s final decision in a while.

Ritesh: Thank you sir, have a nice day.

MOCK INTERVIEW 1

Scenario-1: 
An interviewer is taking interview of a Computer Engineering student who has cleared the entrance test and GD for admission in his college.

Interviewer: Tell me about yourself.

Student: "I was born in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh and attended Scindia School. Ever since I was a teenager, I tinkered with computers. It was my hobby, my passion, and my way of learning. Like most kids I enjoyed computer games. When my folks gave me a computer as a reward for good marks in 10th Class, I mastered DOS, Windows, and WordPerfect within six months. I then went on to teach myself programming basics.

By the time I passed 12th Class, I knew I wanted to study computer engineering. From that point on, everything fell into place. My life revolved around the same. By my junior year at Engineering College in Nagpur, I decided I wanted to work for a major IT Company but I also wanted to master in other fields of handling business so that I can develop an overview of expectations of the company from me. That is why I decided to pursue MBA before joining any IT Company. I now want to graduate from this reputed college so I can be at the forefront of starting a career into a reputed IT Company. I am prepared to answer any questions you may have about my education and experience.

Interviewer: But you did tell me about your schooling, wasn’t that all about your education? 

Student: Yes sir, I did tell you about my school and subject preferences but can tell you a lot more about my engineering experiences and lessons I learnt from them, that is, if you allow me.

Interviewer: Frankly speaking, I have no idea about engineering stuff as I am a commerce student. So if you will tell me about you engineering course and all, I don’t know how will I understand them, and above all, how will I know you are speaking the right thing?

Student: Hahaha…. You surely are very frank sir, so I will also be very frank to you. What I was about to tell you about my engineering days are just my experiences I had and the learning I get from them so far. They have nothing to do with my engineering course. Also, what I have heard about you from my friend’s cousin, who is an alumni of this college, is that you are the most amazing professor with remarkable diversified knowledge base. So I can be very sure about your knowledge of computer engineering stream.

Interviewer: OK..So you are here with a lot of research and all… hmmm…. You seem to have done a bit of homework.

Student: Thank you for the compliment sir, I always like to be ready with my home work as it gives you an unmatched confidence.

Interviewer: Keep this attitude for the rest of your life as well… You will be informed about the final decision of the admission committee. All the best.

General Rules for Asking Questions

• Only ask about topics you genuinely care about. You want to appear sincere and interested, not desperate for something to say.
• Research the topic thoroughly before mentioning it so that you can engage in a subsequent discussion. Prepare for your interview just as you would for an exam.
• Make sure the answer isn't obvious or has already been answered.
• Ask the appropriate person. Faculty members can offer a better perspective on certain issues than business students and vice versa.
• Watch your tone of voice and your body language. Many nervous applicants are unintentionally rude when they ask questions, which automatically puts off the interviewer. Be gracious and diplomatic in how you phrase your questions and reply to responses.

Questions You Should Ask the Interviewer

Successful candidates always ask questions at their interviews. In fact, the questions you ask reveal more about your suitability for business school than anything else. Here's what your questions tell us: 

• How seriously the committee is thinking about the modernization of the business school and how well they understand the student's expectations?
• What is important for the institute - its own expectations or students’ satisfaction?
• Apply the general information you gather about the school's particular reality
• Frame questions using your common sense and intellectual curiosity
• Ask for feedback regarding your energy level and communication skills
• Show the panel how well prepared you are (and will be in the future) for a becoming a manager
• Your observation power should also play a role in framing relevant questions like – What is the importance of huddle room in the institute? Or “Could the students approach the professors after the college time for any further clarification regarding any subject?” Etc.

Body language do's and don’ts for interviews

DON'T:

• × Rub the back of your head or neck. Even if you really do just have a cramp in your neck, these gestures make you look disinterested.
• × Rub or touch your nose. This suggests that you're not being completely honest, and it's gross.
• × Sit with your armed folded across your chest. You'll appear unfriendly and disengaged.
• × Cross your legs and idly shake one over the other. It's distracting and shows how uncomfortable you are.
• × Lean your body towards the door. You'll appear ready to make a mad dash for the door.
• × Slouch back in your seat. This will make you appear disinterested and unprepared.
• × Stare back blankly. This is a look people naturally adapt when they are trying to distance themselves.

DO:

• √ Sit up straight, and lean slightly forward in your chair. In addition to projecting interest and engagement in the interaction, aligning your body's position to that of the interviewer's shows admiration and agreement.
• √ Show your enthusiasm by keeping an interested expression. Nod and make positive gestures in moderation to avoid looking like someone simply not interested.
• √ Establish a comfortable amount of personal space between you and the interviewer. Invading personal space (anything more than 20 inches) could make the interviewer feel uncomfortable and take the focus away from your conversation.
• √ Limit your application of colognes and perfumes. Invading aromas can arouse allergies.
• √ If you have more than one person interviewing you at once, make sure you briefly address both people with your gaze and return your attention to the person who has asked you a question.
• √ Interruptions can happen. If they do, refrain from staring at your interviewer while they address their immediate business and motion your willingness to leave if they need privacy.
• √ Stand up and smile even if you are on a phone interview. Standing increases your level of alertness and allows you to become more engaged in the conversation.
• √ After a few well-thought-out questions and answers with your interviewer, it's almost over, but don't lose your cool just yet. Make sure your goodbye handshake is just as confident now as it was going in. Keep that going while you walk through the office building, into the elevator and onto the street. Once safely in your car, a cab or some other measurable safe distance from the scene of your interview, it's safe to let go.

DOs and DON'Ts IN INTERVIEW

Interview DOs

• √ Dress appropriately for the institute; err on the side of being conservative to show you take the interview seriously. Your personal grooming and cleanliness should be impeccable.
• √ Know the exact time and location of your interview; know how long it takes to get there, park, find a rest room to freshen up, etc.
• √ Arrive early; 10 minutes prior to the interview start time.
• √ Treat other people you encounter with courtesy and respect. Their opinions of you might be solicited during admission decisions.
• √ Offer a firm handshake, make eye contact, and have a friendly expression when you are greeted by your interviewer.
• √ Listen to be sure you understand your interviewer's name and the correct pronunciation.
• √ Even when your interviewer gives you a first and last name, address your interviewer by title Sir or Madam, until invited to do otherwise.
• √ Maintain good eye contact during the interview.
• √ Sit still in your seat; avoid fidgeting and slouching.
• √ Respond to questions and back up your statements about yourself with specific examples whenever possible.
• √ Ask for clarification if you don't understand a question.
• √ Be thorough in your responses, while being concise in your wording.
• √ Be honest and be yourself — your best professional self. Dishonesty gets discovered and is grounds for withdrawing admission offers and for rejection. You want a good match between yourself and your future college. If you get admitted by acting like someone other than yourself, you and your institute will both be unhappy.
• √ Treat the interview seriously and as though you are truly interested in the institute and the opportunity presented.
• √ Exhibit a positive attitude. The interviewer is evaluating you as a potential corporate employee or future manager.
• √ Have intelligent questions prepared to ask the interviewer. Having done your research about the institute in advance, ask questions which you did not find answered in your research.
• √ Evaluate the interviewer and the institute s/he represents. An interview is a two-way street. Conduct yourself cordially and respectfully, while thinking critically about the way you are treated and the values and priorities of the institute.
• √ Do expect to be treated appropriately. If you believe you were treated inappropriately or asked questions that were inappropriate or made you uncomfortable, discuss this the panel if you are given time to clear your mind by asking them questions else reach the admission co-coordinator of the institute or the director.
• √ Make sure you understand the institute's next step in the admission process; know when and from whom you should expect to hear next. Know what action you are expected to take next, if any.
• √ When the interviewer concludes the interview, offer a firm handshake and make eye contact. Depart gracefully.
• √ After the interview, make notes right away so you don't forget critical details.

Interview DON'Ts

• × Don't make excuses. Take responsibility for your decisions and your actions.
• × Don't make negative comments about previous professors or institute (or others).
• × Don't falsify application materials or answers to interview questions.
• × Don't treat the interview casually, as if you are just shopping around or doing the interview for practice. This is an insult to the interviewer and to the institute.
• × Don't give the impression that you are only interested in the institute because of its geographic location.
• × Don't give the impression you are only interested in salary you will get after the completion of the course.
• × Don't act as though you would take admission in any institute or are desperate for admission.
• × Don't be unprepared for typical interview questions. You may not be asked all of them in every interview, but being unprepared looks foolish.
• × Admission in a good institute can be hard work and involve frustrations; don't exhibit frustrations or a negative attitude in an interview.
• × Don't go to extremes with your posture; don't slouch, and don't sit rigidly on the edge of your chair.
• × Don't assume that a female interviewer is "Mrs." or "Miss." Address her as "Madam" unless told otherwise.
• × Don't chew gum or smell like smoke.
• × Don't allow your cell phone to sound during the interview. (If it does, apologize quickly and ignore it.) Don't take a cell phone call. Don't look at a text message.
• × Don't take your parents, your pet (an assistance animal is not a pet in this circumstance), spouse, fiancé, friends or enemies to an interview. If you are not grown up and independent enough to attend an interview alone, you're insufficiently grown up and independent for a job.

Tips for Answering Questions Effectively

• 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.
• 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.
• Don't reveal insecurities. Accentuate the positive and don't dwell on the weaknesses in your background or application. Don't give any indication that you aren't 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 won't believe it if you don't sound sure of yourself.
• Watch your tone. You'll certainly be asked a few stressor questions that are designed to test your ability to handle conflict. Don't 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.
• Listen carefully to the interviewer, no matter how nervous you are. Although you'll be stressed during the interview, this isn't acceptable that you ask the panel to repeat their question every now and then. It simply confirms that you weren't listening, which is the kiss of death for a business school applicant.

How an interview commences?

A typical interview covers more than one theme. You are generally asked to first introduce yourself to the panel members. Remember that this is your opportunity to 'lead' the interview into areas that you are comfortable with or to topics that you wish to discuss.

It is quite important to highlight your achievements, whether academic or extra-curricular, in your introduction itself. Don't wait for the panel members to specifically ask you about them. Other things that you could mention in your introduction are your family and academic background, hobbies and interests, goals and aims in life, your strengths and weaknesses etc.

In fact, you could say almost anything as long as it is relevant, in the sense, that it reveals something about you as a person. 


Academics/ Work experience

Interviews also centre on questions pertaining to academics, especially for all the freshers. Once again, it is hardly a good strategy to open your books just a few days before the interview and try to mug up whatever you think is important for the interview.

Try to ensure instead that you are keeping up with the subjects in your undergraduate course, are comfortable with the basics of the course and ready to answer application-based questions on these subjects.

If you appear to be the kind of person who picks up his books just to pass your examinations, the interviewers are likely to probe you further to check your genuine interest in the course you are currently pursuing and whether you, as a student, have really taken in something.

Remember that the people who are interviewing you are professors; they are unlikely to be too impressed if you seem to forget everything that you are supposed to have learnt just a few weeks/ months back!

If you have work experience, you can expect some questions around that. Besides your role in your current organisation, be ready for questions about latest developments in the industry/ sector that you are working in.

For example, if you work in an IT firm, you could expect questions relating to significant developments or news pertaining to that sector, any major acquisition that has taken place, questions like which are the four or five largest firms in the IT sector, what different software products or solutions they offer etc. Hence, it is necessary to know your industry/ sector well and keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments.


Current awareness/ Business awareness

You could be asked questions pertaining to the world of business and important developments. The more you read the more confident and comfortable you will be and ready to answer any question that is thrown at you.

Importantly, here too, you may be able to come up with a unique insight or logic that impresses the interviewer and wins the day for you. The candidate who has prepared for just a few days is likely to be unable to go beyond the basic view or opinion which the tired interviewer has already heard from other candidates s/he has interviewed during the day.

So make sure you read the newspaper, including the business section, everyday. In addition, reading a general magazine will also help. But, more importantly, it is crucial for you to try and analyze developments and develop your point of view regarding these.

Make sure that your opinion is backed with strong logic and is not just an opinion without any substance.

• In summary, make sure you do the following while preparing for interviews:
• Read extensively and widely; and do not keep your focus or sphere of knowledge too narrow.
• Keep up-to-date with all the latest important developments, especially the ones pertaining to the world of business.
• Make sure that you keep up with your academic course as it is taught at your colleges; do not try to mug up things at the last moment. Questions in your interviews may not be limited to what you are studying in your final year only.
• Think about what all you could state in response to standard interview questions.