In the competitive landscape of higher education, choosing the right business school is a critical decision that can shape your career trajectory. With numerous options available, aspiring business professionals often find themselves at a crossroads, pondering which institution aligns best with their aspirations.
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In the dynamic world of business education, the journey to securing a coveted spot in top-tier institutions like IIMs and ISB demands more than just academic prowess. This is where Learnous GD PI WAT training emerges as a game-changer, transforming aspirants into success stories that resonate across the MBA landscape.
Entering the realm of MBA admissions is akin to stepping into the lion’s den, and the Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI) stages serve as the ultimate test of a candidate’s mettle. Despite their academic prowess and stellar resumes, many candidates find themselves stumbling at these crucial hurdles.
In today’s competitive job market, securing an interview call is just the first step towards landing your dream job. The real challenge lies in acing the interview process, where candidates are evaluated not just on their qualifications but also on their communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and overall personality.
I had it fixed in my head that no matter what, I shouldn’t fumble or look confused, so I had done thorough research about the college and prepared to talk about a few certain topics and gain a good grip on them For the initial few hours, we had been briefed in the auditorium by the Director and the seniors. We were given basic literature and stationery. After which we were moved into groups and were kept in place for the GE-PIWAT Process.
Although practically, the sequence was WAT-GE-PI In the GE (Group Exercise) process, my group was subdivided into 2 and we were given certain printed images which were left for our interpretation and we as a group had to form a sequence and frame an entire story based on our inputs and images. It required a lot of domination, teamwork, and leadership. The exercise was a test for that only.
The other group was also given the same opportunity at the same time frame The WAT process had 2-3 questions coupled with a video and an essay-type question It was a 3-minute video played twice for our better understanding. We had to break it down and write our interpretation of it. It was a fun process since I have a special inclination towards creative writing. Although I felt like I should have hurried up as the allotted time felt less for accumulating and jotting down all the thoughts and ideas that I had gathered.
The PI process had me waiting for a long time, as my turn was taking a while to come. Anxiety levels were rising as I witnessed the other candidates coming out of the interview room with a variety of feedbacks.
But if one is confident enough about the reasons for doing an MBA and about his/her profile and experience, it should not be worrisome. My PI was conducted by 2 very ardently educated professors, humble and polite and understanding. They asked me about my profile. I gave them answers and I asked permission, to be frank enough to tell everything in detail and without worrying about the protocol. It turned from an interview to a friendly discussion pretty soon, and all for good, as both parties were getting verbally comfortable with each other.
Having confidence and clarity of thought is a must. After the PI was the document verification process followed by snacks and a physical round of the college. They did take a long time to declare the results, but thankfully I landed my dream b-school and have been doing my best in classes and competitions from then on.
Note:
1. Keep smiling even though you are nervous. Show a cheerful attitude towards the interview. That shows your confidence in yourself.
2. Always expect a question based on how you end your answers. So, end your answers on a point that you are confident and comfortable talking about.
3. Remember, you drive the interview more than the panel. Keep your answers brief and to the point. The panel is generally already bored listening to long generic answers.
4. Lastly practice your body posture, eye moments, and hand gestures. Sit straight on the front end of the chair (Do not lean). Do not break eye contact while talking. Avoid any unnecessary hand movement and use only one hand while explaining anything with gestures if needed.
5. Always start with a smile and end with a smile. No matter how your interview ends.
MBA interviews are extensive but can be aced with regular practice and reading. I would share a glimpse of my interview experience. Generally, the first question used to be “Tell me something about yourself.” “Tell me something about you apart from CV.”
etc.; I had a well prepared 90 seconds answer to the first question. Firstly, I highlighted my significant achievements, along with my learnings from them. Secondly, I ended the intro with the most exciting part in an open-ended way, ensuring that I already know the second question that the panel will ask.
I always tried to drive the interview in my direction because you are safe till you are driving the interview. Apart from that, I was always ready with basic Geography, maths, and aptitude questions. Also, reading newspapers regularly helped me in almost all the interviews. Also, some of the common questions included your role model, your key strengths, and weaknesses. I ensured that I had examples from real life to support all the arguments.
I play guitar as a hobby, hence was aware of some of the top guitarists and musicians.
Few questions related to hobbies were easy to tackle because of having awareness about the music industry.
Sometimes there were stress interviews where the panel intentionally threw absurd questions that I will not be able to answer. For such interviews, I maintained my calm and tried to drift the interview to my comfort zone at any chance that I got. In such interviews, your body language, your calmness, and asking the right questions to the panel will help.
Summarizing my interview experience, reading newspapers, being aware of the industry related to my hobbies, maintaining my calm, body language, confidence in my CV, and driving the interview helped me ace the interviews. I converted almost all the calls for which I was shortlisted.
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