In this article we shall try to understand the various challenges in ‘marketing yourself’ during the Group Discussion/Personal Interview (GDPI) round of the selection process for admission to an MBA program. Making a mark in the GD round is a challenging task for many MBA aspirants.
Understand the challenge
The panel is tasked with the goal of finding candidates who are suitable for an MBA program and who aspire to pursue a career in Management. To quantify this task, the panel looks for specific skills/traits in these candidates, and these are the skills/traits which are the hallmarks of effective managers. Some of these skills/traits are:
- Willingness to learn
- High levels of initiative & energy
- Strong task orientationand Persuasion ability
- Temperament suitable for team work
- Logical thinking and Reasoning Abilities
If a candidate is able to demonstrate these skills/traits during the selection process, then he/she creates a favourable value proposition for the panel and is able to define a strong marketing pitch for his/her candidature. Let us see how each of these skills/traits can be showcased during the GDPI round.
Willingness to learn
In a GD this can be reflected in the way you listen to others’ viewpoints and the way you improvise these points in subsequent discussions. Cognitive flexibility and openness to ideas is also a good indicator of willingness to learn. In a PI you may highlight learning from both academic and non-academic sources. While academic learning may be reflected through grades/concepts of core subjects & project work, non-academic learning may be indicated through extra-curricular activities and general learning from the surrounding environment.
High levels of initiative & energy
In a GD this can be demonstrated through initiating new discussion points and the overall enthusiasm in engaging with team members on these points. In a PI this is reflected in leading the panel to desirable areas of your profile, and the overall verve and eagerness to connect with the panel, both verbally and non-verbally.
Strong task orientationand Persuasion Ability
This is the ability to take an assigned task to a level of completion. In a GD, this may be reflected in generating and leading an overall meaningful discussion, with a specific take-away. In a PI this may be indicated in the coherence and continuity in your academic career. Taking up certain projects outside the curriculum and ensuring timely accomplishment of the same, may also be a good indicator of task orientation. An individual’s persuasion skill is put to test during group tasks and group exercises.
Temperament suitable for team work
This is the ability to work well in teams. In a GD, this may be reflected in the overall liaison with team members and a positive display of team dynamics. In a PI, you may mention specific instances of having worked in teams. These may include working on projects, organizing cultural/educational festivals etc.
GDPI Personality Preparation Links:
Logical thinkingand Reasoning abilities
In a GD this may be demonstrated in the logical progression of the discussion, with well knitted and properly sequenced points/ideas. In a PI this gets reflected in the way you connect with the panel, and the arguments constructed by you at specific instants. Logical arguments put forward by the candidate during the Group Discussion helps him to make a mark
Apart from a display of the above mentioned skills/traits, you need to be persuasive in your communication. Your ability to persuade will enhance if you address the following:
- Trust/Credibility : Building trust for yourself adds to your persuasive force. This can be done by showing previous achievements/accomplishments.
- Emotions : Managing your emotions and those of the others (team members in a GD & panel members in a PI), is a potent way of creating the desired persuasive pitch in your communication. For example, in a GD, it is important to enter the discussion at a point where the emotional equilibrium is in place. In a PI you need to be careful about the emotions of the panellists, and pitch your point accordingly.
- Logic : Logical propositions are always more persuasive and convincing. The biggest manifestation of logic is wielding adequate data, both in GDs and PIs.
Note: Moreover, Group Exercise or Group Task is another way where candidates are assessed on the above mentioned parameters.
