IBPS (Institute of Banking Personnel Selection) recruits Probationary Officers/ Management Trainees for various public sector banks. The IBPS PO exam consists of three rounds. The first round is an online test called the Preliminary exam after qualifying which candidates enter the second round. This is also an online exam called the Mains. On the basis of the cut-off of Mains, decided by IBPS, the candidates are shortlisted for the Personal Interview round.
The personal interview is critical and can act as a make or break section for Bank PO aspirants. Following are some tips and strategies which will help you to prepare effectively for the IBPS PO interview and perform exceptionally!
Know what they are looking for
First of all, the most important thing for IBPS PO interview preparation is to understand what the interviewers are expecting from an applicant. Knowing the criteria on which you are being judged will help you give your preparation the right direction. The panel evaluates your attitude, confidence, communication skills, sincerity and commitment. Further, they are looking for candidates with clarity of thought and who are aware of the important events and news from India and around the World.
How to drive an Interview?
The key to success in the IBPS PO interview is to justify to the panel that you are the best fit for the job! To do this, one effective tactic is to drive the interview. In this, you have to try to steer the interview towards topics/ subjects that you are most comfortable in. For instance, if you are strong in Economics, make sure you bring this in the conversation at every chance you get e.g. in your introduction, strengths, etc.
Types of Questions in IBPS PO Interview
Personal Questions: These include questions from your Resume or CV. For example, why did you score so less in Class 10th? What was your favorite subject in school? If you have given reading as your hobby, then, who is your favorite author? Which book are you reading currently? Also, you should expect questions like: What are the values that you cherish the most, and why? In order to check your presence of mind and the ability to think fast, sometimes, interviewers ask you to tell something that is not mentioned in your CV.
Profile-based Questions: These are questions related to your academic background and work experience, if any. Be sure to revise the basics of your graduation subjects before going for the interview. For example, revise topics like financial ratios, if you had accounting as a subject in your graduation. Also, your interview preparations will be incomplete if you do not prepare questions based on your previous job profile. Thus, you should be able to explain your role in the previous organization in a few crisp lines. Also, you may be asked about any challenges you faced on the job and what you did to overcome them. Another common question is: Why did you leave the job? Or why do want to shift to the Banking Industry?
Knowledge-based Questions: In the IBPS PO interview, expect a majority of questions which test your knowledge of areas related to the banking sector. These areas can be broadly classified as:
- Banking and Finance: Questions on banking and finance test your basic knowledge about key concepts, historical evolution and the working of important financial institutions like RBI, NABARD and SEBI.
- Current Affairs: The interview panel expects the candidates to have a fair knowledge of recent developments in fields affecting the banking industry.
- Economy: It is expected of you to know the basic concepts of microeconomics, like law of supply and demand and macroeconomics, like national income accounting (GDP, GNP), Fiscal Policy, Monetary Policy, inflation, etc.
- Taxation You can expect a question or two on basics of taxation. Interviewer here is aiming to understand if you know the basics of taxation, what all kinds of taxes are there, how state and central government collect same and so on.
Apart from above mentioned categories, there might be questions to see if you understand the kind of work expected from you as a Bank PO and if you’ve applied for other jobs.
Tips to prepare for IBPS PO Interview Questions
Personal Questions: To prepare for personal questions, you should know your CV/ Resume inside out. Also, you must research on the internet to learn more about your hobbies.
Profile-based Questions: As far as profile based questions are concerned, try to prepare your job description well including how it impacts the business and other connected business functions. You must also read up on the industry/ sector you were working with in order to know the recent changes and trends that it is witnessing. If you have just passed out of college then prepare your college subjects well.
Knowledge-based Questions: For knowledge based questions, you must gather information on the banks that you want to target. For this, the official bank website is the best source. Furthermore, you must also have a fair knowledge of banking terminology. For this, you can refer to websites like Wikipedia and Investopedia.
In order to stay updated with current affairs, you must regularly read one English newspaper like Economic Times or The Hindu, with more focus on business and banking sector related news. You can also watch English news channels in order to improve your command over the English language. If you feel that your English communication skills are weak, you should practice speaking the answers to frequently asked questions in front of a mirror or with a friend/ family member.
Rest assured, if you prepare keeping the above points in mind, cracking the IBPS PO interview will become a cakewalk for you!
Happy Reading!
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