Before joining IIFT, I worked for 2.5 years at an Indian MNC. While working, I realized that it was the right time to delve into the world of management, and thus I decided to steer my career towards a new direction. I appeared for several management entrance examinations. After clearing IIFT’s entrance exam in which I scored 98.4 percentile, I got a call for the GD-PI-WAT rounds, the experience of which I would like to share hoping that it would benefit the readers.
B-School: IIFT | Date of Process: 31st January 2020 | Slot: 08:50 A.M.
WAT topic: Is Corporate Tax Cut the required way to revive the economy?
No. of words: 300
Duration: 20 minutes
This round tested the ability of the candidate to structure their thoughts and pen them down in a clear and concise way. It is important to cover all relevant points comprehensively while keeping the word limit in mind. Avoid grammatical errors and try to use simple words as much as possible.
GD Topic: Plastic Ban: Is it feasible?
Total no. of candidates in GD: 18
No. of panelists: 2
Duration: 20 minutes
At the start of the GD, all 18 candidates were given 1 minute each to put up their points following which the discussion started. In the end, the panelists specifically asked a couple of candidates who did not get to speak much during the discussion to summarize and conclude the discussion. An important point to keep in mind here is that you should also make sure to listen to what others are saying. In most cases, candidates have certain points in mind which they put forth as soon as they get an entry without realizing that the discussion has moved on.
Interview Experience:
No. of panelists: 3
Q1) Tell us about yourself.
In reply to this question, I tried talking about the various activities I participated in during college and the initiatives I took while working, briefly touching upon academics and achievements. I tried keeping this answer short and focused more on skills and experiences gained.
Q2) By the time you join IIFT (if you get selected), you would have around 30 months of work experience. Why do you want to make a switch at this point in your career?
I interpreted this question to be a blend of ‘Why MBA?’ and ‘Why MBA after having worked in X sector for Y years?’ I spoke about my interest in management along with stating examples from work experience where I realized that MBA would be important for my career and how this would be the right decision to make.
Q3) In your CV form you have written that your work experience has taught you how to say ‘no’. Can you tell us a little more about this?
In this part, I again stated certain situations where I felt that I was being loaded with work that ideally should have been done by other people in the team. I was further asked about what I thought were the risks in saying no, how people on the other end reacted, etc.
Q4) What do you know about the US-Iran conflict? What do you think are the implications for India?
This was a question that almost all the candidates of our panel were asked. In such cases, interviewers mostly look for our views on the matter and not facts and figures related to it. Apart from focusing on knowing the right things, it is important to have opinions on current issues and when asked, one should be able to justify the stand well.
Q5) Can you tell us about ERP and SAP.
This was based on my work experience. While talking about ERP and SAP, I touched upon my job responsibilities and the kind of work I did. The discussion lasted for a couple of minutes in which the advantages of the system, new things coming up in the field were discussed.
OVERALL: The interview mostly revolved around the points that were mentioned by me in the CV form that all shortlisted candidates are required to fill and submit before the interview date. I would suggest ensuring that you know all the points you mention in this form well. If there is an interesting point, there are chances that the panelists pick it up and this would be your opportunity to drive the interview and play to your strengths. Also, I would advise people with work experience to be ready with examples regarding various scenarios. These could be challenges you faced at work, success stories, conflicts, etc. On the D-day, be confident, listen more, talk well and ace the interview!
All the best!
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