With some of you in the middle of your placements week and some waiting for it to begin, the questions keep running in everyone’s mind – how to tackle the GD/PI rounds to get placed in your dream company. Here are some cheat codes to help you ace your summer placements:Tackle Group Discussions like a ProJust saying that “GDs are not my thing” and “No matter what I do, I just suck at GDs” won’t help you in life, and definitely won’t help you in your Summer Placements. This is a necessary evil that you will have to ace – Come What May.So, following are the things to keep in mind for the Group Discussion process:Qualities that Companies want in a GD – Analytical Thinking, Assertiveness, Logic, Moderating a Group, Leadership Qualities etc.Cheat Codes –
Try remembering the names of all the members. A most effective way of silencing someone who has been speaking continuously is to say their name out loud, but ensure that you are polite while you are at it.
Showing your presence in a GD is the most important thing. So, ensure that you have a viewpoint that you can discuss.
There are times when we believe that we don’t have any content to speak, which is usually not the case. If it is, then two things can be done. First, structure the GD by breaking down the topic and then starting with one part of the entire topic. Example – ‘Gender Diversity in Indian Advertisement’. Here, you if you can’t think of any examples then break the topic into sub-topics and start the discussion on any of these – Gender Diversity in a general context or Indian Advertising’s change over the years. Second, if you don’t understand the topic at all then wait for the first few people to speak and then carefully note down their points. Then start segregating the points into who is against the topic and who is for it. A simple ‘Pros-Cons’ list of all the pointers will help you in concluding and therefore structuring the GD.
Lastly, consistency in a GD is of utmost importance. Please ensure you speak in bits-and-pieces throughout the discussion.
In case none of these work, please ask your friend who was in your GD (and is now placed) to give you honest feedback about your performance. This thing can help you more than any tip you will ever read over the internet.
GD qualified, time for Personal InterviewOnce the GD shortlist comes out, the competition is among the best of the best. The stakes are high because the conversion ratio is bigger and the likelihood of selection is lesser this time. Thus, ensuring that you impress the brains out of the interviewer is a must.So, following are the things to keep in mind for the Personal Interview process:Qualities that Companies want in a PI – Enthusiastic, Quick Learner, Strategic Thinker, Mature, Humble etc.Cheat Codes –
Ensure you remember the answers to basic questions like ‘Introduce yourself’ and ‘Why this company?’ but double ensure that the answer doesn’t sound memorised at all. Work on your voice modulations and practice with your friends and seniors.
With the introductory question try and drive the conversation towards your strengths.
Please ensure you look like the happiest person in your college – smile, look enthusiastic about working in the company, seem active and create a happy persona – this increases your chances of them liking you as a person and therefore ignoring a few negatives about you.
Remember, you cannot know the answer to all the questions, especially the facts about their company. Please read about the latest news. Type the company’s name on Google followed by the year, for example – ‘Titan 2019’ – then go to the ‘News Tab’ and read the top 10 news. Only read, don’t memorise it. This will give you talking points in your interview and some brownie points in case you answer a direct fact-based question.
Lastly, in case you have not qualified 2-3 PIs then please ask your committee seniors for feedback regarding your interview style, this will give you customised pointers.
Hope these tips help you. You have got this.All the best, buddy.