Career Guidance for Group Discussions and Personal Interview

Career Guidance for Group Discussions and Personal Interview

The employee selection process usually starts with a manager or boss commissioning human resources to fill a new or vacant position. The main criteria for successful short listing is identifying which essential and desirable qualities matter most to an employer. An Employer chooses many criteria in their selection process according to the positions they are looking for. Personal Interview and Group Discussions are one such important procedure in selection of a candidate. This selection procedure varies according to size of the organization, number of vacancy positions, number of applied candidates etc. Few tips to crack a group discussion and personal interview,

Personal Interview:

    

A job interview is one of the most drawn-out and intimidating ways of making first impression. Larger organisations will have interviewers who are often personnel professionals, or who are trained and experienced interviewers, so expect the interview to be very structured to obtain the maximum from a candidate. In the face-to-face interview it is possible to record more than the verbal responses of the interviewee. When two people face one another, the dialogue is conducted on several levels. It goes beyond verbal expression. The nature of words used, facial expressions and body language all communicate what the other party means.

Interview discussions generally involve questions on personal goals, work experience, academics, hobbies and current affairs. During the interview, having clarity of thoughts is far more important than answering these questions. So striking a good balance among the various areas should be the objective of your interview preparation. There aren't any right or wrong answers, but do be sure your responses match what you know about the job and the company. The company is looking for the candidates who matches their needs and the closer a fit, the more competitive you'll be. Few steps to successfully crack a  personal interview are a) one needs to be prepared well, b) make a good impression c) handling the interview pro-actively and effectively. C) Exhibit a positive attitude d) be honest and be yourself e) maintain a good eye contact

Few don’t at a personal interview are a) never make excuses, take responsibility for what you speak, b) don’t treat interview casually c) don’t give negative comments about your previous employers d) don’t act as you are ready for any job or desperate for employment e) don’t go to extremes of your posture F) don’t allow your phone tom ring e) don’t smell a smoke or chew a gum.

Group Discussion:

Many companies are suing group decision as the first criteria in screening, first it is helpful for mass elimination, second in GD the selection criteria are based on actual company requirements. Group decision round involve small groups of 6-8 individuals who are encouraged to discuss a topic Interview panel normally looks for an effective combination of knowledge and skills in the candidates. Knowledge comprises some understanding of the topic assigned, and also a good level of awareness of the world around.

Few fundamental reasons why group decisions are preferred by employers are a) It saves time, b) helps analysing the communication ability of a candidate c) injects some stress into the interviewing process d) helps analysing key skills such as motivating and coordinating people to perform their joint.

candidates can train themselves to think analytically .Make it a habit to get to the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of issues – don’t take things at face value – think about them before you form an opinion. The myth is academic intelligence equals to analytical skills. Always prepare yourself to be a good listener and develop patience to listen attentively. Acknowledge that everyone has a valuable point to say and always articulate your point of view that is easy to comprehend by others. Good communication is about listening, speaking at the appropriate time, using easy-to-understand English and getting your point across in as simple a manner as possible. Making a good impression while speaking in meetings or interviews is the basic skill every professional should have. Few tips to crack a group decision successfully are

1.       Keep eye contact while speaking

2.       Initiate the GD

3.       Allow others to speak

4.       Speak clearly

5.       Make sure to bring the discussion on track

6.       Have a positive attitude

7.       Speak Sensibly

8.       Give value for others and listen to them carefully

In a GD one should avoid taking negative roles such as non-participant, Attacker (one who suddenly disapproves the opinion of others), dominator (someone who takes control of the decision and not letting others speak), clown (one who does not take the discussion seriously and disrupts through humor).

There are many ways in which you can make your performance impressive and effective in a Group Discussion and Personal Interview. 

Preparation is the main key to be successful at your selection procedure.

Dorthy Elezabeth(MBA HR)

Career Counselor at Bangalore

Call  9632502213

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