Tips for Interview & GD.pdf

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    COMMON TIPS FOR INTERVIEW & GROUP DISCUSSION

    CommunicationShould be Clear, Unambiguous, Logical, Voiced Confidently.

    SpeechShould be Clear, Audible, Eloquently, Intelligently, Courteously. Avoid drooling. Avoid

    repeating words. Avoid unnecessary phrases like You See, Actually, As you know, Like etc.

    Speak unhurriedly, for clarity and confidence.

    OvercomeFear, Negative thought, Overconfidence, Anxiety.

    Facial Expression Try to have an animated face. Smile pleasantly (Practise smiles before a

    mirror.) , Maintain Eye contact with the speaker / listener(s). In GD, look around, keeping eye

    contact with all.

    Gestures with Hands Do not point fingers at others, Avoid posture of boredom. Try to be

    expressive. Keep hands below chin level. Avoid crossing arms or legs while sitting or standing.

    Common Lying gesturesMouth cover, Nose touch, Eye rub, Scratching neck. Avoid them.

    Leg Positions

    Crossed legsIndicates closed attitude, uncertainty, superiority, or aggression

    Open / Uncrossed legsIndicates Open, Positive & confident

    Ankle LockIndicates Withdrawn Attitude

    Head Movements

    Nod slightly while talking.Indicates receptivity

    Slightly tilt head while listening.Indicates attentiveness.

    Always keep chin up.

    Never look down while talking.

    Body Postures

    Closed (Legs crossed, arms folded, torso / legs turned away) Shows Vulnerability,

    Depression, or Dislike

    Open or Receptive (Legs uncrossed, arms open,) Shows Openness, Accessibility,willingness to interact., positive, more persuasive,

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    When seated, lean forward while listening or talking.

    If standing, stand straight with arms by the sides or clasped in fig-leaf position.

    Leaning BackwardSignals dislike or negativity, Communicates dominance or Superiority.

    Leaning ForwardShows Attentiveness, positive attitude. NoddingIndicates Attention & Receptivity.

    Avoid

    Wearing Bright or distracting dress

    Strong perfumes

    Put OnAccent

    Biting nails, pen, or pencil, fidgeting with mobile (Keep mobile switched offnot even silent

    mode), hand-purse, ring etc. Twirling kerchief, sari, shawl, kameez / shirt etc They Betray

    Anxiety & nervousness

    Stretching legs or shaking them frequently.

    Looking down / at the roof while listening or speaking.

    Adjusting hair / dress, caressing faceIndicate nervousness. Anxiety.

    Excess gesturesYou will seem artificial.

    Fidgeting / Uneasiness in the chair - Indicate nervousness. Anxiety.

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    INTERVIEW

    Purpose of Interview What Recruiters Look for.

    Value predisposition

    Psychological stability

    General awareness about socio-economic realities

    Personal goals & vision

    Preparing for Interview

    Be aware of Qualities sought for in a Bank JobCustomer relationship as a focus area,Pleasantness, Friendly attitude, Ability to develop personal relationships., Customer-

    orientation,

    Need to observe & learn from service-oriented staff in branches. Candidate to visualise

    himself / herself as one such employee. Think Bank staff.

    Visit the website of the Bank. See About us. Have a clear idea of the Bank.

    DocumentationEnsure completeness, as required in call letter.

    Should express willingness to work / be posted anywhere.

    Types of questions that can be expected.

    Anticipate questions on bio data form submitted. Give honest answers only, Be tactful but

    truthful Personal Background, Family background, Education, Gaps in education,

    Institutions studied in, Subject studied, Previous employment, Reasons for leaving previous

    employer, Gaps in employment, Hobbies, Personal traits, strengths, weaknesses, Reasons

    for seeking Banking as a career.

    Visit venue Previous day. On interview day, be sufficiently early at venue. Be relaxed at

    venue.

    Interact pleasantly and positively with other candidates and officials.

    Do not be disheartened by poor performance of other candidates.

    Composition of Interview Board Senior Bank officers, College Professors, IAS / IPS

    officers. Never under-estimate the members.

    Should not attempt to influence Board members

    Board members are not enemies. Their job is not to find fault with candidates. Their job is to

    ascertain the best of your qualities and to assess your suitability for the bank job.

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    Acquiring knowledge inputsnewspapers, news

    Language, pronunciation, voice modulationListen to news. Practise speaking aloud before

    mirror / friends / family. Record self-speech and play back. Identify shortcomings for

    rectification. Listen to panel discussions on TV.

    Formation of views and opinionsEditorial page.

    General Awareness vs. General Knowledge

    Develop power of keen observation and analysis.

    Ensure Robust physical healthWill reflect active nature and alertness.

    Mental Alertness preparednessPhysical fitness & Intellectual exercises

    Not to be disheartened by the results of your past interviews Bill Cosby Your will tosucceed should be greater than your fear of failure.

    Every unsuccessful interview, is an opportunity to improve. Do not regret, but learn from

    past mistakes.

    Confidence in self & Faith in God.

    Dressing for Interview

    Appearance - Neatness, cleanliness, hair trimmed & in place. Clipped moustaches, Shaven

    or trimmed & well kept beard.

    Be formal in a business attire. Should not appear casual

    MenLight colour shirt with dark trousers. Tie makes you look professional. Clean-shaven

    or a properly groomed beard.

    WomenFormal business suit, salwar suit or saree.

    Better to wear dress you are used to. New shoes may pinch and give you a limp; new

    clothes worn for the first time may be uncomfortable.

    Be simple and sober. General rule is No item of attire should draw undue / focussed

    attention or comment.

    Avoid strong perfume and fashion accessories like flashy chain, pendant etc.

    Personal Grooming.Take care of bad breath,

    Body odour, oral cleanlinessno tobacco, no pan, no chewing of gum., no strong perfumes.

    The best dress is a pleasant confident smile, spring in your steps, sparkle in your eyes.

    First Impression is the best impression

    Normally, decision on a candidate is taken in the first 60-90 seconds.

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    Do not carry a big folder of documents; keep it small and simple.

    While waiting to be called in, be relaxed and calm.

    When called in, walk in without hesitation.

    Open the door partially and ask, May I come in, please? and walk in maintaining a normalsteady pace.

    Wear a pleasant confident smile.

    As you reach your seat, greet the board appropriately; Good Morning / Afternoon / Evening

    Sirs / Madam.. Maintain eye contact as you say so.

    On being asked to take your seat, say Thank You Sir / Madam and sit down comfortably

    with the right posture. Maintain the pleasant confident smile.

    If not asked to sit, seek permission saying, May I take the seat Sir / Madam ? Keep the folder / file of documents in your lap. If asked to keep on a table, do so, with

    Thank YouSir / Madam.But take care not to disturb any paper / item on the table.

    While sitting, keep elbows out or on the arms of the chair.

    HandshakeDo not initiate. During shaking hands, keep palm straight and return the same

    pressure you receive. Let the other person decide when to end the handshake.

    Before the Interview Board

    Entry, Greeting on entry,

    No sitting without being asked to

    Posture

    Conduct,

    Answering Questions

    Honest Answers.

    Disagreeing with the Board

    Expressing Ignorance

    No Arguments with Interviewer

    Mannerisms

    Body language

    Confidence level

    Impact of a wrong answer

    Leading the Board / Inviting questions

    Exit, Greeting before exit

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    While Answering Questions

    Maintain eye contact with all members, not only the person questioning.

    Start answering only after the question is completed.

    Show enthusiasm by your voice and one. Avoid incomplete sentences or tapering off the voice.

    Avoid excessive gestures.

    Exiting

    Thank the Board members, looking at all of them.

    Shake hands if offered, take a few steps back, turn and walk out of the room at the same

    pace you entered.

    Do not look back as you leave.

    Close the door behind you

    Dos

    Start preparing well in advance

    Update general awareness on political, economical, technological, social etc. Issuesread

    magazines & newspapers regularly & thoroughly.

    Brush up domain knowledgeespecially subject of specialisation / subject of study.

    Gather as much knowledge about the target organisation & the job profile. Search the web,

    talk to friends & seniors.History, work culture, standing, strengths, area of operations, job

    profile, skills and knowledge required etc.

    Identify your knowledge, skills etc matching those required by the organisation & job profile.

    Acquire those you lack.

    Form study groups of friends and conduct mock interviews among yourselves.

    Get genuine feedback from friends and improve on them.

    Answer / speak before a mirror / friends. Critically evaluate your own body language, facial

    expressions, gestures etc. and improve on them.

    Keep copies of resume & testimonials ready.

    Your answers should conform to the information given in your bio data form.

    Practise on a few commonly asked questions.

    Draw up list of possible questions and practise on them.

    Be honest & spontaneous in your reply.

    Allow interviewer to complete his question. Do not interrupt.

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    Show enthusiasm while answering.

    Listen to the question carefully & then give a well thought out answer.

    Have good body language & proper posture.

    Have a pleasant disposition and smile while answering questions. Show eagerness and enthusiasm in the organisation & position.

    Stay focussed throughout and answer confidently.

    Observe the facial expression of the interviewers for any non-verbal signals.

    (Only If asked by interviewernot normally asked in bank interviews), ask well thought and

    relevant questions about the position and organisation.

    Thank the interviewers at the end.

    Donts

    Do not sit late into the night the day before the interview. Lack of sleep will make you dull,

    tense & edgy during interview.

    Do not be overconfident and complacent based on your academic performance or some

    significant achievements.

    Do not let your unsuccessful performance in the past shake your confidence.

    Do not show negative emotion at any time.

    Do not over-prepare by memorizing answers.

    Do not let yourself be disheartened by the experience of other candidates. They were not

    prepared and so, they had a bad interview. You will do better than them.

    Do not bluff the interviewer with a wrong reply; with their knowledge & experience, they will

    find the bluff.

    Do not give one word answers only and do not talk too much.

    Do not state unrealistic or ambitious targets that do not match your skill or personality.

    Do not be arrogant while replying.

    Never argue. If you disagree, do so politely and support your disagreement with valid

    arguments.

    Never say this job is only a stepping stone to another job.

    While you should be relaxed, do not try to be humorous; be serious.

    Do not ask for feedback on your performance.

    Do not ask about salary, place of posting etc.

    Do not talk about personal contacts, influence or seek sympathy.

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    Do not ask questions of the interviewer, without being asked to do so (Normally, not done

    during bank interviews)

    Few Common types of questions

    On You and your background.

    Possible Question Suggested points / tips for reply

    Tell us something about yourself.

    Highlight subject knowledge, work related skills

    and specific qualities the employer / interviewer is

    looking for. Talk about achievements on academic

    or social fronts, in reverse chronological order.

    Bring out your attributes required for the position

    Tell us about your family background Briefly dwell on your parents profession and its

    influence on your personality. Highlight virtues of

    discipline, dedication, sincerity & others. Be

    positive about family background.

    Avoid dropping names of influential relatives or

    highlighting political connections.

    What is your objective in life?

    What are your career goals ?

    What are your short and long term goals &

    objectives ?

    Where do you see yourself 5 to 10 years

    from now ?

    Identify your vision. And the career goals you wish

    to achieve. Be realistic and relate them to

    companys objectives.

    What are your hobbies ?

    What do you do in your spare time. ?

    Do not contradict hobbies stated in CV. Be

    prepared to answer qns on them.

    How do your friends and colleagues

    describe you ?

    What kind of a person are you ?

    What are your strengths and weaknesses ?

    Honestly highlight few positive qualities you think

    others appreciate. State weaknesses only if

    specifically asked and in such a way that they point

    to your positives.

    On Educational qualifications.

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    Possible Question Suggested points / tips for reply

    Which college or institute did you graduate

    from ?

    Why did you choose that particular collegeor institute ?

    indicate the positives of your college / course/

    specialisation. Reasons could be good campus

    culture, teaching methodology, etc.

    Which subjects were your favourites and

    why ?

    Why did you choose ....... subject for your

    specialisation ?

    Justify your choice based on long term goals &

    interests. Be positive.

    Why was your academic performance

    average ?

    Which subjects you performed poorly and

    why ?

    Answer tactfully. Without dwelling long on your

    poor performance, highlight positives of your

    college life, especially, NCC, Social service,

    college union, organising skills, leadership qualities

    exhibited. Etc.

    How would your qualification or knowledge

    of ....... subject help you in this job ?

    How would your studies help you in this job

    ?

    State objectively, some link between your

    educational background & the job.

    On Professional qualifications or work experience.

    Possible Question Suggested points / tips for reply

    What was your job profile & responsibility in

    your last job ?

    Tell us what you are doing now.

    Highlight the positives of last job, the skills &

    knowledge you acquired there, which would be

    useful in the job applied for. Never criticise your

    last employer. Be positive about your work and

    have a right attitude to it.

    Why do you want to leave your present job

    ?

    Why do you want to take up this job ?

    Do not suggest you are changing jobs for better

    pay, but state for better opportunities, better growth

    prospects etc.

    Why do you want to join this Bank / Co. ?

    Why should we select you for this job ?

    Highlight your strengths, skills & knowledge,

    interests & attitude that are relevant to the position.

    Look at the various aspects of the job and how you

    would aptly fit in.

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    Do you like working alone or in a group ?

    Are you a team player ?

    Highlight your past experiences in a team, like

    member of a team in college, organising cultural

    programmes etc. In college, or sports events.

    Can you work under stress ?How do you cope with job pressure ?

    Highlight your past experiences under pressure, inmeeting deadlines etc.

    On Personality & Character

    Possible Question Suggested points / tips for reply

    Who is your idol & why ?

    If you could be someone, who would that

    be ?

    Response should indicate your personality, ideals

    & values. Be honest. Know thoroughly about the

    idol. Your idol could be Father, Mother, any

    relative, anyone you worked with or know

    otherwise, or a national leader. Be proud to be

    yourself with your positives & shortcomings.

    What is your attitude towards life ? Be positive & honest. State positives in life

    opportunities and your eagerness to make the

    most of them.

    How do you handle stress and tension ?

    When did you last get angry ?

    Suggest some negatives in others, that make you

    angry. Your ability to remain cool under stress and

    to deal with situations as they come. Yoga and

    meditation help reduce stress.

    How do you look at failure ?

    What did you learn from your failures?

    Cite instances of not being dejected but learning

    from your failures

    What motivates you ? Reply could be, new learning opportunities,

    challenges, results, recognition, appreciation,

    satisfaction of doing well.

    How do you define success ?

    What is more important to you Money,

    power, status or fun ?

    Reply could be - respect and appreciation of

    colleagues and superiors, thrill & joy of doing a job

    well. Desire to acquire knowledge, skills and to

    improve social standing and quality of life.

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    On Organizing & Managerial ability.

    Possible Question Suggested points / tips for reply

    What are the essential qualities Manager

    should possess ?How do you define a good manager ?

    List attributes planning, strategizing,

    coordinating, delegating, leading the team toachieve organisations goals.

    As new manager, how would you get

    people to work for you ?

    How do you win trust of subordinates ?

    People are important valuable assets. Listen to

    them, their problems, address their concerns,

    strike a rapport with them & win their trust.

    How do you communicate with your

    subordinators & Superiors ?

    Keep all channels of communication open, Be fair

    & honest with subordinates. Be tactful & Flexible

    with superiors.

    How will you handle, if a subordinate is

    underperforming ?

    Personalised approach, Counsel in private, show

    confidence in him. Advise him of the need to

    separate professional life from personal life.

    On Suitability for the job.

    Possible Question Suggested points / tips for reply

    Can you work overtime if required ? What

    would you say, if working hours are

    stretched ?

    Be positive. Meeting the expectations of customers

    and the organisation is important & one must adapt

    to the situations.

    Why do you want to work for this Bank / Co.

    ?

    What do you find interesting about this

    Bank / Co. ?

    Reflect your eagerness & enthusiasm. Highlight

    the opportunities to learn, meet challenges, and

    work in a personalised environment, opportunities

    to meet people and be socially relevant. Neverstate negative reasons like no other alternative or

    last chance.

    How will the organisation benefit by hiring

    you ?

    Why should we select you ?

    Highlight your strengths, skills and how thy

    measure up to the job in question.

    Why do you think you are ready for a more

    responsible position ?

    Elaborate your past experience and achievements.

    Show your willingness to learn & shoulder more

    responsibility for career growth.

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    Tricky questions.

    Possible Question Suggested points / tips for reply

    What are your strengths and weaknesses ? Specify strengths suited for the job. Stateweaknesses, in such a way that they could be

    perceived as your strength. Eg. Being Meticulous.

    What did you like / dislike in your previous

    job ?

    Why leaving present job ? /

    Evaluate your last Co

    Never criticise the last job / employer / boss. State

    their positives but that you are seeking better

    opportunities / exposure / career growth etc. here.

    Do you want your bosss job ? Reply you are willing to learn and shoulder greater

    responsibilities, you are looking for career

    advancement and willing to work hard for it.

    How will you react to an angry boss ? Be tactful. Say there must be some reason for his

    anger. You will reflect on it and correct yourself.

    How will you react if your boss is a female ? Reply that females are not inferior to males.

    Gender of the boss is immaterial

    Suppose you differ with your boss, what will

    you do ?

    Reply that, notwithstanding any difference, you will

    carry out the bosss instructions so long as they

    are in conformity with organisations objectives,

    framework & rules.

    What are he qualities in people you do not

    like ? / Identify your prejudices or biases ?

    Reply highlighting your positives not liking

    dishonesty, insincerity, irresponsibility, shirking

    work, selfishness etc.

    What is an ideal / dream job ? State requirements of the job you are seeking.

    .On Behavioural & Situational questions.

    Give an example of a satisfying work and a

    dissatisfying work ?

    Difficult situations in life or at work ?

    When did you go beyond the call of duty in

    order to get the job done ?

    When you had to make important

    decisions, what was it & how did you do it ?

    They test personality, style of work, behaviour in

    different real life situations. Be positive, tactful &

    honest in reply. Describe situations briefly and

    objectively, state your actions with justification and

    action and what you learned from it. Be prepared

    for supplementary questions.

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    Situation when there was major

    disagreement between you & your boss ?

    How will you deal with a technically sound

    but dissatisfied & disgruntled worker ?

    As a new Manager, how will you build

    rapport with your team ?

    Stressful questions (Not normally asked in Bank interviews)

    Sell me this pen or mobile (Showing total

    disinclination to buying.).

    What would you do if we do not select you.

    ?

    Why do you think you are suitable for this

    position?

    Why should we take you?

    To create stress in you, the Interviewers :

    Do not respond to your greeting, Take time

    in telling you to be seated, Pose rude

    questions, Speak lightly of your

    qualifications, Challenge your response

    rudely, Remain silent for a long time after

    your response, Rapid fire questioning, Pose

    stressful questions. Etc.

    They are usually asked for selecting to stressful

    jobs like marketing, sales, HR etc.

    Here, Remain calm and composed, Do not be

    provoked, A deep breath helps. Be polite. Smile

    and reply tactfully. Practice will help.

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    GROUP DISCUSSION

    Your Objective in GD

    Convince the group with your views or accede to others views. It is not a question of winning or

    losing. Important that the topic is discussed threadbare and a conclusion is reached by the group.

    Purpose of Group Discussion What Recruiters Look for.

    Leadership capabilities & building on others' strengths

    Capability for coordination & ability to synthesize divergent views, capability for coordination

    Listening skills

    General awareness about contemporary issues

    GD tests in the Candidate:

    Ability of living & working in a group or a Team,

    Interpersonal & Communication skills Expressing views & opinions, Organising thoughts,

    Effectiveness in making yourself understood, Command of language & Fluency, How well-

    versed in the topic, Tact & skill in dealing with others, Listening skills, Body language.

    Analytical and Rational Thought ProcessAnalysis of the topic, Creativity / value addition

    with new angles & perspectives, Relevance of examples, analogies, facts & figures used to

    reinforce arguments, Ability to analyse & Synthesize views of others, Problem solving skills

    to reach consensus.

    Group Behaviour and Emotional StabilityAbility to work in a group for common goal, Body

    language (Aggressive / unaccommodating ?), Behaviour under stress (Maintain emotional

    balance & composure), Receptivity to others views, Flexibility & adaptability in GD

    Dynamics, maturity of thought & action when dealing with others.

    Leadership skills Ability to lead (natural style without being aggressive), Ability to seize

    initiative in defining goals or reaching consensus, Thought leadership (new perspectives &

    direction to discussions), Ability to emerge as informal leader to whom the group looks up.

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    Types of GDStructured (Common), Unstructured

    Types of topics for GD Factual (Based on General Awareness), Controversial (To test

    maturity), Abstract (To assess creative Potential), Case Study (tests analytical skill, interpersonal &

    coordination skills,)

    Structure of GD

    Initiation or Introduction of topic

    Body of GD

    Summarisation / Conclusion

    Initiation of Discussion

    High profilehigh loss strategy

    Cover all relevant points of the topic

    Be brief & lucid

    Avoid jumping to conclusion

    Avoid taking a stand on a controversial subject

    Give direction to discussions, hint possibilities

    Technique to Initiate

    Use quotes

    Defining Issues

    Posing a questionto provoke thought process

    Making a shocking statement

    Quoting facts, figures, statistics from authentic sources.

    Narrating a short story

    Making a general statement

    Body of GD

    Floor is open to anyone to intervene and express views.

    Do not be sarcastic.

    Bring in new ideas & thoughts Try not to merely repeat someone elses point, but addnew perspective to it

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    Build up relationships through interpersonal skills & body language.

    Analyse issues critically & present them with logic and conviction.

    Listen intently to others

    Grasp their ideas and assimilate them to your line of thought. Participate actively

    Summarisation or Concluding

    Expected that someone in the group concludes the discussion.

    Normally, a person emerges as a natural leader of the group and he concludes.

    Hence, a scramble in the end to conclude.

    Here, be pleasant and be prepared for interruption of contradiction by others.

    Summarise what group has discussed and state the consensus in a nutshell.

    Concluding a discussion is a high risk high reward proposition. If not done properly, it is

    counter-productive.

    To have successfully participated in the GD, not necessary, that you should conclude.

    How to conclude / Summarise

    Note down key points raised by all.

    Dwell briefly on key points discussed, which led to the conclusion.

    Do not raise new points.

    Do not state your viewpoint only

    Avoid dwelling only on one aspect.

    Be brief and concise.

    Ensure all important points are discussed.

    Common Myths in GDMyth 1 - Initiating discussion is beneficial and important. Initiate only if you have a good idea of

    the topic, are able to identify issues, can give proper perspective and direction to discussions and

    can express your views with sound reasoning and logic. During discussions you have ample

    opportunity to raise thought provoking ideas, giving new dimension and direction to discussions &

    thereby impress the observer.

    Myth 2 - Speaking More is important.- It is not the time, but quality of presentation, supported by

    sound reasoning and analysis, that is more important.

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    Myth 3 - If speaking for the topic, one cannot speak against it or vice versa. GD is not a debate,

    where you should take a stand for or against issues and try to convince the opposing party, of his

    views. In GD, you should integrate valid counter points of others, along with your own, to arrive at a

    balanced conclusion.

    Myth 4 - It is better to remain silent if one does not have knowledge about the subject..

    Remaining silent, gives the impression that you are unable to speak, or have nothing to say. If the

    topic is not understood by you, listen to others; soon you will get a fair idea and you will be give a

    new angle and value to the discussions.

    Myth 5. One should not repeat a point already discussed. You can repeat a point, even if raised

    by another person, provided you can add value and make it more interesting and pertinent.

    Myth 6. - Participants should speak in turn to avoid commotion. GD is not an elocution or debate,

    where speakers speak in turn.

    Myth 7. - Speaking loudly and gesturing aggressively shows leadership quality. Leadership is

    based on inspiration, not domination; on cooperation, not intimidation. William Wood. Avoid

    posturing a a leader, for it can be easily seen through by the observer and could go against you.

    Myth 8. - Directing others to speak, shows leadership quality. Be a leader of thought and do not

    resort to such gimmicks. It will be counterproductive.

    Myth 9. - Should not take a stance against Society and ethically accepted norms of the Society.

    GD is not used to assess your morals. What the observer looks for, are thoughtfulness, knowledge,

    interpersonal & communication skills, logic, analytical powers etc.

    Other important aspects in GD. Address the group, not the observer.

    No cross talk among participants; talk to the entire group.

    If names are known, Address members by names, else, as Friends, Friend and refer to

    them as He or She.

    If you have a lot to say, do not monopolise and take a lot of time. Be brief and allow others

    to speak. You can elaborate later, as discussions progress.

    Do not directly encourage another person to speak; but if he is being cut off by others, youcan suggest that the group hear him.

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    If seated in circle, position is immaterial. But if in semicircle, or by the sides of a rectangular

    table, sit as close to centre as possible.

    It is alright to accept a point totally opposing your view, if that point is more logical.

    Do not ask moderator to explain the topic; that shows ignorance. Wait for someone to opendiscussions; you will then understand.

    Not necessary to stick to normally accepted line of thought. Coming up with something

    radical, demonstrates creativity & originality; but be relevant.

    Can use technical terms or jargons; but add explanations for the others with different

    academic background, for a level playing field.

    Be cautious not to hurt others feelings. Insensitivity to othersshows lack of maturity and

    viciousness. Good command over language is advantageous; but will not compensate for lack of good

    content. On the other hand, if your content and ideas are good, speak notwithstanding

    command over language; you will get credit for logic and soundness.

    Using examples elaborates your point; but avoid long stories.

    A relaxed GGD is good; but humour may be out of place in a competitive environment.

    Interim summary is good if discussions are not focussed.

    Avoid slang / colloquial. Stick to English language only.

    Be assertive without being stubborn.

    If facts and figures are quoted, be as accurate as possible; +/- 5%.

    Moderator can stop discussions abruptly if too noisy or below acceptable standards.

    Alright to seek clarifications from a member. But do not do it to prove him wrong; it will go

    against you.

    Ideally, a conclusion should be reached; but time constraints may not permit. If conclusion is not reached, summarising can be done.

    Voting is not acceptable. GD is not a debate.

    If a topic is to be selected, do it by brainstorming.

    Topics are general in nature, for a level playing field.

    If someone is stubborn / aggressive, you may ignore him or tell him that his point is well

    taken and that the group must go forward. But be tactful, to avoid disruptions.

    Interrupt others only with respect.

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    While holding your views, recognise right of others to their views. By listening to others

    views, your views could be strengthened, / balanced / altered.

    Express your views logically & rationally.

    Preparation for GD

    Pay attention to communication and interpersonal skills how you interact and

    communicate with people around you.

    Pay attention to pronunciation of words & phrases.

    Assiduously build up vocabulary.

    Talk to friends and well wishers in English; try to use words and phrases you come across.

    Read newspapers and magazines on current issues daily. Capture highlights from year-end

    issues.

    Watch & listen to TV news, panel discussions & current affairs programmes.

    Make notes on important matters.

    Form groups of like-minded friends and actively discuss current affairs.