Campus placement- Crack that GD!

It’s time for all T.Y. BMS students to get a chance at Campus Placements from their college, the usual norm being a fulfilling the selection criteria, appearing for the G.D, cracking the P.I and finally getting placement.

Here we provide you important tips to help you crack the GD section:

What happens in a GD?

• Normally groups of 8-10 candidates are formed into a leaderless group, and are given a specific situation to analyze and discuss within a given time limit. 
• The group may be given a topic and asked to discuss on the same.
• A panel will observe the proceedings and evaluate the members of the group. 

What am I supposed to do?

1. The first implication is that you should be NOTICED by the panel. Merely making a meaningful contribution and helping the group arrive at a consensus is not enough. You have to be seen by the evaluating panel to have made the meaningful contribution.

2. You must ensure that the group HEARS you. If the group hears you, so will the evaluator. That does not mean that you shout at the top of your voice and be noticed for the wrong reasons.

3. You have to be ASSERTIVE. If you are not a very assertive person, you will have to simply learn to be assertive for those 15 minutes.

4. You have to MAKE YOUR CHANCES. Many group discussion participants often complain that they did not get a chance to speak. The fact is that in no group discussion will you get a chance to speak. There is nothing more unacceptable in a GD than keeping one’s mouth shut or just murmuring things which are inaudible.

5. Your contribution has to be MEANINGFUL. A meaningful contribution suggests that:

• You have a good KNOWLEDGE base
• You are able to put forth your arguments LOGICALLY and are a GOOD COMMUNICATOR.

6. The QUALITY of what you said is more valuable than the quantity. You must have meat in your arguments. So think things through carefully before you present them.

7. Everybody else will state the obvious. So highlight some points that are not obvious. The different perspective that you bring to the group will be highly appreciated by the panel.

10. You must demonstrate the fact that you are capable and inclined to work as part of a team.

Must do’s in a G.D:

• Always enter the room with a piece of paper and a pen.
• In the first two minutes jot down as many ideas as you can. 
  When you jot down points, keep these pointers in mind.
  If it is a topic where you are expected to take a stand, note down points for both sides of the argument. It will be useful on two counts –
• One, if you do not start the GD and are not amongst the first five speakers and find that everyone in the group is talking for the topic, then it makes sense to take the alternate approach and oppose the topic even if you initially intended to talk for the topic.
• Second, it helps to have knowledge of how group members who take a stand diametrically opposite to yours will put forth their argument and to be prepared with counter arguments.
• Your personality is also being evaluated. Your verbal and non verbal cues are being read.
• Remember, you are the participant in the GD; not the evaluator. So, rather than evaluating others and your performance, participate in the discussion.
• Your confidence level is being evaluated. Decent communication skills with good confidence are a must to crack the GD’s.
• Focus on your strengths and do not spend too much time thinking about how others are superior or inferior to you. It is easy to pick up these cues from your body language.