MBA Universe.com brings forth the real account of PI round at one of the IIMs. This personal interview round could be yours also. It is a must read to gain the first hand knowledge and update yourself on various relevant points to face the PI session in near future. The excerpts of the personal Interview are shared below for the benefit of MBA aspirants going to appear in final admission round at the IIMs and other top rated B schools.
This real PI account and the subsequent tips will enable the candidates to know their strengths and weaknesses and will help them to boost their confidence level. In fact there is nothing to hide and these sessions are opaque enough to enable other candidates to get ready for this enjoyable session. Name of the candidate has been changed to protect his identity.
Radhey Mohan is an engineering gruaduate and is a 98+ percentiler in CAT 2014. He has 3 years working experience in a good company. Radhey has very good academic profile with a consistent academic record of securing 85+ percentage of marks from class 10 to graduation. He belongs to a middle class family and his father is employed with a private company as an accountant. Radhey has opted for Delhi as preferred place for the interview.
The PI session lasted for 19 minutes. There were initially 2 members in the interview panel. 3rd panel member joined after a few minutes of the beginning of interview round. Radhey Mohan moves in the interview room, bids good morning to all the panelists and after taking their permission occupies the seat. His alert posture reflects the keenness with which he appears to face the interview.
Panel member 1: Tell me about your role in the organization you are working?
Ans: I explained them about my role in the company I have been working and then the interview moved discussing on various types of roles offered by the company, what exactly my role was, what initiatives I could take while keeping myself within the work profile.
Panel member 2: What is the operations role you had with your last employer?
Ans: I clarified them that I was in operations vertical and then few more questions on what I did and what I learnt were asked. I answered with ease.
Panel member 1: How did your previous experience come to help play the role with current employer?
Ans: Explained them about that and few more questions on that were asked.
Panel member 3: (suddenly jumps in) What are the challenges you face with your current employer?
Ans: Explained them briefly especially the recurring problems of staff shortages and how I manage to overcome. A few more questions on that were asked.
Panel member 3: What is the current book you are reading?
Ans: I answered that I was reading ‘Dark Day’ by John Grisham and Fountain Head by Ayn Rand
Panel member 3: Do you like Dark Day?
Ans: I answered in negative as the book appeared away from his earlier books and talked all about the cholera and vaccines and while reading I was losing interest in it.
Panel member3: What is that you find fascinating about Ayn Rand's Fountain head?
Ans: Answered them that Roark the hero in the book shows his determination and doesn’t compromise despite odds. His struggle reflects the belief that individualism trumps collectivism.
Panel member3 then asked a few questions on guess-estimation and the interview moved in this direction for a while. I felt I screwed at this guess-estimator, although the panel helped me get the final answer.
Panel member 3: Do you wish to ask any questions to us?
Ans: I asked them the question I had in my baggy regarding the B school and the number of candidates called for PI round.
Panel member 3: Thank you Radhey Mohan for a good session
I thanked them and after taking their permission moved out of the room. When I came out of the interview room I had mixed feelings. Any how I thought that I had convinced the panelists to a good extent although I couldn’t answer so well a few questions.
Result: Converted the call
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Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more tips and updates on PI round 2015
