Personal Interview ( PI) 2015 round the corner: Know how to cross this final hurdle to get into IIM, FMS, SPJIMR

Your Personal Interview for admission in IIM, FMS, MDI, XLRI, SPJIMR or other top rated B schools should become a discussion giving you an opportunity to enjoy the same instead of feeling a pressure of torturous question answer session. Prof S K Agarwal, Expert on CAT/XAT preparation and mentor shares how the candidate could emerge as a winner in PI round in top B schools.

To be successful in this round, no doubt, you have to be well prepared for the volley of oncoming questions. These are not the questions that are tough or are out of this world but your approach to answer them in a witty, positive and subtle manner gives you an edge.

Avoid Irritation

Dont get at all irritated, come what may. Your interviewers have the capability of assessing you with your gestures, postures and the response you come with, to their very first question. The saying First impression is the last impression is true to a large extent. When you face the interview, after the first few minutes the interview board is simply confirming itself of your first impression.

Your GD/WAT: Question ground in PI

Get well prepared. Go for versatile reading and mock personal interviews. Questions could be framed on your views expressed in GD/WAT. So be ready to effectively answer the probable questions based on your GD/WAT performance.

Enjoy the generic and specific questions in PI

A top notch Business school personal interview can go for specific questions related to your work experience, your goals, your strengths and weaknesses, your grasp on your favourite subject and the things you might have filled up in the form. There may be generic questions based on broad aspects like Tell about yourself, How do you OR Where do you see yourself 5 years down the line, Why go for MBA after Engineering, etc. Such questions make you a little relaxed since you already know what to put forth as the answer. However, the more important thing is your approach and how you respond to it.

For example the common question Tell us about yourself may not be answered by telling your bio-data, it is already available in the form you filled up. Repeating the same will be a waste of time creating a bad impression. Please also do not speak something stereotyped or something which appears having been practiced before the mirror number of times.

On the contrary, you could narrate some incident highlighting your personality but be brief. You could also answer like-Apart from the details in the form submitted, I am a quick learner and learn from mistakes. I believe in human values, a sharp and clear vision of life. I am confident enough that the various levels of learning that I have had till now and will have in this Institute will help me to bring out the finest of me which will enhance my competence, aptitude and skills.

Avoid copying

Be natural and dont go for copying someone. If you do, It will be like a mask through which your interviewers can very well judge you. Please do remember You are you, you can not be he. So please dont try to change your DNA.

Avoid figurative communication

Use simple and communicative language in an effective manner. Any wrong use of figurative and idiomatic language in conversation might get you deviated and put you in trouble. Sometimes the panelists could get deeper into the selection of your words asking for further explanation of the same. Hence it is better to avoid it.

Be skilful: Drive PI to your knowledge domain

Try to take the interview board to your domain of knowledge and skills. When you answer a question, you may use such sentences and words on which the interview board gets curious but you are comfortable with the same. It depends on your skill how to mould the interview to your desired direction. The opportunity is to be created by you while presenting the answers to their questions.

In view of the experts on PI preparation the success will come once you know how to market yourself before the interview board. This is your approach to present yourself in the interview and the way you answer the questions, will secure your seat in your desired B-school and not the questions themselves.

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on PI round 2015