The document outlines the importance of group discussions (GD) in assessing candidates' personality traits and skills, such as teamwork, communication, and leadership. It provides guidance on preparation techniques, etiquette during discussions, and strategies to effectively participate and lead a GD. Additionally, it highlights common interview techniques and questions, and emphasizes the significance of thorough preparation and effective communication for job candidates.

1. GD/PI Technique
IBS Business School
Prof. Abhipsa Mishra
Faculty Member – HR & IT; IBS Pune

3. Group Discussion (GD)
• What is Group discussion?
A GD is a methodology used by an organization to gauge whether the
candidate has certain personality traits and/or skills that it desires in its
members.
• Personality Traits the GD is trying to gauge may
include :
Ability to work in a team Assertiveness
Communication skills Flexibility
Reasoning ability Creativity
Leadership skills Listening
Initiative Awareness

4. Why GD?
Institute’s Perspective -
To know you as a person and judge how well you will fit
in their institute

5. Why GD?
Company’s Perspective –
Companies conduct group discussion after the written test so
as to check on your –
• Interactive skills
• Communication skills
• How you behave, participate and contribute in a group
• How much importance do you give to the group objective as
well as your own
• How well do you listen to viewpoints of others
• How open-minded are you in accepting views contrary to your
own
The aspects which make up a GD are: verbal communication,
non-verbal behavior, conformation to norms, decision-making
ability and cooperation.

6. Preparation for GD?
GD reflects the inherent qualities of an individual
• Reading: This is the first and the most crucial step in
preparation.
• Mocks: Create an informal GD group and meet regularly to
discuss and exchange feedback.

7. During the GD
Panelists assess on:
• Leadership Skills - Ability to take leadership roles and be able to lead, inspire
and carry the team along to help them achieve the group's objectives.
• Communication Skills -Candidates will be assessed in terms of clarity of
thought, expression and aptness of language.
• Interpersonal Skills - People skills are an important aspect of any job.
• Persuasive Skills - The ability to analyze and persuade
GD is a test of your ability to think, your analytical
capabilities and your ability to make your point in a team-based
environment.

8. Skills that reflects
• Clarity of thought
• Group working skills (especially during a group task of
case study discussion)
• Conflict handling
• Listening and probing skills
• Knowledge about the subject and individual point of
view
• Ability to create a consensus
• Openness and flexibility towards new ideas
• Data based approach to decision making

9. My chance to speak
How do I take my chance to speak:
• Trying to interrupt others while speaking would only
harm your chances.
• Maintain an eye-contact with the speaker. This would
show your listening skills
• Would help you gauge from his eye-movement and
pitch of voice that he is about to close his inputs.
• You can quickly take it from there.
• Try and link your inputs with what he has spoken
whether you are adding to or opposing his arguments.

10. Positive task Roles in GD
Initiator
Information seeker
Information giver
Procedure facilitator
Opinion seeker
Opinion giver
Clarifier
Social Supporter
Harmonizer
Tension Reliever
Energizer
Compromiser
Gatekeeper
Summarizer

11. Negative roles in GD
• Disgruntled non-participant
• Attacker
• Dominator
• Clown

12. GD Tips
• Initiation Techniques
• Body of the group discussion
• Summarization/ Conclusion

13. Initiation Techniques
• When you initiate a GD, you not only grab the
opportunity to speak, you also grab the attention of the
examiner and your fellow candidates
• If you can make a favorable first impression with your
content and communication skills after you initiate a GD,
it will help you sail through the discussion
• But if you initiate a GD and stammer/ stutter/ quote
wrong facts and figures, the damage might be
irreparable

14. Body of the GD
• Techniques to initiate a GD
Quotes
Definition
Question
Shock statement
Facts, figures and statistics
Short story
General statement

15. Summarization / Conclusion
• Most GD doesn’t really have conclusions. A
conclusion is where the whole group decides in favor
or against the topic
• But every GD is summarized. You can summaries
what the group has discussed in the GD in a nutshell

16. While summarizing a discussion
Avoid raising new points
Avoid stating only your viewpoint
Avoid dwelling only on one aspect of the GD.
Keep it brief and concise
It must incorporate all the important points that came out during the GD
If the examiner asks you to summaries a GD, it means the GD has come
to an end
Do not add anything once the GD has been summarized

17. Types of GD
• Topic-based GD
1. Factual Topics
E.g. The education policy of any country, Tourism, State of the
aged in the nation.
2. Controversial Topics
E.g. Reservations should be removed, Women make better
managers
3. Abstract Topics
E.g. Abstract topics are about intangible things.
• Case-based GD
The case study tries to simulate a real-life situation.

18. Improving GD Skills
• Observe
• How do other students make critical comments?
• How do they ask questions?
• How do they disagree with or support arguments?
• What special phrases do they use to show politeness even when
they are voicing disagreement?
• How do they signal to interrupt, ask a question or make a point?
• Practice
• Start practicing your discussion skills in an informal setting or
with a small group.
• Participate
• Take every opportunity to take part in social/informal discussions

19. Discussion Etiquette
What to do:
• Speak pleasantly and politely to the group.
• Respect the contribution of every speaker.
• Remember that a discussion is not an argument. Learn to
disagree politely.
• Think about your contribution before you speak. How best can
you answer the question/ contribute to the topic?
• Try to stick to the discussion topic. Don't introduce irrelevant
information.
• Be aware of your body language when you are speaking.
• Agree with and acknowledge what you find interesting.

20. Discussion Etiquette
What not to do:
• Lose your temper. A discussion is not an argument.
• Shout. Use a moderate tone and medium pitch.
• Use too many gestures when you speak. Gestures like finger
pointing and table thumping can appear aggressive.
• Dominate the discussion. Confident speakers should allow
quieter a chance to contribute.
• Draw too much on personal experience or anecdote.
• Interrupt. Wait for a speaker to finish what they are saying
before you speak.

21. Leading a Discussion
• You may be in a seminar group that requires you to lead a
group discussion, or lead a discussion after an oral
presentation. You can demonstrate leadership by:
• Introducing yourself and the members of the group
• Stating the purpose of the discussion
• Inviting quiet group members to speak
• Being objective
• Summarizing the discussion

22. How to Face GD
A group discussion consists of:
• Communication Skills
• Knowledge and ideas regarding a given subject
• Capability to co-ordinate and lead
• Exchange of thoughts
• Addressing the group as a whole
• Thorough preparations

23. Communication Skills
• The first aspect is one's power of expression.
• You should be precise and clear
• Listen is also what evaluators judge
• You should be able to convey your thoughts satisfactorily
and convincingly before a group of people.

24. Knowledge and ideas
• Knowledge of the subject under discussion and clarity of
ideas are important
• Comes from consistent reading
• Knowledge makes one confident and enthusiastic
• That makes one sound convincing and confident.
• That’s the key to crack GD

25. Addressing Group as a whole
• Address the person farthest from you. If he can hear you
everyone else too can.
• Attend the group discussion in formal dress.
• The language used should also be formal, not the
language used in normal conversations.
• For instance, words and phrases like "yaar", "chalta
hai", “Ovio", "I dunno", etc. are out.
• Just use formal and simple language.

26. Thorough Preparation
• Only 460 candidates make it to the final list from 2.75
Lac civil service aspirants each year.
READING VARIOUS TOPICS & KNOWLEDGE ON
THEM IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS

27. GD Mistakes
• Emotional outburst
• ANGER
• Quality Vs Quantity
• MAXIMUM TALK
• Egotism Showing off (Selfishness)
• FAKE FIGURES / INFORMATION
• Get noticed - But for the right reasons
• WANT TO BE THE FIRST
• Managing one's insecurities
• NERVOUSNESS

28. Demonstrate a GD

29. Personal Interview
NOTE:
Use these skills with caution… you
could end up getting every job you
apply for !

30. Interview goals: Job candidate
• Obtain information about position and organization
• Determine whether position is suitable for you
• Communicate important information about yourself
• Favourably impress the employer

31. Tailoring your curriculum vitae
• What does the company need?
• You may need to make the dates a little vague if there are
gaps in your career
• Summarize ambitions and key achievements at the top;
keep personal details to a minimum
• Employment details in date order with the most recent at
the top
• List your personal selling points (punctuality, honesty,
ability to communicate ,loyalty, efficiency-consciousness)

32. Before the interview
• Research Job / Company/Product
• Practice! Practice! Practice!
• Prepare and Anticipate Questions
• Know Your Resume Contents
• Know Who You’re Meeting
• Confirm Date / Time / Location
• Be Well Rested

33. Day of the interview
• Appropriate Professional Attire
• Good Grooming / Personal Hygiene
• Arrive on Time / Correct Location
• Turn Off Cell Phone!
• Bring Extra Resumes / Reference List

34. Opening moves
• Be aware of your surroundings and people waiting for you
• Take you out of yourself and be less self conscious
• You are a “celebrity” for whom people are waiting for, so
walk with confidence
• Smile
• Make eye contact
• Wait to be invited to sit
• Address the interviewer formally unless invited to use first
names
• Speak clearly ( don’t be nervous)

35. Pacing and leading
• Don’t assume that the interviewer controls your pace
• Take it to a level which enables you to make your best
impression
• Match the speed of your gestures and voice and ease down
to a manageable speed
• Interviewer’s level of interest will rise with your own if
you can moderate the pace

36. During the interview
• Speak Directly to Interviewer
• Make Eye Contact
• Open Body Language
• Be Confident / Professional
• Answer Questions Completely
• Provide Relevant Information
• Use Action Words
• Give Specific Examples
• State How You Can
Contribute
• Focus on Employer’s Needs
• Avoid topics: Time Off /
Salary
• Ask the right Questions

37. Buying signals
• The interviewer is trying to fit you into a slot in the
organisation
• Demonstrate that you are the right size and shape for that
particular slot

38. Asking questions
Asking right questions are as important as
answering the questions right
• Asking questions gives you control and breathing space
Eg: What kind of performance appraisal questions do you
have? What would be the opportunities of growth in the
organisation?
• Save the worst till the last (about pay, conditions, equal
rights, benefits etc)
• There is no rule against asking direct questions and no
prize for being unnecessarily devious

39. Controlling the content
Have
Updated
RESUME
• Focus your mind on your strong points
• Let go the part of your experience, which is irrelevant to
your potential employer
• A well written CV gives you lots of hooks for focus on
your good points and achievements
• Make sure you at least have an informed opinion on any
books, films that you may refer to in the interview

40. Listening skills
• Your interviewer will tell you exactly what they want to hear -
if u listen carefully
• Active listening prompts the person you are listening to and
help them relax
• It builds rapport
• You can use the following carefully:
• Nodding
• Interested facial expression
• Attentive body language, leaning forward, alert

41. Being remembered for right reasons
• Looking good - clean and smart than glamorous
• Feeling good - Smile
• Sounding good – Clear, Polite, Mature, Fluent
• Seeing eye to eye – Don’t gaze, don’t be too shifty

42. Interview mistakes
• Arrive Late / Wrong Time / Place
• Too Much Cologne / Makeup
• Monotone Voice
• Use Interviewer’s First Name
• Talk About Personal Problems
• Use Street Slang
• Talk Badly About Former Employer / Company / Products / Co-workers
• Talk Too Much / Too Little
• Lie / Exaggerate / Arrogance
• Set Limitations / Make Demands
• Say You’re Desperate to Find a Job
• Rush to Talk About Salary / Benefits

43. Common dreaded questions
• What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?
• Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?
• Why Should I Hire You?
• Why Do You Want to Work Here?
• Tell Me About a Time When You Made a Bad Decision /
What Did You Do About it?
• Why Does Your Resume Show a Gap in Employment?
• Why Did You Leave Your Last Position?

44. Typical questions
• Tell me about yourself?
• Why should we employ you?
• What do you know about our company?
• Why should we choose you over someone else?
• Which is more important to you-salary, perks or growth
opportunities?
• What do you expect to be doing five years from now? Ten
years from now?

49. What do you
Know about
our
COMPANY &
INDUSTRY ?

51. Your STRENGTH & WEAKNESS

53. YOUR HOBBIES ?

57. Your greatest
Disappointment
In life !

58. And
Many
More

60. Criteria based questions
• These are the likely criteria for which the interviewer may be looking
for:
• Initiative
• Stress tolerance
• Adaptability
• Leadership
• Problem analysis
• Interpersonal skills
• Team attitude
• Reliability
• Persuasiveness
• Innovation

61. Thank You