INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

Personal Interview preparation kit

An INSITE Initiative
IIM Kashipur Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/IndianInstituteOfManagementKashipur

IIM Kashipur Aspirants Page:

https://www.facebook.com/IIMKashipurInsite
Aspirants group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1528055334125586/
IIM Kashipur Pagalguy Thread
http://www.pagalguy.com/discussions/official-iim-kashipur-pgdm-2015-2017admission-queries-30201196/31706643
Life @ IIM Kashipur
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cp0P2hdNCg&feature=youtu.be

POINTS TO PONDER
It's a common misconception that interviews can't be prepared.
In fact, the same questions, differently phrased, tend to crop up
over and over again. You're bound to be asked about yourself, your
strengths and weaknesses and why you should be chosen.
It's therefore a question of positioning yourself in front of the
bathroom mirror, or a co-operative friend, and rehearsing
convincing answers, charmingly.
Ultimately, charm will disguise nerves.

WHAT ARE YOU BEING EVALUATED?

According to experts, PI evaluation is based on the

following FOUR areas:

1. Goal Clarity

2. Knowledge
3. Communication Skills
4. Personality traits

FOCUS AREAS
To begin with, there are four main focus areas
in any personal interview
1. Personal details
2. Academic details
3. Your background
4. Current affairs

PERSONAL DETAILS
Typically PI begins with the Tell us about yourself
question. You have to be well prepared for this
question as the rest of the interview would be
based on the answer you give to this question.
Questions about yourself include the following 2
major areas
Strengths & Weaknesses
Long-term and short-term goals

ACADEMIC DETAILS
Questions related to academic background include
the following 2 major areas
Core subjects of your academic stream and
Recent developments in that area
Engineering students are expected to be well versed
with Engineering Maths as well as their final year
projectS

BACKGROUND DETAILS
If you have prior work experience, then you will be
questioned on the following 3 main areas
1. Your roles and responsibilities
2. Your companys profile, recent performance and
industry trends
3. Sound reason for leaving your job and pursuing
an MBA

CURRENT AFFAIRS
Interviewers also ask questions on current affairs in
the world of politics and business. Through this,
they not only try and assess your knowledge and
awareness but also your ability to think
A candidate may also be asked to share details on
his extra-curricular achievements and the hobbies
that he has pursued.

SOME MORE TIPS

Remember the 90:90 rule.
People make up 90% of their mind in the first
90 seconds.

That time includes you walking into the room,

shaking hands and taking a seat. So watch your body
language and remember to smile and make eye
contact. You want to come across as likeable,
thoughtful and assertive, but not arrogant.

THE CRITICAL INCIDENT QUESTION

This was a technique devised by police to prompt the
recollections of witnesses and it's being increasingly
adopted by admission panels.
You'll be asked to recount a time when you overcame a
challenge, be it persuading someone to accept an idea,
making good a mistake or adapting quickly
In such a situation, telling a lie must be avoided because
you need to include detail
Thus, it is recommended to rehearse a defining career
moment and adapt it to suit the question.

EXIT STRATEGY
Last impression is as important as first but often
muffed
A good exit can compensate for a woolly moment
in the middle of the interview
When panel enquires if you have any questions,
ask (of course.. some genuine doubts, which you
usually have)
Tell them why, after researching the industry, you
decided to join the b-school
If the pedagogy of B-school feels good don't be
afraid to show it

DURING THE INTERVIEW

1. Whenever the interviewer asks any questions, listen carefully. Do not interrupt
him midway. Ask for a clarification if the question is not clear. Wait a second or two
before you answer. And don't dive into the answer!
2. Always remain positive during the interview even if things aren't going as well as
you'd hoped. In school, did you ever write a test that you were sure you'd failed,
only to find out you passed? You never know, you might be doing better in the
interview than you think and you don't want to give up
3. Sell Yourself - Try to leave the interviewer with at least one thing about you that
might be unique from other candidates that would be valuable to the B-school if
they enrolled you. Once they've interviewed several people with similar
backgrounds, they will tend to look for reasons to enrol one person over the others
or they might try to eliminate candidates who don't meet certain criteria
4. Speak clearly. Don't speak very slowly. Be loud enough so that the interviewers
don't have to strain their ears.

DURING THE INTERVIEW

5. Brevity is the hallmark of a good communicator. An over-talkative or verbose
person is disliked and misjudged instantly, so keep it short
6. If you don't know an answer, be honest. The interviewer will respect your
integrity and honesty. Never exaggerate
7. Don't get into an argument with the interviewer on any topic. Restrain yourself,
please!
8. Maintain a cheerful disposition throughout the interview, because a pleasant
countenance holds the interviewers' interest
9. Maintain perfect eye contact with all panel members; make sure you address
them all. This shows your self-confidence and honesty.
10. Avoid frequent use of words and phrases like, 'I mean'; 'You know'; 'I know';
'Well'; 'As such'; 'Fine'; 'Basically', etc.

BODY LANGUAGE
Do not keep shifting your position
Your posture during the interview adds to or diminishes your
personality. Be a little conscious of your posture and gestures. They
convey a lot about your personality
Sit straight. Keep your body still. You may, of course, use your hand
gestures freely
Avoid the following mannerisms at all costs: Playing with your tie
Theatrical gestures
Shaking legs
Sitting with your arms slung over the back of the adjoining chair

POST INTERVIEW...
1. Make sure you thank the interviewers as a mark
of respect for the time they have spared for you
2. As you rise and are about to leave, make sure you
collect up your pen/ pencil/ all other stationery
3. After getting up, place your chair in its original
position

FAQs
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Tell me something about yourself.

Why MBA?
Why MBA without work-ex or industry exposure?
Why MBA after Engineering?
What are your hobbies?
What are your Short term and Long term goals?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
How do you differentiate yourself with other
applicants?
9. Why should we select you?
10.Why should we reject you?

FAQs
11. Which other calls do you have?
12. Which specialization you are planning to take?
13. Why IIM Kashipur?
14. Questions regarding Kashipur and Uttarakhand.
15. Tell me something about yourself which is not written in the form.
16. Justify gaps between 12th and Engineering or after Engineering
(if any).
17. Why is your academic record bad?
18. What are your favourite subjects in UG?
19. A situation when you failed, how did you handle it? What was your
learning from that?
20. Why did you switch jobs? What was the reason?

FAQs
21. What is your greatest achievement ? What do you plan to achieve after MBA or
what are your goals?
22. What would you do if I told you that I thought you were giving a very poor
interview today? (Stress Interview)
23. How have you handled criticism of your work?
24. Tell me about your least-favourite manager or professor?
25. Sell this shirt/tie/pen etc. to me?
26. Questions on your ability to estimate and come up with an approximate answer.
Ex- How many cars are there in India and some related question on how you
would fare if you went into tyre dealership etc.
27. Analysis questions. Ex- How would a company like Ashok Leyland (which
manufactures trucks) be impacted if the golden quadrilateral road is
completed?
28. Do you want to become an Entrepreneur?
29. If you convert all IIM Calls, which one would you join and why?
30. Most important learning/lessons learntCollege level, in your job?

FAQs
31. Who is your ideal in life and why?
32. What is your biggest failure and what have you learned from that
incident?
33. What will you do if you could not get admission in any B-School
this year?
34. What will you do if you could not get placed in MBA?
35. What is the difference between MBA and PGDM?
36. Tell us something that you dont have in your life but you want to
have?
37. Do you think MBA is necessary for success in corporate world?
38. Which was your favourite subject in 12th and why?
39. What are ethics for you?
40. What is the meaning of your name? Is it true for your personality?

FAQs
41. What was your role during the job?
42. Why are you leaving your Job?
43. Which Companies were the competitors of your firm?
44. Who was the main client of your firm?
45. Tell some qualities of a good manager?
46. Any situation in which you have faced an ethical dilemma, how
you handled it?
47. Which incident has affected your life a lot?
48. Give example of a situation where you have worked in a team.
49. Why dont you take some work-exp. and then do MBA? (for
fresher)
50. What is the biggest problem that India is facing currently?

HINTS TO SELECTED QUESTIONS

1. Talk about your life from school to college to work experience.
Communicate your strengths and your achievements, ensure there
is some flow and try to direct the interview towards your strength
by mentioning your interests/passions.
2. Avoid saying Entrepreneur unless you have done some work in
that regard.
3. Without work exp., I am energetic, fresh with ideas and can be
moulded. I am free of any bias.
4. Analytical skills gained will help me. No need to specify any
stream, say you are open to any stream and you would take a call
at the end of first year.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS

It is good to prepare certain questions and avoid pitfalls in those.
Be sure about what you say.
Be rigorous in what you wish to project about yourself before the
panel.
The plain old trick of practicing before mirror is still relevant in age
of Facebook, use it.
Be dressed up formally and be on time for interview. Keep
documents neatly arranged in folders. Keep at least two sets of
photocopies of documents and a couple of photographs.
Remember you are not the only one who has to appear before the
panel, so try to think of something that you believe is something that
sets you apart

ALL THE BEST

While you may not be questioned on all the above mentioned areas,
it is always better to be prepared in them.

We do understand that a lot of time and effort has to be invested

but the opportunity to be a part of the IIM community is a once in a
lifetime opportunity for learning, self-discovery and growth.
All through this, we are here for any help that you may require in
your endeavours towards your quest for a seat at one of Indias
premier B-Schools.

DISCLAIMER
Media & Public Relations Cell, IIM Kashipur prepared this document
based on prior experience and interaction with faculty members who
were part of Pl process of IIMs at some point of time.
IIM Kashipur or any other IIM in no manner takes responsibility
for usage of the document.
This copy is intended for the receiver only.
Strictly for private circulation.
You are free to share this copy for non-commercial use as long as
you attribute the work to the Author, i.e. Media & Public Relations
Cell, IIM Kashipur.
Do not remove the disclaimer while sharing.