How to prepare for B-School GD, Essay & Interview
This post on GDPI preparation comes in the wake of FB/Whatsapp requests. Last year too, I had written a similar note.
If you have secured or expect an interview short-list from a b-school, then you should now focus on your preparation for the highly competitive rigorous stages like GD, Essay, & Interview. Over the next several weeks, please focus on the following for effective GDPI prep:
(a) Academics
- Pour over your graduation subjects. Many of you have your own favourite subject(s). If you have one, then you must be really comfortable with almost all things related to this subject. Also, throw a glance at your project work and paper presentation.
(b) Career
- Think about long term plans, even if not concrete, get a hang of things in the chosen line of activity, how your strengths (current skill set) match your choice. Also, think about Plan B.
(c) Personality-related Qs
- Evaluate your mental strengths and weaknesses; think of instances where they came into play; how has a particular strength helped you become better; what are you doing to overcome/tackle any weakness.
(d) GK & Current Affairs
- Global economics: Faltering global economic recovery, eurozone crisis and U.S. economic problems and their likely impact on India and the world; rise of China as an economic power; BRICS, PIIGS, MIST.
- Indian economy: Reasons behind slowing growth in India, India's failing reform process, infrastructure bottlenecks, FDI (especially in multi-brand retail, insurance, telecom), etc.
- Global politics: Arab Revolutions, Syrian crisis, Israel-Palestine imbroglio, rise of Turkey, Korean peninsula, Iranian nuke plans and P+1 deal, aggressive Chinese policy in Far East and SE Asia, terrorism in Afghanistan & Pakistan, political developments in Russia, and South Sudan crisis.
- National politics & social issues: Rise of AAP as a political alternative (is it for real?), recent Assembly elections, Naxalism, freedom of speech & social networking curbs, menace of corruption & Lokpal bill movement, gender related issues, including women empowerment and safety issues.
(e) Work-related
- One's work profile, industry profile, info about companies you worked for, learning from work, etc.
(f) Also, work on
- Why management career, why MBA, alternate career plan, what other calls, which school will you join.
