Dear aspirants,
The chat begins at 10 pm sharp. The chat URL is as follows:
Regards
Media Committee, IIFT Delhi and Kolkata
Kindly add me on FB group.
I wish to attend the online session.
My details::
Name-Avinash Kumar
Roll no:6101644
App. no: 541609
Thanks.
one request to all..Pls GD to aaj ke chat ki tarah mat bana dena..Thanks @uditdelhi and @akshaygupta19
Please add me on Facebook group. My roll no is 4302551.
We have compiled the list of questions which we felt were commonly asked the most during online chat and might need some help. Kindly note that answers are indicative of our though process. Therefore, you are requested to develop your own thought process and introspect before answering.
FAQs
1.Short term (5 years) and long term(15 years) goals: This is the most challenging question in my opinion. It is to determine how clearly you think about pursuing an MBA and how would it help you achieve your goals. Most of you may have an idea of the specialisation you want to pursue. For students who prefer marketing, you may write that I want to be a senior brand manager, digital marketing executive, etc...after 5 years. Link this with the answer to 15 years or long term goal. You can say that you would like to have gained expertise to head a function in your company. Similarly, for students who want to pursue finance- short term goal is to be a financial advisor/risk consultant/ senior analyst in ABC bank/firm. They can say that they want to head IB/consumer division of the firm in 15 years. All answers should reflect that you have done thorough research in that domain. This answer is just to give you a head-start. This is not a model answer. Develop your own line of thought and write. People love to mention they want to be CEO of XYZ in 15 years/ entrepreneur. It looks fancy but you need to have knowledge about that domain/ knowledge area before you write such things.
2.Computer efficiency column :MS office is fine if you don't have C++, matlab, PHP etc.
3.Ranks (if proof not there) :Write if you were in top 3 otherwise leave blank. Proofs are ideal, but even if you don't have and can justify, it is fine. If you write you were awarded a gold medal in your B.Tech and can't answer fundamentals of your subjects, your ship will sink(and you too)
4.Work ex achievements- They can be mentioned in last section
5.Name a person who inspired you to pursue a career in Business Mgmt-
You need not write Steve Jobs or Elon Musk or Sunder Pichai. The person can well be your father who is a teacher. It can be any person who was able to display you a need unfulfilled, that motivated you to pursue this program so that you can find a solution to that need. Or you can write a safe answer by mentioning that a person ABC was my role model and I want to be like him. He also did an MBA. So, MBA will help me be like him.
6.Work ex docs need not be sent with CV form
7.Work ex considered only if it is Full time- Joining letter/ pay slips are succinct for proofs. Internship can be mentioned in last section
8.Two instances where you have exhibited team building/ leadership skills:Just to give you a line of thought- For those who don't have executive positions at school/ college or work-ex, you can mention instances when you took initiative, helped the poor, volunteered for an NGO, taught poor children. If you have held some executive position or you have work ex..use that as a medium to quantify your leadership ability. You can write a task you accomplished within deadline, led your team successfully for a crucial project/change/ implemented a business idea. Hopefully, you get the gist...build on it.
9. If you've appeared for your examinations but marks are not there and are under-evaluation, you can write "Appearing, results awaited"
10. GD-PI date & location can be changed if relevant proof/evidence is shown.
11. What needs to be brought at GD-PI: Call letter, ID Proof/ Marksheets and Certificates/ Caste certificate(if applicable) OB- NC needs to be of after 31st March 2015. Some centres are very strict is about it and check every single proof. So, bring everything applicable and not risk your candidature.
12. How many seats are there for the taking this year: Don't worry about that.You need only one
PS : Be yourself. Don't write answers to impress anyone. Only if you convince yourself, can you convince someone else.
For achievement certificates' proof, an email from the concerned authority is sufficient
Try to use bullet points in answering wherever possible. All the best.
-Joint Media Coordinator,
IMF Students' Council
Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Delhi and Kolkata
How to answer:
What are your career objectives?
a) Next 5 years (50 words)
b) Next 15 years (50 words)
"You feel a little bit lost right now about what to do with your life, a bit rudderless and oarless and aimless but that's okay that's alright because we're all meant to be like that at twenty-four." - David Nicholls, One Day.
This might be completely true, but avoid writing something like this as your answer. It is okay to be confused and if you think really hard about this question, you will eventually end up with a certain clarity in your mind about your career objectives.
To borrow Stephen Covey's two cents, begin with the end in mind. Start with what you want to do in life and then find out what will be required to reach there. The other way to approach this question is to draw a tentative career path based on certain assumptions and then break it up into the 5-10-15 year horizon.
You might have heard of SMART goal setting. The model can be used to arrive at your career objectives as well. For the uninitiated,
Specific - target a specific area for improvement.
Measurable - quantify or at least suggest an indicator of progress.
Attainable - assuring that an end can be achieved.
Realistic - state what results can realistically be achieved, given available resources.
Time-related - specify when the result(s) can be achieved.
Interviewers look for these things in your answers. This might look extremely jargonized, but at the core of it, you have common sense. One can't write "I want to be the CEO of Microsoft" as one's five year objective because it is not attainable and realistic. Though, it is specific and time-related. To offer a 5-10-15 year perspective, I am using a model by Jim Collins: The Level 5 Hierarchy
The Level 5 leader sits on top of a hierarchy of capabilities and is a necessary requirement for transforming an organization from good to great. But what lies beneath? Four other layers, each one appropriate in its own right but none with the power of Level 5. Individuals do not need to proceed sequentially through each level of the hierarchy to reach the top, but to be a full-fledged Level 5 requires the capabilities of all the lower levels, plus the special characteristics of Level 5.
Level 5: Executive - Builds enduring greatness through a paradoxical combination of personal humility plus professional will.
Level 4: Effective Leader - Catalyzes commitment to and vigorous pursuit of a clear and compelling vision; stimulates the group to high performance standards.
Level 3: Competent Manager - Organizes people and resources toward the effective and efficient pursuit of predetermined objectives.
Level 2: Contributing Team Member - Contributes to the achievement of group objectives; works effectively with others in a group setting.
Level 1: Highly Capable Individual - Makes productive contributions through talent, knowledge, skills, and good work habits.
As MBA aspirants, most of you will be in Level 1 or Level 2. Someone who is currently in the final year of graduation will mostly be in Level 1, someone with 1/2/3 years of experience will mostly be in Level 2. And yes, MBA is one thing that will act as a catalyst and speed up your transition from Level 2 to Level 3. This also gives you a fair idea of where you will be in the 5-10-15 year horizon. With the help of a few assumptions in mind, you can be at Level 3 in the five year period and Level 4 in the 10-15 year period. Keep in mind that one might still be in the fourth level after 15 years. This is not a reflection on one's performance capabilities but it completely depends on the kind of opportunities that one gets in one's career and what one decides to do with those opportunities. Also, there are a lot of people in the pipeline trying to be at CEO/MD level positions and that might slow down one's growth rate.
Should I mention my interest with regard to the specialization that I intend to take?
If you have decided your specialization and have done something to back that choice up, you can mention your specialization and link your objective to that specialization. If you haven't yet decided, you can do research at your end in the available time and see where your natural/acquired inclination lies. You can then exhibit this in your answer in some way and then let the interviewer know what is going on in your mind. The key in both the cases is to understand that the panelist is interested in the amount of clarity you have with regard to your decision. Even if you haven't finalised your specialization, it pays rich dividends to convey it to the panelist that you are no mug when it comes to interacting with people and consulting other resources when it comes to decision making.
It's widely understood that one has to learn from others' mistakes in the quest of getting better. So, we have a couple of answers which look brilliant and will be present in many of the SOPs but do not really help in differentiating one aspirant from the other.
Sample bad answer (5 years): In the next five years, I want to climb the corporate ladder in the capacity of a manager and handle and motivate a team of people while leveraging my skills and knowledge to create value for the organization and myself.
Sample bad answer (15 years): I want to head an organization of highly capable individuals in the capacity of a CEO while using my interpersonal skills and domain expertise. I would also like to contribute back to the society and make this world a better place to live.
All the best!
Has anyone received Delhi Form yet either by email or post?
Hi, is it possible to know the exact dates of interviews for a particular centre? I do not want to change my centre (mumbai) as of now but It will be difficult for me to appear for gd/pi process from 2nd to 5th feb. We can change centers only till 1st jan but exact dates for gd/pi process will be communicated later. Can anyone guide me, what should I do to deal with this issue?
@uditdelhi @akshaygupta19 I have send a request to join the fb group for Call getters of IIFT.kindly add me too.Name: uppala ruthwik Roll No-5001415. Fb name profile name(Ruthwik uppali). I have even sent a pm to udit.
Q.2 Name one person who has inspired you to pursue a career in Business Management, and in what way?
People who inspire you typically fall in two brackets:
1. Known-known: You know the person and the person knows you. You have had meaningful interactions with this person. For example: manager, boss, professor, parents/family member, family friend, neighbor, etc.
2. Known-unknown: You know the person but the person doesn't know you. You have seen/read about this person. For example: CEO/co-founder of any organization, management thought leader/guru, etc.
How to find the person?
Think of the last time you felt inspired. Think of ten more such instances. Write down people involved in these 'inspired moments' and classify them under known-known and known-unknown sets. Write down good things against each of these names.
You might be hating your manager from the bottom of your heart. For a change, start thinking if there are a few good qualities that can inspire others to perform better. He/she might be a tough task master and can get things done. Super! That's a start. He/she might be a fantastic people manager or someone who is a top performer in the organization.
If you have someone in your family in an important position or someone who is an entrepreneur or achieved something great in his/her career, find out what made them successful. What patterns of success and failure were crucial and drove extra-ordinary behavior. There is a high chance that you haven't looked at that person in this way and haven't given much thought to these 'intangible' things. This is the time.
You will find plenty of examples for the known-unknown set. Dig through various lists. Don't pick someone who is going through a negative patch (Mark Hurd) and is unlikely to come clean/strong out of it. Quick question: Do you know who topped the HBR's list of world's best performing CEOs? Answer: Novo Nordisk CEO Lars Srensen. [Find the entire list https://hbr.org/2015/11/the-best-performing-ceos-in-the-world]
Avoid fictional characters. Keep Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark out of this.
What if you have more than 2-3 people who inspire you?
Simple. Start listing down attributes that inspire you. Someone might be 'innovation' driven or someone might think of 'execution' as the key to everything. Someone might believe in being a 'ruthless' leader (Neutron Jack, anyone?) and someone think of 'social contribution' as the supreme virtue. Once you list down all the attributes, start eliminating.
How to frame the answer?
Weave a good story. When you write the answer, have the three most important parts: Beginning, conflict, resolution/end. Without these three in place, a story is incomplete.
You can actually write two different answers before you submit your final answer. One from the 'known-known' and one from the 'known-unknown' section. It will be a good exercise and pay off in case you get a question on this in the interview. Also, think of behavioral traits that you don't like in this person. That will tell you what to avoid in your answer. In case you write about a person who is involved in some controversy, in the interview stage, do not justify each and every action of that person. It is better to accept the shortcomings and paint a more human picture than to keep on defending your stand.
Research
Read. If you are planning to write Elon Musk, read Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future and watch 3-4 YouTube videos featuring Elon Musk. If you are planning to write your uncle X, call him and fix a 2 hour appointment. List down all the questions you want to ask and take his interview. Trust me, it will help.
Irrespective of what you write, make sure that you do enough research before going for the interview. You don't want to write something just because it looks fancy and pay the price of not knowing anything about it.
Examples
Find below some of the names that cropped up when we started thinking of inspirational people.
Technology/Business: Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, Sheryl Sandberg, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Jack Ma, Sachin and Binny Bansal, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chanda Kochhar, L N Mittal, etc.
Social: Devi Prasad Shetty, Dr. Varghese Kurien, Salman Khan (Khan Academy), Chhavi Rajawat, etc.
Others: Raghuram Rajan, Warren Buffett, Harsha Bhogle, etc.
All the best!
@uditdelhi@akshaygupta19
I wish to change my interview centre from Bangalore to Mumbai. In the mail I received it is written that I have to send an e-mail to [email protected] latest by 1st January 2016. It is also written that I have to send a written application along with the CV form for changing the interview centre.
Do i have to send both the e-mail and the written application+CV form before 1st January or only the e-mail before 1st January would suffice?
Thanks.
please accept my friend request on fb group of call getters,
Name : AKHAND PRATAP SINGH
Roll no. 5502985
App. no. 519412
thank you
Guys, there has been some talk about a facebook group for call getters. I am assuming this has been done to provide some assistance. I'd also like to be a part of it.
Name: Ankit Agarwal (yes there are two by the same name)
Roll No.: 6202049
Thanks!
Hi,in the IIFT CV form,word limits have been given.But is it alright if I cross the word limit slightly?Like say if the word limit is 75 words,can I write 85?Are they going to count?I am not willing to take any risk though,if you say exact 75 I will write 75 only.
Kindly add me too
Name: Parul Laddha
Roll no.: 5502450
Can the forms be given in person to IIFT D?
Facebook Group seems to be inactive, my request has been pending since the result declared.
anyone from Pune who can guide about best GDPI classes in the city?
Q.3 What do you like to do in your leisure time?
This questions is not to evaluate you but to understand you as an individual. Interviewers don't use this question to assess you but to figure out if you will fit in the culture. During the program, you will be interacting with other students and working in teams. Having a well-rounded personality is much better than a unidimensional focus on a task or an objective. In other words, this is your 'Airport test':
Your flight is cancelled and you are stuck at the airport with this guy for the next three hours. How happy would you be about that? Would you look for the nearest way to escape? Or, would you look forward to a couple of hours of interesting conversation with him or her? That's roughly the set of questions that recruiters at Google ask before they hire someone. Google calls it the "airport test".
Read more about the test: https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-airport-test-the-interview-assessment-you-didnt-know-you-were-getting
This question looks pretty simple but is difficult to answer. Most of the times, people write things that look good instead of things that they actually do. A typical example is 'volunteering with xyz NGO' which sounds great but if you have done it once for a day some five years back for a college project to get 3 extra marks, it doesn't really count as an activity that you do on a regular basis. There are people who do it on a weekly basis and it makes sense for them to write.
Why do you invest your time in this activity?
There will be clear reasons behind your choice. May be you developed an interest over a period of time or you were naturally good at something. As you spent more time in that activity, you realized that you are getting better and started putting more time. Go back in time and find when you had that realization.
What are the benefits of pursuing this activity? (Obvious benefits + benefits that aren't so obvious)
Fun. Most of us do things that are fun and people have different definitions of this concept. One might find reading far more interesting than say mountain climbing. That depends on the personality trait and external parameters. Having said that, someone who reads passionately and someone who climbs mountains passionately will have traits that are similar. Obvious benefit of something like mountain climbing is having an active healthy life. The indirect benefit is developing a certain discipline, perseverance and risk taking ability. So look for things that you do and the benefits that you get out.
How do you feel while you are engaged?
Joy? Thrill? For someone, visiting old age home and spending time there might be a fulfilling activity. Someone might find speedcubing thrilling and exciting. Find out more about your feelings and that should help you prioritize your leisure time activities.
How to prioritize?
I like dancing. I cook well and I read a lot. I also like movies and music. I like traveling to new places and meeting new people. I like to watch television shows and watch plays as well. I like hanging out with friends and family members and also spend time with my dog, Bruno.
You might be doing all these things. But you can't mention everything that you do. Prioritize. Estimate the time that you have invested in these activities in the last few months. The first few things that come to your mind will be the ones that you should write about. Another great way to shortlist activities is to ask people who see you on a regular basis. Ask your friends the following question. What do you think I do in my free time?
This clarity will definitely help. Even for someone who is reading your answer, reading 2-3 things is easier than reading 10 things. Make it easier for interviewers.
What should be there in your answer?
You must have got a fair idea of what is expected. In addition to things that I have already mentioned, be a little specific. It gives clarity and direction to the interviewer. Choose a better answer from the following two sample answers:
Sample 1: I have been reading since my childhood and like to read a lot. Reading has helped me a lot in my life and I read about 100 books a year.
Sample 2: Reading has always been an integral part of my life. As a kid, I used to read everything I could get my hands on but over the last few years I have developed an interest in reading behavioral economics and I've read books by Daniel Kahneman and Dan Ariely.
It is clear that both like reading but the second answer is more impressive. It is specific and pushes interviewers to ask you about stuff that you have read. In the first case, an interviewer might ask you about some esoteric book and you will land up in an uncomfortable situation. Needless to say, don't write something fancy and get yourself hammered with questions.
Activity and research (indicative)
Reading: favorite authors, favorite books, currently reading, last read, current affairs from the world of literature, etc.
Sports: decide if you are a follower or a player or just an enthusiast. Again, current affairs, famous players, some trivia, last major series/tournament results, your views on a team/manager's decision, etc.
Music: playing or listening, instruments, well-known players, genre specific information, etc.
Movies: Genre, American/British/Indian/other countries, Awards, favorite films, actors, etc.
Traveling: Places/countries you've visited, understanding of different cultures, next travel destination, etc.
Writing/blogging/poetry: favorite blogs, something from your last written piece, etc.
Caution
While writing activities, have a good mixture of activities that you enjoy in isolation and that you enjoy with other people. For example, calligraphy and playing football; watching documentaries and trekking; cooking and performing arts.
Don't write super mainstream stuff that almost everyone enjoys. For example, Bollywood movies. Unless you can justify your interest by being specific and providing some rationale behind your choice.
Some of you might think that your hobby is extremely common. Just because someone is writing numismatics and philately doesn't mean that he/she has an edge over you. In the remaining time, consolidate your thoughts about how you spend your time and what you gain out of it. Be honest and write what you do and what you like. Do your research. All the best!
Indian Institute of Foreign Trade Official Facebook Group for 2016-18 Call Getters. This will be used to communicate to you all relevant and necessary information.
This (https://www.facebook.com/groups/IIFTGDPIDiscussion201618/) is a closed group. If you have got a IIFT MBA(IB) 2016-18 call please request access and wait for an admin to approve.
NOTE: If your request has been disapproved once that's because we did not find your name in the final selection list. If your FB profile name and IIFT form name do not match, we request you to message [ PM admin (https://www.facebook.com/ImAnurag27 orhttps://www.facebook.com/udit.ieee ) of group on FB ] us your unique IIFT roll number or application number to be included into the group.
Thanks!!!
Regards,
Udit Bhatia
Joint Media Coordinator - IMF Students' Council
Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), New Delhi and Kolkata