Group Discussion is a very important round in any selection process, be it for an MBA course, campus recruitment or for any graduate/post graduate degree. The selection committee conducts GD to gauge whether the candidate has certain personality traits and/or skills that it desires in its members, say for example
§ Ability to work in a team
§ Communication skills
§ Leadership skills
§ Reasoning ability
§ Initiativeness
§ Assertiveness
§ Creatibility
§ Flexibility
§ Ability to think and act independently
Normally groups of 8-10 candidates are formed into a leaderless group, and are given a specific situation to analyse and discuss within a given time limit. The group may be given a Case Study and asked to come out with a solution for a problem. The group may be given a topic and asked to discuss on the same. A panel will observe the proceedings and evaluate the members of the group.
Let’s discuss some few relevant points which one should remember while appearing for a GD. One needs to know what one's objective in the group is---- to be noticed by the panel and to contribute meaningfully in an attempt to help the group reach the right consensus.
1) The first thing is that the panel should notice you. Merely making a meaningful contribution and helping the group arrive at a consensus is not enough.
· You must ensure that the group hears you. If the group hears you, so will the evaluator.
· You need to be assertive. It depends on you how you steer the group in the right direction, once it gets stuck to something. This gives you the chance to showcase your leadership skills.
· Most importantly, you have to make your chances. Many group discussion participants often complain that they did not get a chance to speak. The fact is that in no group discussion will you get a chance to speak. There is nothing more unacceptable in a GD than keeping one's mouth shut or just murmuring things which are inaudible.
2) The second most essential thing is that your contribution to the group should be meaningful. For that you need to have a good knowledge base. You should be able to think logically and hence put forth you ideas cohesively. The quality of what you said is more valuable than the quantity. It doesn’t help if you shout at the top of your voice and speak at great length, what matters most is what you speak and how it creates an impact on the group as well as the evaluators.
3) The last most important thing is that you must be clearly seen to be attempting to build a consensus. This shows your ability to work in a team, your ability to adjust yourself in new surroundings and help others in your team to reach a definite conclusion amidst difference of opinions. After all this is what all Group Discussions aim at: To be able to discuss and arrive at a consensus.
To be able to meet the above requirements during a Group Discussion, one should keep in mind the following basic mantras:
a) Be Yourself. Be as natural as possible and don’t try to be someone you are not.
b) Take time to organize your thoughts. Don’t suddenly jump to any conclusion. Think before you speak so that you don’t speak anything irrelevant to the topic being discussed.
c) Don’t make the mistake of looking at the panel while you are speaking. You are in a Group Discussion and you are expected to discuss among group members, so always look at your group members while you are speaking.
d) Seek clarifications if you have any doubts regarding the subject, before the discussion commences.
e) Your body language says a lot about you - your gestures and mannerisms are more likely to reflect your attitude than what you say.
f) Never try to show your dominance. Be assertive, speak yourself and let others speak as well.
g) Don’t lose your cool if anyone says anything you object to. The key is to stay objective: Don't take the discussion personally.
h) Show your leadership skills. Motivate the other members of the team to speak. Be receptive to others' opinions and do not be abrasive or aggressive.
i) Remember, opening the discussion is not the only way of gaining attention and recognition. If you do not give valuable insights during the discussion, all your efforts of initiating the discussion will be in vain.
Don’t be disheartened if you did not do well in your First Group Discussion. Instead try to learn from your past mistakes. Remember,
Practice makes man perfect!!!!!
Monday, February 23, 2009
Group Discussion - Some crucial GD Tips
Top MBA Colleges in India -MBA College Ranking, Best Business Schools in India - Outlook B. School Survey - 2008
1. IIM, Ahmedabad
2. IIM, Lucknow
3. IIM, Pune
4. NITIE, Mumbai
5. FMS, Delhi
6. IIFT, Delhi
7. SJMSOM, IIT Bombay
8. JBIMS, Mumbai
9. IRMA, Anand
10. IHMR, Jaipur
Top 10: Among Placements
1. IIM, Ahmedabad
2. Faculty of Mgmt Studies, Delhi
3. XLRI, Jamshedpur
4. NITIE, Mumbai
5. IIM, Indore
6. SP Jain Institute, Mumbai
7. IIFT, Delhi
8. Jamnalal Bajaj Inst, Mumbai
9. Xavier Institute, Bhubaneshwar
10. SJMSOM, IIT Mumbai
Sunday, February 22, 2009
MBA Admission Process to US Business Schools
Here are some important issues in the process:
Eligibility
Must have sixteen years of UG education, i.e., four years degree (or equivalent) after high school.
Must have adequate GMAT and TOEFL scores.
Required work experience, it is preferred by most of the Institutions.
Various steps in the admission process
Decision making
Select among the schools, make up your mind clearly about the expected outcomes, since this is a big investment of your time and money. Choose schools that fit with your long term career needs and those you think you can get into.
Make your schedule
one requires one month at least to collect information to short list universities.
For GMAT & TOEFL, registration work must begin four months before the test date.
Universities have deadlines for applications for International candidates, so getting applications and working on it needs time.
Preparation of documents such as the transcripts, recommendation letters; GMAT & TOEFL score reports, financial documents like the bank document and the affidavit of support, etc.
Application essays – it takes about two months to write the essays.
Activities like sending the applications before the due date.
All these activities require careful scheduling as per the preference of the applicant.
Application Process
Get the relevant application forms.
Appear for the test
GMAT and TOEFL – a good four to five hours of preparation is enough and adequate materials are available.
GMAT ( Graduate Management Aptitude Test) is commonly used as one of the many selection criteria for admission to US business schools. It is a computer / paper based test administered by Graduate Management Admission Council ( GMAC – www.gmac.com) round the year and tests the basic verbal, mathematical and analytical writing skills of the applicant.
TOEFL – Test of English as a Foreign Language tests the potential of standard American English at a college level. An internet/paper based test, TOEFL test includes listening comprehension, structure and written expression, reading comprehension and vocabulary and essay writing. It is administered by Educational Testing Service( ETS - www.ets.org) worldwide and the score is valid for two years.
Arrange the required finance
Finances mean the tuition fee, living costs and other costs like airfare, visa, insurance and preparation costs. You can cover it from your own funds or take a loan from the bank. Financial aids and scholarships are provided by some Universities so better to check with them individually. There are also opportunities to earn from part-time jobs, but can not be taken for granted.
Write application essays
Seem to be the most difficult and most interesting part of the process. It requires answers to questions like what your career goals are and why, the anticipated learning outcomes from the course, all your accomplishments and estimation of your merit for all that you have mentioned. Hence this part of the process is very crucial.
Arrange recommendation letters
Many applicants consider this as not-so-important one that can be self-written and get it signed from others. However, this is wrong and can invite trouble. So letters of recommendation should be authentic and it requires to communicate well in advance with the recommending persons so that they are completely aware of the facts you have mentioned in the application and you as a person. In this manner, recommendation can be managed in favour.
Complete the entire documentation and despatch before due date
Fill up the application form, arrange the transcripts, test reports, documents for financial support, essay and recommendation letters in general and any other thing as mentioned in the application for sending it to the University.
Prepare and appear the Interview
Interview of the candidate to judge the ability and interest for the program is common in most US business schools. It can be telephonic or through any authorised representative and normally are quite informal.
Finally wait for that coveted call and get ready for visa preparation; two things are important, convincing the embassy that you have adequate funds for the study and that you are not a potential immigrant.
Dreaming of MBA
Dreaming of MBA
Do you have it in you ?
Dreaming MBA
MBA in all its avatars – business management, rural management, international business; full time, part-time, customized for working class, distance mode; several classes of Institutions, inside the country or abroad – option are many and confusions are many fold. So do you have the right aptitude and clearly defined goals ? Let’s go for a general brush up:
Who look up to an MBA
Students - Ranging from a simple graduate to an engineer, law graduate or even a MBBS, consciously plan for this more market-worthy qualification.
Already employed - A work floor person looking up that corporate ladder, those who simply want to increase their pay packets, who wish to change their job, make a mid career change or to attain greater job mobility.
Professionals – those who are freelancers or work with own set-up often enroll for it so as to gain a holistic approach on their business or to focus with a refreshed outlook.
Entrepreneurs & business heirs - An entrepreneur would next jump for it to acquire that cutting edge to create, sustain and spread his empire. Heirs of business houses naturally are the right candidates.
What is on the plate?
Added glamour - MBA offers higher pay packets, challenging work environments and more over an opportunity for self-actualization to many.
Managing people – Harness that enormous energy from human interactions, team spirit and thereby sharpen your persona.
Develop smartness – let us call it as being street smart i.e., ability to get your work done.
Expand your horizon – Since you are involved in all macro and micro issues of the business, it forces you to study that balance sheet even if you are in the IT wing.
Skills of problem solving – being responsible for your actions, decisions and its impact on the organization’s performance, you gradually develop that rewarding skill of integration.
Confidence – this elegant facet of personality gets honed through everyday challenges.
So, churn out your interest pool and make a head start.MBA Admission in 2009
plz copy, check out the following link.
http://www.successcds.net/MBA-Admission/index.htm
OTHER MANAGEMENT TESTS
- JMET 2009 - Joint Management Entrance Test
- XAT 2009 on Jan 4, 2009
- CAT 2008 - Common Admission Test Notification
- MAT 2009 - Management Aptitude Test by AIMA
- SNAP 2008 - Symbiosys National Aptitude Test
- IIFT Entrance Exam 2008
- IBSAT 2008 on Dec. 21, 2009
- FMS Entrance Test - Delhi University MBA Admission Test 2009
- AIMS ATMA 2009 Important Dates
- PAT- 2009 Pharma Management Admission Test
http://www.successcds.net/mbaentranceexam.htm
MAT SCORE
MAT Score is acceptable even to certain other Institutes for considering admission of candidates for Post Graduate Degree / Diploma programmes, besides the above Institutes, subject to specific cut-off marks and other admission parameters.
Further details: http://www.aima-ind.org
Management Aptitude Test - MAT Test Pattern
MAT is an objective type test with multiple-choice answers. The test is designed to measure a person’s general aptitudes as the following table indicates:
Section no. | Section | No of Questions | Time Suggested (Minutes) |
1. | Language Comprehension | 40 | 30 |
2. | Mathematical Skills | 40 | 40 |
3. | Data Analysis and Sufficiency | 40 | 35 |
4. | Intelligence and Critical Reasoning | 40 | 30 |
5. | Indian and Global Environment | 40 | 15 |
| Total: | 200 | 150 |
MAT - MANAGEMENT APTITUDE TEST
MAT - MANAGEMENT APTITUDE TEST
Conducted By : All India Management Association (AIMA)
Centre for Management Services (CMS) is the specialized division of AIMA undertaking testing and other management services. The testing services have been in operation since 1988 under the trademark All India Management Aptitude Testing Services (AIMATS) facilitating academia, industry and government to screen and select candidates for higher studies, recruitment, promotion etc. Hundreds of organizations and lakhs of candidates have availed these services. AIMATS has the unique distinction of being the first to be awarded with ISO 9001: 2000 Certification for the range of services under its scope.
Next MAT - Management Aptitude Test Date
03 MAY 2009 (Sunday)
(Reporting Time 9.15 AM)
TIME : 10:00 AM TO 12:30 PM
MAT ELIGIBILITY:
HOW TO APPLY for MAT EXAM :
To obtain MAT Bulletin and Application Form by post, send a Demand Draft of Rs.1050/- to AIMA-CMS, drawn in favour of “All India Management Association” payable at New Delhi alongwith two self-addressed slips/adhesive stickers. Send your request to The Manager-CMS, All India Management Association, Management House, 14, Institutional Area, Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110 003.
OR
Obtain MAT Bulletin and Application Form on cash payment of Rs 980/-(Nine Hundred Eighty only) at AIMA counter at Delhi (Tel:- 24653382), select Bank of Baroda (BoB) Branches, AIMA Nodal Centres and other outlets .Bank of Baroda Branches (Click Here), AIMA Nodal Centres and other outlets.
IMPORTANT DATES FOR MAT EXAM:
Last date for Receipt of Filled form At AIMA, New Delhi : 11 April 2009 (Saturday)
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Third Party JavaScript and Links
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The more images, videos and other multi-media you have on your blog the longer it will take to load. However, images and other multimedia are important to attracting users to your blog, so it is important to optimize the load speed of your images and media. Here are a few tips to increase the load speed of your media:
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To install Nokia PC Suite messaging support from the main window of Nokia PC Suite
Do not remove the messaging support from your phone. If the support is missing from your phone, you cannot fully utilise the messaging features of Nokia PC Suite. For example, you might be unable to view the messages stored on your phone in Nokia Phone Browser, or back up messages from your phone with Nokia Content Copier. If you receive an error message stating that Nokia PC Suite messaging support is missing from your phone, you need to reinstall it.
To do this, go to the Nokia PC Suite main window and click
Help > Reinstall PC Suite support on your phone.
Installing Nokia PC Suite messaging support
To install Nokia PC Suite messaging support in Get Connected.
Preconditions: You have Nokia PC Suite installed on your PC. You have connected your mobile phone to the PC in Get Connected.
If your phone model does not fully support the PC Suite messaging features, Get Connected installs the required support application on your phone.
Finish the installation on your phone’s display. To do this, answer OK to all the questions that are shown on the phone’s display.
After the installation is complete, you can fully utilise the messaging features of Nokia PC Suite.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
samsung-omnia-i900.html
One of the biggest bugbears of the original iPhone for corporate users was its lack of business-friendly features such as Exchange support. A lot of water has passed under the bridge since then and, while Apple has evolved its product, other mobile manufacturers have been eager to learn from its mistakes.
Many are keen to steal Apple’s touchscreen crown and cement a firm place in the hearts of businesses and consumers alike but few are failing to really offer people a device they can use both inside and outside the office without compromise. Until now, perhaps?
One such contender for the throne is Samsung with its i900 handset. The Omnia, as it is more commonly known, whose moniker translates as ‘everything’ in Latin and ‘wish’ in Arabic, claims to offer users everything they could want in a mobile device ‘in one touch’. But does it really live up to the hype?
Dubbed an ‘all-in-one maxi-phone fully loaded with top-of-the-line multimedia enhanced smartphone features’ and backed by a €5.8 million (£4.7 million) campaign in the UK alone, with ads seemingly everywhere from the tube to newspapers (we haven’t seen any in the toilets…yet), the marketing bumf is enough to give you indigestion.
But, taking a step back from what the marketeers would have you believe you will actually find something of a business gem.
The exterior of the device initially looks pretty classy, but closer inspection reveals it as having a plastic rather than metal finish, which is a little disappointing. However, it doesn’t look cheap, which is an important characteristic for anyone in a business environment, particularly so for those that attend frequent decision-making meetings.
The 3.2 inch WQVGA LCD touch screen with its 240 x 400 pixels is ample enough for most business users’ needs. It’s based on Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, which may be enough to send some business users scurrying away. Samsung thankfully has given it a bit of a makeover, making it more pleasant to look at, though in use it’s still not completely problem free.
Business users will appreciate that the inclusion of Pocket Office. On-screen icons are well thought through design-wise and there’s can you drag your frequently icons onto the ‘desktop’, much like Apple’s OSX widgets enabling a pleasing degree of customisation. However, things can get crowded rather quickly.
The user interface was generally responsive – although applications didn’t load as speedily as we’d have liked. It provides impressive haptic feedback, so you know your request has been received.
There’s a range of input methods including keypads and handwriting recognition and a hard ‘mouse’ key at the bottom of the screen. Sadly, there’s no room at the inn for the stylus, which is forced to live forevermore outside of the handset’s casing on an entirely separate stick, so its eventual loss is near inevitable. However while you still have it in your possession you can admire its solid housing inside a retracting case.
An accelerometer cleverly flips what’s on the screen from portrait to landscape (or vice versa). Unlike with the iPhone or most Windows Mobile devices it does this with the entire OS, which is useful, doing so with a slick resizing effect. There’s a slight delay while the GUI re-adjusts but it’s not too terrible. It certainly makes for easier viewing for Word docs and emails.
Those keen to while away hours spent travelling (but not driving) by watching videos will be pleased by the support for DivX and XviD. Users needing access to the web at the touch of a finger will welcome HSDPA connectivity up to 7.2Mbps and Wi-Fi, while workaholics will smile at the support for push email.
There’s 8GB of internal ROM storage memory but a 16GB version is also available. This is boostable to a whopping 32GB with the addition of a 16GB microSD card, but you’ll need to remove the battery to slide it in.
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fundamentals-of-digital-logic-and.html
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probability-random-variables-and.html
click here to download
The Third Edition emphasizes a concentrated revision of Parts II & III (leaving Part I virtually intact). The later sections show greater elaboration of the basic concepts of stochastic processes, typical sequences of random variables, and a greater emphasis on realistic methods of spectral estimation and analysis. There are problems, exercises, and applications throughout. Aimed at senior/graduate students in electrical engineering, math, and physics departments. The Third Edition emphasizes a concentrated revision of Parts II & III (leaving Part I virtually intact). The later sections show greater elaboration of the basic concepts of stochastic processes, typical sequences of random variables, and a greater emphasis on realistic methods of spectral estimation and analysis. There are problems, exercises, and applications throughout. Aimed at senior/graduate students in electrical engineering, math, and physics departments.
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To change the name of the Recycle Bin desktop icon, open Regedit and go to:HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT/CLSID/{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}and change the name "Recycle Bin" to whatever you want (don't type any quotes).
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