IIM Interview Important Tips

IIM Personal Interview Round: To help aspiring candidates to crack the IIM Interview round, BYJU’S exam experts have some important parameters in this article. It is very important to start preparing for the IIM interview in advance while preparing for the written exam.

Clearing the CAT exam is just the first hurdle. Candidates who will clear the required CAT Cut Off will have to crack the second stage of the B-Schools evaluation process (Written Ability Test, Group Discussion, Case Discussion, IIM Interview, Extempore, etc,.). This Personal Interview is the final frontier in the admission process of most of the B-Schools.

Read the article below to get expert tips to crack the IIM Interview round with a good score.

What is IIM Interview?

The interview round in respective IIMs is used to assess the clarity of thoughts, future goals and suitability with the B-school of the candidates. We are all well aware of how difficult it may be to succeed in the IIM WAT and Personal Interview (PI) rounds due to their unpredictability. Many MBA applicants prepare well for this round and read all the business publications, news editorials, and current affairs publications, but they still don’t get admission into their desired school. Therefore, it’s crucial to keep in mind that information alone is insufficient; you also need personality attributes like assurance, poise, and communication abilities. IIM hopefuls’ efforts would only truly pay off if they are successful in getting IIM interview invitations.

IIM Interview Location Details for the Respective IIMs

Institutes schedule the interview at the following locations. Candidates are required to travel to the nearest/ preferred location when called for the same.

Remember the IIM interview panel is here to select you not reject you. Here are some of the tips that you should keep in mind before taking an interview.

How to Crack IIM Interview?

The candidates need a lot of confidence to crack the interview round, rather than preparation. The IIM Interview panel basically judges the candidates on the basis of their skills, which include:

• Communication Skills
• Leadership Attitude
• Subject-based knowledge
• Problem-solving and Decision-making skills
• Open-mindedness
• Creativity
• Analytical thinking
• Listening power and many more.

IIM Interview: Important Do’s and Dont’s

Here, we have pointed out some important Do’s and Don’s that you must be aware of before attending the Personal Interview round.

Do:

Your Homework

You are going to face questions like “Why do you want to go to our Institute?” “What are your future plans?” “What are your long-term goals?” etc. Be prepared to answer them well. So, prepare yourself beforehand with all the important and common MBA interview questions to be able to tackle the interview.

Carve a good plan for why you want to do an MBA

Why MBA is the question every aspirant is going to face. Make sure you prepare beforehand for this question. Why MBA is the most frequently asked question in the Interview round

Study your CV

Try to go in-depth about the skills and work experience you have listed in your CV. Always be prepared to get questions regarding your previous work experience.

Despite months of preparation, no one can predict the questions that the candidate might have to face in the personal interview of CAT. The personal interview is a perfect setup to judge a candidate’s interpersonal and communication skills.

There are a few things that should be kept in mind before a candidate appears for a Personal Interview for B-Schools. They are as follows:

Documents

• Bring the right documents to the interview
• Copies of Resume, Grade Sheets (10th, 11th, 12th, Graduation), ID Proof and Recommendation Letters (if any)

Attractive CV

• The CV should be informative, attractive and easy to read
• Be well-versed with the contents of the CV
• Should be able to answer questions, if asked outside the CV

Be Well Groomed

• Important to know what to wear to an interview and be well-groomed
• Body language should be appropriate
• Have a positive attitude

Presence Of Mind

• Give the right answer at the right time
• Helps to amaze the panel with spontaneity, makes the ambience lighter, gives out-of-the-box answers
• Be assertive and attentive

Be Prepared

• Have well-thought-out answers to questions such as “Tell me about yourself?”
• Be prepared with your strategies to tackle the panellist

Follow Your Instincts

• Always believe in yourself
• Go with your instincts if the answer to the question asked is partially known

Be Textbook Ready

• Be well versed in academics (freshers) and work experience (working professionals)
• Be prepared for current issues in the business economy, taxation and foreign competition

Communication Skills

• Speaking and listening skills are often tested
• Understand the question well and provide a precise answer
• Do not bluff, Use appropriate language
• Walk into the interview with newfound confidence
• Don’t fidget, think positively, and make eye contact with the panel
• Be calm, cool and collected

Self-Awareness

• Keep up-to-date with all the latest happenings across the world (current affairs)
• Read the newspaper and business-related magazines every day

Don’t:

• Bluff or lie to the interviewer

Don’t think that the people sitting there in the panel would acknowledge everything in the CV blindly. They are smart and that’s why they are there.

• Be concise

Try to start a conversation and carve out a story in the form of your previous experiences. Try to start the conversation with your strengths and weaknesses with relevant examples from your past achievements or failures.

• Keep Contradicting

Never try to contradict what you said earlier in the group discussion.

• Tell anything good or bad about any other institute

Try to talk about balances. Be very diplomatic in answering these kinds of questions.

The personal interview is the last bridge between the candidates and the B-schools; hence it is the most important step of the selection process. Preparing for GD/PI sessions is a good time to reflect and introspect on one’s career goals and reasons why one is opting for a management career. Tricky Questions are a common norm in the Personal Interview round and candidates are required to answer these questions with confidence, logic and ease.

Stay tuned with BYJU’S for more preparation tips and get notified about the latest CAT updates to prepare effectively.