12 Group Discussion Tips You Must Know

Group Discussion is deliberately conducted by the companies to check your interpersonal skills.

Group discussion or GD round is carried out by the companies in the advanced stages of the interview process to judge the communication ability of the candidates. Generally carried out in between the group of around 10 candidates this round is judged by a panel. Each individual is marked according to his performance and partition in the discussion.

Group discussion or GD is a most dreaded elimination round in the recruitment process. But if you follow these basic interview tips life will be easier. In this blog let us discuss few group discussion tips and tricks for success in this round.

 Tip 1: Your body language

Body language? Yes in this round also your body language plays a crucial role. How you sit, how animated you are, counts. Sit straight, no slouching. Do not fiddle with your pen or make any animated facial expression or loud gesture while others are speaking.  And most important tip here is to look into everyone’s eye while they speak or you speak.

 Tip 2: Team Spirit

GD is basically carried out to know how good team player the candidate is. Keeping this in mind always be courteous to other members in the group. You should never interrupt someone. Present your point strongly but not by cutting other while they are talking.

If you like some points appreciate the speaker. But do not criticize the one with whom you disagree. Avoid using terms like, ‘incorrect’, ‘disagree’ and ‘wrong.’ Use affirmative sentences for disagreement like, ‘another angle to the same’ or ‘different perspective’, to show you understand team spirit. 

Tip 3: Confidence Speak

Be calm and composed throughout the discussion. Even if the point you have thought about is put forth by someone else, do not panic. You are judged every second; the panelist can easily recognize your tension. So relax, think positively and come forward with a new point. 

Tip 4: Make your words count

While speaking, make your point count. Think well before you speak. The content is important. Frame your sentences well before speaking so that you do not stumble. Remember what you speak is valuable than how much you speak.

Tip 5: Open the innings

Never hesitate to open the innings if you are confident with the topic. Once the topic is given, write the key points and start the discussion. Lead the group discussion your way.

Tip 6: Give suitable examples

Make your point stronger with suitable examples. Quoting examples to back your point will surely fetch you some extra points.

Tip 7: Mock GDs

Participate in the mock GDs to get the feel of the process. By participating in the mock group discussion you become aware of your strengths and weaknesses. You can work on your short-comings before appearing for the actual round.

Tip 8: Stay Updated

Some of the most frequent topics for group discussion are associated with the general knowledge. Being aware of whatever is happening around will help in the preparation. Flick through the newspapers regularly or search the Internet for the current happenings.

Tip 9: Be Yourself

Most important here is being yourself. Be as natural as possible. All your responses should be natural and spontaneous. Don’t be bogged down with the overall setting. Treat the group discussion as an ordinary conversation with friends. This will help you to think rationally.  

Tip 10: Participation is Important

The rule of GD round is every participant should speak. Participation is important. If you are unaware about the topic, wait. Listen to others and subsequently put forward your point. However, do not speak rubbish. If you still do not get the hang of the topic, you can contribute by summarizing the discussion.

Tip 11: Do not be Individualistic

A dynamic independent personality is what everyone desires, but remember in group discussion the panellists are looking for your interpersonal skills. Be careful about your behaviour in the group. It is a challenge to maintain your individuality while being a team player and how you handle this challenge is what the panellists are looking.  

Tip 12: Do not be aggressive

Being extremely aggressive in the GD round is not a good sign. Many candidates make the mistake of being over-aggressive. Aggression brings dominance; you are not interested in what someone else is saying. But in the group discussion, you need to listen to other person’s view so aggression is not needed here.

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