How to Prepare for Group Discussion Rounds in Interviews

The Group Discussion, or GD, is a crucial elimination round in an interview process that candidates must participate in after passing their aptitude test or written exam. GD is an important part of any screening process because it requires a group of people to debate and discuss various aspects of a topic given by the interviewers.

Whether you are looking to get into a top-tier college or apply for a job, you will have to face the group discussion round to get one step closer to realising your dream. GD is a test that assesses not only knowledge but, more importantly, character. Because character traits are not formed in a matter of days, it is never too early or too late to begin preparing for GD.

Although many candidates are concerned about how they will present themselves in a group discussion, the group discussion round is not as terrifying as it appears if you master the tried and tested tricks that help crack GDs.

Here are some tips to crack your GD well,

Self-Assessment

The first step in preparing for GD is to conduct an honest self-evaluation to determine your inner strengths and weaknesses. For example, you should be aware of your level of comfort in public speaking. If this is an area that makes you nervous, it is more important to gain confidence through mock group discussions and practice.

Increasing your Knowledge

You can speak with confidence if you have well-prepared knowledge of relevant facts and opinions on a variety of topics. The GD topic for that day could be anything - economics, management, the environment, socio-cultural issues, and so on. As a result, it is best to prepare your key content ahead of time. Go over common GK and keep up with major current events. To gather information and facts, do a lot of reading on a variety of topics. It is also critical to forming your viewpoint on major issues.

Take the Initiative

In a group discussion, you will need to create opportunities for you to speak up and discuss your point. It's because group members will not allow you to speak unless you try. Begin by identifying gaps between the arguments to make your point, or make the GD's opening or closing argument to make an impression.

Listen Well in Group Discussions

Usually, people believe that in a group discussion, one should continue speaking. While this is true, one should also be able to listen to the important points made by other candidates. This not only gives you new ideas, but it also gives you time to think and formulate your next response, which would be very much in the right context.

Improve Your Appearance and Body Language

Body language and appearance are the most visible forms of nonverbal communication. As a result, the following group discussion tip is to practice your body language and appearance before the interview round.

It is gaining popularity in recent years because it plays an important role in defining an individual's personality, level of confidence, and leadership qualities. Be aware that everything you do, from entering the room to speaking, sitting, and reacting, will be recorded. Dress professionally, sit up straight, maintain your cool, and avoid appearing tense.

Communicate Clearly

In a group discussion, what matters is how well you present your ideas and how convincing your arguments are to the interviewers and other group members. It is critical to speak clearly to not only get your point across but also to leave a positive impression. Another thing to remember is not to sit back after making your opening statement. Use the phrases from the previous section to enter the discussion whenever you feel it is appropriate.

Summarize

Simply starting a Group Discussion helps to catch the GD evaluators' attention. Similarly, summarization provides an opportunity to impress the evaluators. Summarizing the discussion is putting together the entire discussion by highlighting the key points and concluding the results of the discussion. The summary should be brief and to the point, with no new points added for discussion. Make certain that the summary is not one-sided, but rather an amalgamation of both sides of the debate.