Points to Remember during Group Discussion for Engineering Students

Points to Remember during Group Discussion:

1. Always Enter the discussion room with a piece of paper and pen.In the first few minutes,if allowed ,jot down as many ideas as you can.


2. Everybody else will state the obvious.So,highlight some points that are not obvious.This will be appreciated by the panel members.


3. Your Contribution is based on quality and not on quantity.


4. Don't Try to show off.


5. Never address the panel members.


6. Don't ever criticize other group members.If you choose to differ,do so politely and confidently.


7. Your body language says a lot about you. Your gestures and mannerisms are more likely to reflect your attitude than what you say.So maintain good posture and eye contact.


8. Read,read and read more to keep yourself abreast of current affairs and hot issues.Then practise,practise and practise harder to ensure you dazzle the rest with your performance.

Some Situations to mull over in Group Discussion for Engineering Students

Some Situations to mull over in Group Discussion:

Eager-beaver wanting to initiate the GD...

• Beware.By initiating the GD,you are putting yourself in the spotlight and chances are that you will be remembered for it.All the more reason to create a positive impression...Therefore,

1. Don't jumpstart without understanding the topic completely.


2. Don't Stammer,stutter,mumble or jumble.


3. Don't misquote facts and figures.

• It's Great if you are the one to set the ball rolling...only ensure it doesn't roll into the gutter! Initiate the discussion only if you are sure about the topic.Else,Listen to others for sometime and pick up pace from there.

Too many wannable leaders...

• The Leader is no doubt admired.but in a group of ten members,If all ten want to play the leader,it can result in utter chaos.Observe the group dynamics and see if you can smoothly step in as the leader who will be accepted by the team members.No fun in being a leader without followers!If you feel there is too much competition for the top,don't worry.You can still play the role of an effective mediator or idea generator.

• Whether you choose to show yourself as the leader or not,ensure you speak sensibly for at least 2-4 minutes in a typical 10-15 minute GD.

'Help! I don't know anything about this topic...'

• There is no shortcut to sound preparation.So read a lot and stay updated on current affairs and latest happenings.Research on popular GD topics and organise mock sessions for that extra shot of confidence.

• Despite all this,if you still land up in this quandary,you are not left with much choice...Listen attentively to what the other group members have to say and piece together the information bits to give you some idea.

• Then ease into the discussion,probably by supporting the view point of a stronger speaker.

• Summarising or concluding the GD is also an ideal option if you don't know much .By summarising the group's discussion,you project your listening skills,speaking skills and comprehension.However,be alert because more than one person may be waiting to do the same thing!

Technical Group Discussion for Engineering Students

Technical Group Discussion for Engineers:

Case Study:

• In a case study,a problem situation is given typically with a central character involved.The group members have to understand the situation and resolve it.As such,there are no right and wrong answers.However,such GDs are usually not popular in freshers' recruitment.They are more popular in MBA admissions.

Technical Group Discussion:

• An Emerging trend in the selection process is the introduction of GDs with a technical twist.

Possibility 1: The Group is given a straight forward technical topic and asked to discuss it.Here,the evaluators assess the candidates' technical domain knowledge and power of expression.

Possibility 2: The group is given a brief presentation on some new technology,after which a question or related issue is raised and they are asked to discuss the same.Apart from asssessing the candidates' ability to grasp new concepts and apply them.

• Sometimes,the technical GD can include a QA session with the recruiter.

• To work efficiently, a group needs to have within it,a number of different types of characters.In the relatively straightforward categorisation below,the building and maintenance activities are regarded as good,the blocking ones as bad.Make sure that your contribution are always positive.

Building Contributions:

•     Suggests new or related ideas for discussion
•     Proposes different approaches to problems
•     Elaborates and builds on suggestions made by others
•     Questions proposals made by others,to test their credibility
•     reviews progress of discussion,and suggests next step

Maintenance Contributions:

•     Tries to reconcile different points of view
•     Encourages everyone to contribute
•     Relieves tension in the air,for example introducing humour,or by moving on the conversion.
•     Agrees to compromise rather than sticking stubbornly to a point

Blocking Contributions:

•     Talks excessively
•     Talks very little
•     Acts cynically or nonchalantly
•     Boasts
•     Carries on private conversations within the group
•     Shows aggressive behaviour
•     Criticising group members
•     Tries to take over the group without members' approval
•     Stubbornly disagrees and rejects others' views.

Types of Group Discussion Topics for Engineering Students

Controversial Topics:

Controversial topics are those that can cause a lot of debate and argument because different members will take different sides.

Key Purpose: The Purpose of  giving such topics is to understand the candidates' emotional maturity in expressing individual views and accepting opposing ideas.

Example:

• Privatisation will reduce corruption.
• Should euthanasia be made legal in india?.
• Joint family Vs Nuclear family.
• Globalisation is detrimental to third world countries.

• Is GD necessary in the recruitment process?
• Effect of television on youth.
• Do Women make good managers?.
• Borderless World :Myth or Reality?.
• Should CellPhones be banned in colleges.

Abstract Topics:

Abstract topics are vague topics having no particular reference.If given an abstract topic,the participants must explore diverse possibilities and simply spin the yarn! However,such topics are not very popular.

Key Purpose:  Such topics are given to assess the creativity and thinking pattern of the candidates.

Example: 

• Reg Green Red
• Winkle Twinkle Little Star
• Windows
• A Drop in the ocean
• Happy holidays
• Rules are meant to be broken
• Nine

What Skills are assessed in a Group Discussion for Engineering Students

Communication Skills:

• Two important aspects of communication - Speaking and listening abilities - are assessed in a Group Discussion.

• While speaking skills are sounded in terms of clarity of thought,coherence,and language proficiency,listening skills are demonstrated through patience and willingness to accommodate others' points.

• Equally important is non-verbal communication.Body language including posture,eye contact and facial experessions can speak volumes about you without being aware of it.

Interpersonal Skills: 

• The candidate will be assessed in terms of ability to interact with other members of the group in a competitive environment.These days EQ i.e.,Emotional Quotient , or rather the lack of it,can be a huge deterrent!

"We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak." 

                                                                                            - Epictetus,Greek Philosopher

Leadership Skills:

• Leadership skills include the ability to lead,inspire and carry the team along to help achieve the group's objectives.

• However,bear in mind that not everyone can be a leader.If all ten members in your group try acting as the leader,there could be total chaos.So,do what comes naturally to you.At the fresher's level,it is more important to project yourself as a team player than leader.

"Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower." -Steve Jobs,Apple co-founder

Problem Solving Skills:

• The Candidate's ability to be creative and to come out with offbeat solutions is assessed."Thinking outside the box" is to think differently,unconventionally or from a new perspective.This phrase often refers to creative,smart,and lateral thinking.

Conceptualising Skills:

• The ability to grasp the situation and apply it to a macro level is considered .It is important  to view the topic from a multi dimensional perspective.Rather than sticking on to routine and stereotypical ideas,think outside the box.For instance,if you are given the topic "Should Women work?",don't jump into the typical middle-class debate of a women juggling work and home.Think beyond the usual.Even nuns,actresses and servant maids are working women.

What is Group Discussion and its Importance

• Group Discussion is a filtration tool used by some companies to gauge whether the candidate has certain personality traits and skills they require in their members.

• Here,a group of candidates(6 to 12 candidates) is given a topic or a situation,given a few minutes to think about the same,and then asked to discuss it among themselves for 15-20 minutes.

• GD happens to be an important dimension of the selection process,especially by information technology(IT)companies.The organisations are typically on the lookout for candidates who are smart and communicative.During the GD,the panel members essentially evaluate the candidate's potential to be a leader and ability to work as a team member.

"Communication works for those who work at it"- John Powell

10 Important Tips to Perform Well in Group Discussion

1. The first and foremost important thing is you must have a subject knowledge as well as latest happenings around you every where.

2. Read various magazines and various reserach papers and newspapers....,so that you can get a wide knowledge about various issues. Avoid last minute preparation.

3. Concentrate more on your communication skills..,that plays an important role not only in group discussion but also where ever you go and survey.

4. Body gestures are very important...,this will tell a lot about you and the panelists will observe about how you communicate with others..? and your body gestures.

5. During the group discussion listen to the topic carefully and understand it and make a note about it, before you start your discussion.


6. Try to be an initiator and conclude your GD i.e.,(be the first person to start the discussion and try to conclude yourself), if the conclusion haven't came to an end.,keep your time don't go out of it during GD.

7. Listen what others are saying in your team and also respect their view point.

8. If you do not agree with other's point from your team.don't raise your tone because the panelists will watch your way of communication and your body language well.

9. Make the discussion as an interactive one and the session must provide a good solution regarding your topic and also don't get tensed and shy,while you are involving in GD.

10.Before the group discussion starts and after it ends, discuss with your team members about the information regarding the issues that need to be discussed and how the session was interactive one.,this will show your team work.,so that you can able to create a friendly environment where ever you go and survey.

Dear Friend's and Subscriber's,these are  some of  the tips needed to be known before you go for any Group Discussion.