Your English is not that great. Does that mean you will lose out in your Group Discussion and Personal Interview?

In a chat with Get Ahead readers on November 29, trainers Gautam Puri and Arun Wadhwa of Career Launcher (I) had this advice to offer MBA aspirants: Communication is critical, and is defined as the ability to get your idea across. Language, accent, etc, are all bonuses; they all help, but their absence will not cause disqualification.

• Key GD tips, revealed

CAT expert Gautam Puri, co-founder and managing director of Career Launcher (I) Ltd, chatted with aspirants for an hour and answered their queries. An MBA from IIM-Bangalore, he has had successful stints at Hindustan Petroleum, Britannia [Get Quote] and VAM Organics. He has prepared close to 1,00,000 students for CAT. To keep himself abreast with the latest trends, he has also been sitting for the examination every year for the last 10 years.

Arjun Wadhwa has been associated with Career Launcher since 1999, when he was a student with CL preparing for his MBA. Influenced by his mentors in the organisation, and armed with his passion for teaching, he joined Career Launcher straight from campus after completing his MBA from MDI, Gurgaon. He has been with CL for four years.

For those who missed the chat, here is the transcript:

Part I: Ace your Group Discussion/Interview

clever17: While a Group Discussion on and i dont know much abt the topic how to proceed?

Gautam Puri: Listen for the first few minutes to understand the topic and then start speaking.

sajithk2005: good evening sir, is it good to take up part time MBA(XIME) or fulltime MBA,i have worked before?

Arjun Wadhwa: Full-time is always preferable, though the decision is normally based on a number of factors including time available, ability, etc. Part-time MBAs are not as highly rated by industry, though it is better than not having the qualification.

ST: Hi Gautam, i want to improve my communication skills, wat should i do..and also my intonation...pls reply thanks.

Arjun Wadhwa: Practise speaking the language, also listen intently while watching television or movies to start with.

neal: sir neal again how sould i get benifit from my work Ex of 3 diff sectors in PI courier, LIC [Get Quote], cloth

Arjun Wadhwa: By mentioning your learnings in each of your interviews.

shyamali: sir, well for a 18 year old gal, it has been a smooth running for me, wel planned, i am struggling to fill the essay for ethical dilemma in admission forms, from my true life? any way what part does this essay hold in admission, i feel this question could help selecting people with work experience, but not much for a fresher! pls give ur opinion sir!

Arjun Wadhwa: It could be referred to in the interview, in the sense you might be cross-questioned on what you write. It is unlikely to be graded.

wat to do?: IS "HIGH PROFICIENCY" IN ENGLISH A MUST HAVE INGREDIENT TO COME OUT WITH SUCCESS??....COZ I M NOT A PERSON EQUIPPED WITH FLAIR BUT YEAH WITH A BIT CONTENT...

Arjun Wadhwa: Communication is critical, and is defined as the ability to get your idea across: language, accent, etc are all bonuses; they all help but their absence will not cause disqualification.

clever17: Sir How to interrupt a person in a gd and to start speaking there?

Gautam Puri: You could raise your voice to gain entry and then reduce the volume later or start with extending the other person's point.

Gunjan: HI!i just wanted to know about wellingkar institute?

Gautam Puri: It is an decent back-up option in Bombay and has decent placements.

mohini: Hi I am working in a good software firm as a contractor after completing a course in GD n Interview can i give this contractor experience or not. Is glakes good for mba? At present I want to know what topics i should prepare for the GD and interviewthanks.

Gautam Puri: Contractor experience is a valid work experience. For GD, focus on current affairs -- read the editorials regularly.

basant: hello sir i am basant here i am a software professional and i am wanting to do MBA as a distance education .My question is that is it fruiteful for my carrer point of view ?Please suggest me for this purpose?

Gautam Puri: Distance and part-time MBA have not really picked up in India. The placements are not great.

jayrajt: Can u help me how to go about preparing for SNAP, I have appeared for CAT and expecting something about 35.
 
Gautam Puri: SNAP is similar to CAT but easier and has fewer reasoning questions. Also, DI is calculation intensive.

sajithk2005: can u suggest some books to improve in quant and verbal test

Arjun Wadhwa: If you are not purchasing any study material for CAT prep, then Class 8-10 maths text book and Wren & Martin for English are the best options.

Sathish: Sir, Could u tell me how should get myself prepared for the GD?

Arjun Wadhwa: Read a lot and practise speaking in groups. You could also join a personality development programme.

VG: Sir,I've cleared almost all the written test of my campus recruitment but I didn't get any job. Can you help me out ?

Arjun Wadhwa: Which city are you in?

Shaju: Iam a Btech in Mechanical...Want to do MBA after my graduation. Can u pls suggest me, is this is the right choice?

Arjun Wadhwa: Work experience followed by an MBA is generally a more acceptable route, though a large number of people also give it a shot straight after graduation.

EDEL: What do you recommend for a working exec... should I resign and take a full time MBA or do a distance learning??

Gautam Puri: Full-time MBA. 

Dilip: Thanks, Mr.Puri for your repsonse. I 'd take a break & would like to go for full time MBA & not part time as u suggested. Are there any options? Do you think I shd contact you by email as you'd not be able to guide me online?

Gautam Puri : enquiries@careerlauncher.com

Kant: Does IIFT and IIMS call give relaxation to people having work ex in their cutoff marks

Gautam Puri: It is not constant. At times the cut-offs for work ex people is lower than that for freshers; at times, a separate weightage is given to work experience.

Sidheswar: Sir, I am student of B.A.(English Honours) and want to Persue MBA. I have good command over Math but since last two years I am not practicing on math.Please guide, How should I make preparation for MBA and How far will it be beneficial for me.

Arjun Wadhwa: Start by revising what you studied in 8-10 standards. Join a preparatory course if you feel the need

ash: Are there any books/cassettes in the market from which I can get an idea about GD?

Gautam Puri: Many, but none that I can recommend.

jaded: hi i am workin in Lehman brother as software developer , i applied for SPJain thru XAT FMS and IIT's (JMET) . Is it really worth to do mba from here after working in Lehman. What is the scope after MBA?

Gautam Puri: Depends on the growth opportunities available to you without an MBA.

manu: hello sir, one my friend told me that during PI the panel can ask questions on chemistry,phsics etc or what ever they want.Is it true? and if i need to get through PI and GD what i have to do considering that i will be writing CAT'06?Please Reply

Gautam Puri: Questions are mostly from your academic background and from your areas of interest.

aaa: please answer my question how do u rate an MBA from university of madras between 1 and 10.

Gautam Puri: Maybe two or three.

wat to do?: OK I PROBABLY THINK I WILL GET CALLS FROM IIMS.....I M WRITIN MA XAT TOO...SUPPOSE (PROB=.0001) I DONT MAKE IT TO THE IIM N I GET XLRI.....well..should i try next yr for IIM or go ahead with XLRI?...PLSS REPLY FOR THIS.
 
Gautam Puri: Join XLRI, there is hardly any difference between IIMs and XLRI.

babu: sirji...which is easier CAT or GMAT ?? Please reply...still waiting.

Gautam Puri: GMAT has tougher English than CAT, while Quant in CAT Quant is more difficult than in GMAT.

gujju: hi i just wanted to know bout the percentile requirement n placements of wellingkar, wht bout SDMIMD N JAIPURIA?

Gautam Puri: Welingkar is better that the other two and it has decent placements.

kash: Sir can u spare a 2 min to answer my question?what do u feel about icfai institute and about its courses?

Gautam Puri: ICFAI Hyderabad is okay.

neal: NEAL:Can I get in to top 10 inst. with gap of 2yrs in graduation & 55% but wrk Ex i m confuse & worried? what r my positives.

Gautam Puri: Yes you can. I was pathetic in academics and repeated Class 12, yet was able to get thru to IIM-B.

sandip: i have some problem means thought on a GD topics.can you suggest me how can i develop or overcome tht ?

Arjun Wadhwa: Practise by participating in discussions in college.

Shaju: After doing B.E in Mechanical, which MBA is the right choice.

Arjun Wadhwa: Depends on your interest. Instead of looking at things as right or wrong, any MBA from a good B-School could be useful if you are interested in a career in mgmt.

jayasimha: hello sir, i am doing my b pharmacy final year,n am interestd in mba,,,so shud i go for general mba r any mba pharma,can u tell me which institutes offer pharma mba,,what kind placements can i expect,,with regards----jay.

Gautam Puri: Pharma MBA is not offered by any institute as yet (to the best of my knowledge) Go for a general MBA.

motorhead: hi. i am getting 48 marks in CAT this time. i am confident that with preparation, i can get all calls next time around. my quandary is whether i should try for CAT or rather try for an mba abroad through GMAT. can you please suggest...also, how important is job profile for GMAT? software programmer vs something different. i am a fresher from IIT.

Arjun Wadhwa: Since the GMAT score is valid for five years, it makes sense to take it when you are well prepared, maybe next year, a couple of months after you've given CAT a shot. It'll be very useful if you get at least three years of work experience before you eventually go abroad.

Ramu: Sir,I've cleared almost all the written test of my campus recruitment but I didn't get any job. Can you help me out ?

Arjun Wadhwa: Which city are you in?

rajamit: how to tell about my self in iterview.

Arjun Wadhwa: Practise it. Write it down first and then practise it with your friends. See if it sounds right. Check whether you are leading the interviewer to further areas that you wish to discuss over the course of the interview.

Kant: How good is SP jain 1 yaer Course in MBA is it only suitable for people having workex.

Gautam Puri: Okay for people with four to five years of work experience.

melina: when i appeared for an interview i was asked to defend an act by Hon, Mr. Manmohansingh, prime minister of india, can i expect such questions in Personal Interviews for B- school admissions?

Gautam Puri: Yes, you can be asked such questions if you show an interest in current affairs/ politics.

jayrajt: How do you rate SCMHRD for Hr course is it better than Somiya or wellingkers in Hr are again.

Gautam Puri: SCMHRD is better than the other two.

jimmy: what are the tips for group discussionswhat are there loking for in group discussions

Gautam Puri: In a GD, we are looking for team skills. A GD happens everyday in our life -- over the dinner table, among friends in a canteen. What you would do there should be done in an MBA institute GD.

gin: sir i am getting 44 in cat...i am lookin at iims only...do u think i shud prepare for GD and PI?

Gautam Puri: Yes, you have an outside chance. Focus on XAT also for XLRI.

ramna: hi, I did my engineering and now I am doing my Law. After this i want to do my MBA in HR or PMIR from TISS. What would be my market value.

Arjun Wadhwa: TISS' average placement salary last year was in the range of Rs 3-6 lakhs.

pallavi: Good Evening Sir, i have completed my MMS a part time course in HRM. Now i wish to pursue my MSC in International HRM from Oxford Brookes University, London [Images]. i want you to kindly guide me about the future of HRM in India for coming 5 years. As i want to know whether it is right to invest so much in foreign education now?

Arjun Wadhwa: Education, as you rightly said, is an investment. HR as an industry is unlikely to ever go into a depression, so the course should be useful. However, it might be best for you to work for a couple of years in the field of HR before you pursue another degree.

Magment: I am 32. Working for Central Govt. in non-executive cadre. I have finished M.Sc. (I.T.). I want to do M.B.A. from a good B-school to have a better career. Pl guide.

Arjun Wadhwa: Please send your query to enquiries@careerlauncher.com. You'll get a detailed response to the same.

KA: Would you like to suggest me there is any institute for project management course by which I can do the correspondence course.

Gautam Puri: None.

Part I: Ace your Group Discussion/Interview

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