Group Discussion

GROUP DISCUSSION

Group Discussion is an important part of Campus recruitment process and is mostly conducted as an elimination round at the intermediate level between the aptitude and interview rounds. So, in this article we will focus on various aspects that will help us understand what group discussion is and why is it an important part of recruitment process these days and we will also provide you tips, tricks and strategic approach to get through each group discussion successfully. 

What is Group Discussion (GD)?

group discussion is a process in which candidates are divided in groups (generally ranging from minimum 3 to maximum 12) and a topic is given to them to discuss upon for a  fixed period of time (this fixed time duration depends on the number of candidates in a group, but generally it averages around 10-15 minutes). A panel is present to observe, guide (wherever necessary) and most importantly to decide whether to select or reject a candidate. The size of panel varies according to number of candidates in the discussion group (generally ranges from 1 to 4 members in the panel).

What is the significance of group discussion?

The competition in the corporate sector has become cut-throat nowadays, because of which companies intend to hire people whose skills are not only limited to a specific domain. They want professionals who will be able to represent their organization at a global level in future, if need be, and that’s where group discussion comes in the picture.

Through group discussion they are not trying to judge your knowledge of the topic, instead they are trying to judge:-

• Your soft skills
• Your attitude and level of comfort when you are in a discussion with unknown people
• How efficient you are in understanding what people have to say
• How well you can put your thoughts in front of people and make them understand
• How calm and reasonable you can be in situations of heated discussions.
• How good a listener you are

With all these aspects in consideration, they are trying to judge whether you will be a right fit for their organization.

Keep one thing in mind that you need not be the best speaker or listener in the world to crack group discussion, you just need to be above average and should be aware of the right strategy to apply in different group discussion scenarios.

What is the best strategy to crack a group discussion?

Every group discussion you’ll face will be different in some way or other, so here we are going to discuss some of the tips, tricks and practices that will help you leave a positive impact on the panelists and will ultimately help you emerge successful.

• First of all, you need to focus on your vocabulary and spoken English as almost all the group discussions in corporate recruitment processes are conducted in English Language. Read as much as you and try to talk as much in English as possible as this will help to be a fluent speaker and will also boost your confidence. BUY BOOKS HERE—————————
• Always carry a blank paper and pen when going for a group discussion. Before the actual discussion starts, you get 2-5 minutes to think on the topic assigned for discussion. Try to utilize this time efficiently by thinking about the most relevant points related to the topic and write them down on the blank paper you are carrying, so you can refer to these points throughout the discussion without the fear of losing them in thoughts.
• It is very much important to understand the topic properly. The whole group discussion is centered around its topic. If you deduce an inappropriate meaning of the topic, the game is over for you. So, in order to make sure that you understand the topic correctly, pay attention when the topic is being introduced and get your queries sorted right then, if you have any.
• Take the initiative and try to be the first to speak in group discussion, it will definitely be a plus for you but only if you are familiar with the topic. If you speak first and you are not familiar with the topic then you may end up getting stuck while speaking, which is not going to help your cause. On the other hand if you have knowledge of the topic and you speak first, then you can set the discussion to a path which favours you the most.
• What to do when you have no idea of what the topic is about? In this situation it will be wise to let someone else start and you should listen carefully to the discussion for the first 2-3 minutes. In this way you will get an idea and of what the topic is and in which direction the discussion is heading and at the right time you may knock in and get involved it the discussion.
• Body language is very much important. The panelists continuously observe you gestures and expressions, so try to sit in a way which reflects that you are fully attentive and involved in the discussion. 
• Never look towards the panelists. You are there to discuss a topic with your fellow group members not with panellists, so there is no need to look towards any of the panel member. If you do so, it will indicate that you are distracted and not paying attention to the discussion.
•  Try to avoid altercations, but in case you get involved in any argument then try to keep your calm and do not make any wild or aggressive gestures and avoid shouting or raising your voice. Use your mental excellence to win arguments, not your physical aggressiveness.
• Sometimes the discussion goes off the track or the discussion room becomes a fish market because of everyone speaking at the same time. You can take advantage of these type of situations and make an impression, but how? In these situations, interrupt in between and try to explain that discussion is going the wrong way and bring it back on track. Remember one thing, if you interrupt someone, make sure that you do with as much graceful and polite words as possible.
• Be the last one to speak. If you see the time limit for the discussion approaching or if the mentor asks anyone to conclude, then try to be the one to take this initiative and conclude the discussion. The effective way to conclude the discussion is to sum up all the points that were discussed and frame a conclusion based on them.

These were some basic practices that need to followed in order to be a good performer in group discussion. Try to be the driver in group discussion and take it to a path that fits best to your set of strengths.

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