How to Prepare For Group Discussion?

June 8, 2022

Tips and Tricks for Group Discussion.

Read the complete guide on how to prepare for group discussion asked in top MNCs and B-school admissions.

Page Highlights:

  • Importance of Group Discussion.
  • Why students fail GD?
  • 8 tips to crack GD round.
  • Do’s and Don’ts of GD round
tips to crack group discussion

Importance of Group Discussion

GD or Group Discussion round is conducted to check the following skills:-

group discussion tips

Communication Skills:-

How well can you communicate your points to everyone? This includes how much attention you are paying to the conversation and how active you were during the whole discussion.

how to clear group discussion

Point of View:-

Everyone has their own perspective on a topic. A candidate who stays firm on their point of view, not getting influenced by others but also respecting the different opinions.

importance of gd round

Holding Nerves:-

One needs to be of steady nerves and a calm disposition to get your point across. In a group discussion, you are required to observe everyone and give your opinion in a composed manner.

how to clear gd

Team Work:-

GD is ultimately a team round where you work with a group of people. How smoothly are you conducting the discussion, and how well are you presenting your ideas while in a team?

Why do students fail Group Discussion Round?

It is commonly observed that students are often unable to clear their Group Discussion round. Some of the common reasons for failing GD rounds is:-

  • Fear of public speaking. Many times even though students have the knowledge they are scared to speak up and say their points.
  • Some students are unable to control their emotions or end up panicking in the GD round.

8 Tips to Crack Group Discussion Round:-

How you appear in the round, is what makes the most effect on the interviewers. Be confident and maintain a calm posture. A candidate who is well collected and calm will get noticed by the interviewers most.

At the start of any Group Discussion, the first step is to introduce yourself. This will be the most important part of the round, and your introduction will be your first impression of the judges(interviewers/recruiters). So it is important you prepare a good introduction.

How you are putting your point across, is very important in a group discussion. You have to be clear when giving your presentation, and be professional. You cannot be aggressive when debating with another candidate.

An ideal candidate should have excellent listening skills, which is that you are paying attention to what the other person is saying in their presentation and cross-questioning them or answering their questions if needed.

An important reason for conducting group discussions is to observe the teamwork, and how a candidate can work when put in a random team. Do not try and compete with everyone by discrediting everyone’s opinion. Respect others’ opinions and if someone is mentioning a valid point that aligns with your idealogy, quote them in your presentation.

In a group discussion, candidates who take charge by leading the discussion are bound to get more points than others. When in a GD, you should be active and take the initiative, try to start and end the discussion and incorporate new ideas into the discussion.

There can be situations where things are not going as planned. Either the topic is something you were not expecting or it is a topic you are not comfortable discussing., or you are unable to formulate an answer to any question. In these situations, the interviewer will check how you are handling your emotions. You have to be calm and not get too emotional. Even under immense pressure, a candidate who can stay composed will prove to be valuable to the company.

Lastly, stay focused on your points. If you are taking a certain approach to the discussion stick with it for the entire round. If you are fluctuating or changing your opinions, based on others’ opinions will give a negative impact. This will give a negative impression as it will show that you are someone who is not sure about your opinions and can be easily influenced.

Group Discussion Round:- Do's and Don'ts

important tips for gd

Do's

  • Take care of your body language.
  • Initiate the conversation.
  • Be active in the discussion.
  • Let others speak, not interrupt them.
  • Support your points with facts and statistics.

clear gd round

Don'ts

  • Give lengthy explanatiaons without any facts.
  • Be rude and aggressive with fellow candidates.
  • Repeating the same points over and over.
  • Panicking or fumbling while speaking
  • Using raised voice to accentuate a point.