Colleges around the globe are improvising on their admission process and personal interviews are increasingly becoming a part of the same. Most of the MBA institutes already use it as a filtering process and it’s only a matter of time when the best BBA colleges in Delhi also pick up the trend. Acing an interview is definitely not rocket science and you shall do just fine if you stay clear of the following 6 blunders. Avoiding these will impress the counsellor and your admission ticket will get confirmed.
So, start taking notes and plant red flags on these.
- Skip research and ask the interviewer directly
You have heard that it’s good to ask a few questions to the interviewer after the session. So, why not ask the person directly what the institution is all about? Your smart ploy will actually backfire and you will be taken as a candidate who isn’t interested. Do your research, tear down the college website and collect every information that is available on the internet about the college. You do not want to ask a question whose reply may come as, “It’s already there on the site.” Ask smart questions instead which you can only come up with via research.
- Doctor your answers to fit the question
Any interviewer will almost always ask you, “Tell me something about yourself”. Avoid writing down a paragraph at home, fill it with the prevalent adjectives and memorising it for the session. The best colleges for BBA and MBA do not like to hire machines and the counselors look forward to a conversation. Your homework may include jotting down your goals and ambitions but do not prepare an essay. The people in the room will be smart enough to identify a doctored answer and you will get eliminated in a matter of minutes.
- Keep it short and simple
You may think that it’s professional to keep your answers short and simple and ending the matter with just one sentence, the reality is the exact opposite. You must approach an interview as a discussion between two people rather than a question-answer session. Instead of a yes-no reply, elaborate by giving a real-life example and mentioning how you are capable of saving the day. It’s your chance to talk about yourself and you must make full use of the given opportunity. Then again, try not to go overboard and go on and on about one topic. Strike a balance between short and descriptive answers.
- Dress like a college student
After all, it’s a college interview, right? Everyone in the room may know that the session is not for a job and you are fresh out of a college, but that does not mean that jeans and casuals are allowed. Your wardrobe must contain a couple of professional outfits saved just for such purposes. Your attire will speak of your interest and attract respect from your interviewers. They will see that you are taking the interview seriously and took the pain to dress up. You may not carry a briefcase, but a tie is always a plus.
- Carry your casual habits with you
The best BBA colleges in India set a decent standard for their students during admission. So, if you have the habit of rocking your chair while sitting or tap the desk in front with your fingers, work upon them and leave them behind. Your interviewers will read your body language and you do not want to hand them your negativities on a plate. Practice sitting up straight with arms on the desk and talking with proper eye contact. As future professionals, you are not expected to be casual in your approach and it starts right from the college level.
- Move on without following up
Just because a reply did not come even after seven days, it is not time to move on. You must send a follow-up email to find out the status of your application. This shows your enthusiasm and interest and reminds the interviewer of your name again. Follow up at least two to three times after your interview by maintaining a decent time interval. State how the interview had been a great learning experience for you and restate your interest to join the college. Maybe add an extra skill that you might have missed out earlier and include it in the email now.
Colleges like Lingaya’s Lalita Devi Institute for Management & Sciences, one of the top IP University colleges in South Delhi prepares its students for all types of interviews. There are sessions where you can work on your soft skills and brush up your communication habits. Personal interviews are where recruiters evaluate you as a person and be it for a college or a job, you must give it equal importance. Stay away from the above blunders, take care of the small details and you shall come out as the winner. Good luck.
