HOW TO HANDLE STRESS BEFORE GD/PI

What is Stress??
Stress is the body's reaction to a change that requires a physical, mental or
emotional adjustment or response.
Stress can come from any situation or thought that makes you feel frustrated,
angry, nervous, or anxious.
Stress is caused by an existing stress-causing factor or "stressor."
Why do people stress out?
>Are you doing all you can do to maximize your potential?
If not, then you must sprinkle action over your ideas to make wealth take root in
your garden of prosperity. Perhaps your actions and energies are being sent in the
wrong direction. Sometimes you have to stand back, and see if you are happy at
what you're doing, and find others to give you ideas as to what the next step
might be. And lastly, you just might have to stop what you are doing and try
something different until you find the right work that will help others. All else
is needless worry. Whenever people fail to achieve their goals, 99% of the time
they will give an excuse of Lack of resourses.
Most people have no idea of the giant apacity they have, they can command when
they focus all their resourses on mastering single area of our lives.

>Too Much to Do
Are you stressed with too much to do? Then stop and rethink what you are doing.
Are all the things you're doing important? Would itbe possible for someone else to
help you out?Perhaps it's time to ask for help. And lastly,perhaps it's time to
simplify your life. If all the running around you do ends up killing you,is it
worth it? Of course not! So why not stop now? The biggest reason is that you have
habits built around all this busy stuff that need tobe changed and re-prioritized.
So make time to find out what's important in life.One reason so few of u achieve
what you truly want is that you never direct your focus,you never oncentrate on
your power.Most people dabble their way through life,never deciding to master
anything in particular.

>Are you stressed over what other people are doing?

Then who made you the ruler of the Universe? We only have control over one person,
and guess who that is? Ourselves!We cannot make anyone do anything; they have to
live their own life. When we worry about what someone else is doing with their
life, usually it's because we don't want to look at our own life. This is the time
to pull in the reins and look at the home turf. This is where all the answers lie
for your life. Stop putting off the changes you have been thinking about for a
long time. At this point it doesn't matter what other people are doing. What you
are doing is more important.

>Are you stressed because you're worrying all the time?

The only thing worry does is bring you down, and start the cycle of depression.If
we could harness the energy we put into worrying every day and make energy from
it, we could light up the city of New York for a full month. Don't waste that
energy; put it to good use. Instead of worry, make good use of your time and
volunteer with people that need your help. Then if you still find yourself
worrying, allow yourself to be in the moment and know that everything is fine
right here and now.If you deal major habits of worry and stress in your life, you
will be closer to attaining a state ofInner Peace.

>Are you taking adequate sleep?

Get enough sleep. When it comes to balancing busy schedules, students tend to put
sleep low on their list of priorities. Don't do this. Some people can function on
three or four hours of sleep per night, but most people cannot. Without sleep,
you're not going to be able to concentrate well enough to get the most out of your
classes. If you can't always get a good night sleep, work regular naps into your
schedule. Sleep on a regular schedule. You may find yourself getting up early
three days a week for your morning class and sleeping in until noon on the
weekends. As much as possible, though, try to stick to a regular sleeping pattern.
Also, try to go to sleep relatively early.

>Are you stressed because you cannot manage Time?

As your fall gd/pi kicks into high gear and your schedule fills up, you may find
your stress levels rising. You're probably counting the days until your next
vacation when time is - once again - on your side. But did you ever stop to
realize that the old "time is on your side" cliche holds true 24/7, whether you're
in college student stress hell or living it up on summer break?
If you want to calm your, master time management and get out of overwhelm, even
when college's in session, keep reading.
Time is your GREATEST asset in life. You get to CHOOSE how you spend it.
It's a hard concept to embrace because that means we all have to stop making
excuses. Instead of saying, "I can't exercise because I don't have time," you have
to admit, "I choose not to exercise because I'm not prioritizing it into my
schedule." We are all personally responsible for our lives and how we spend our
time is a direct reflection of how well we embrace time management. Instead of
learning better time management strategies and easing up on your own
perfectionism, you made excuses. Everytime, you feel deeper into overwhelm until I
let anxiety, depression, insomnia, and chronic stress usurp your life. Bottom
line: Take control over your time right now and be calmer and happier for the rest
of your life. You deserve it!

In order to calm stress you need to have a grasp on your own passions and
priorities so that you're in a stronger position to not be led around by the whims
of others."By determining your own passions and priorities, it gives you
confidence to stay focused on where you want to go in life,".
*******Eating habits and Physical Exercise can be mentioned*******
Group Discussion
What and why?
GD is a discussion by a group of people which involves an exchange of thoughts and
ideas. Group Discussions are largely used by institutes where there is a high
level of competition. The number of participants in a group may vary from 8 to 15
people. In most cases a topic or a situation is given to the group and the members
have to discuss it within a given period of time.
What the panel looks for:
All that one observes in a GD can be categorised into two broad areas: the Content
and the Process.
The content is all about the ‘matter’ (or the ‘what’) spoken in the GD. Whereas,
the process refers to the ‘how’, ‘when’ and ‘why’ of the GD.
Knowledge of the topic: Some years back content was the most important aspect of
GD. Although content still holds its importance but in addition to that you are
also weighed on how analytical and aware are you about your surroundings. Earlier
it was just about discussing pros and cons of an issue but now knowledge gathered
from various sources, analysed and presented in a structured form holds the key to
success in GD. Reading newspapers, magazines, and going through Economic Survey
would help in enriching the content of GD.

Both are equally important and need adequate attention at all stages.

A high quality contribution with no regard to the ‘process’ is as suicidal as one

which is high on packaging with little content.
Group discussion: Evaluation criteria
Group discussion is an important dimension of the selection process. Any institute
requires students to work with others for effective functioning. In today’s
context, the educational institutes and organizations are interested in team
players rather than individual contributors. During the Group Discussion, the
panel essentially evaluates the candidate’s potential to be a leader and also
his/her ability to work in teams. Remember that institutes are typically on the
look out for candidates who will inspire to lead and succeed and for that you need
to be a good team player.
Here is a sample list of skills assessed during a group discussion:
>Leadership skills:
Ability to take leadership roles and ability to lead, inspire and carry the team
along to help them achieve group’s objectives.
Example: To be able to initiate the group discussion, or to be able to guide the
group especially when the discussion begins losing relevance or try to encourage
all members to participate in the discussion.
>Communication skills:
The participating candidates will be assessed in terms of clarity of thought,
expression and aptness of language. One key aspect is listening. It indicates a
willingness to accommodate others views.
Example: To be able to use simple language and explain concepts clearly so that it
is easily understood by all. You actually get negative marks for using esoteric
jargons in an attempt to show-off your knowledge.
>Interpersonal skills:
Is reflected in the ability of the individual to interact with other members of
the group in a brief situation. Emotional maturity and balance promotes good
interpersonal relationships. The person has to be more people centric and less
self-centered.
Example: To remain cool even when someone provokes you by with personal comment,
ability to remain objective, ability to empathize, non-threatening and more of a
team player.
>Persuasive skills:
Ability to analyze and persuade others to see the problem from multiple
perspectives without hurting the group members.
Example: While appreciating someone else’s point of view, you should be able to
effectively communicate your view without overtly hurting the other person.
>Problem solving skills:
Ability to come out with divergent and offbeat solutions and use one’s own
creativity.
Example: While thinking of solutions, don’t be afraid to think of novel solutions.
This is a high- risk high-return strategy.
>Conceptualizing skills:
The ability to grasp the situation, take it from the day to day mundane problem
level and apply it to a macro level.
Example: At the end of the discussion, you could probably summarize the findings
in a few sentences that present the overall perspective. Don’t be disheartened if
you don’t make it after your first group discussion. The best possible preparation
for a group discussion is to learn from one’s past mistakes.
Critical success factors in a GD
Sailing through Group Discussions successfully is an art. Here is a look at some
strategies that will take you a long way in winning the day.
Good listening skills: Listening doesn’t mean hearing. It means listening and
understanding what the other person is saying. If you have good listening skills,
you will be able to keep a track of where group discussion is moving. You will
know different points that have already been raised and you have to bring in some
new point.

Confidence: You have all the knowledge and good listening and analytical skills,
but you do not have confidence to assert what you are saying is right, may prove a
negative point. In GD panelists do not know you personally; they would only be
able to judge you from what you speak.
Introduction: Introducing the topic can make or break the situation. May be you do
not speak for the next 10 minutes, but if you give a good introduction you are in.
When the GD begins, everybody is speaking and you might not even be listened. But
when you are asked to introduce the topic, you can take the situation forward.
Explain the topic, don’t read what is written. Give brief introduction to the
topic and what you think of it. People think that taking a stand in GD might to go
against them. But there is difference in being assertive and in being rigid. You
are expected to give your point of view.
Cognitive skills or knowledge: The most important aspect of your contribution to a
GD is the quality of content (QOC), which is reflected in the points you make,
knowledge of the relevant subject, and the supportive examples you give.

Comprehension of the core idea: It is essential to deliver high quality content.

But to do that, you should speak on the topic and not deviate. The panel basically
wants to see whether you have identified the crux of the problem and whether you
are offering relevant solutions.
Logical reasoning: It includes understanding the topic, generating quality
arguments, analysis and a progressive approach to a justifiable conclusion. This
is one of the necessary attributes to be seen in an influential participant. Such
people convey an impression of being open minded and logic driven rather than
opinionated.
Behavioural and personality skills:This includes certain attributes like rapport-
building, team membership, participation, patience, assertion and accommodation,
amenability, leadership, etc.
Clarity of thoughts:In whatever you say, follow a logical sequence/order rather
then presenting the points in some bits and pieces.
Body language and eye contact:These are some tools which check your level of
confidence and whether you can work together effectively in a group or not.Certain
gestures like folding of arms,shaking legs should be avoided.And be sure to
maintain eye contact with everyone in the group.
Be Natural: The best mantra is ‘to be your natural self’. Do not manufacture
artificial responses. See a GD or an interview as just an extension of any other
routine situation you encounter. This will induce spontaneity in your responses
and will save you the unnecessary “What should I do if . . .?” problem.
Must speak: The first principle of participating in a GD is that you must speak.
Before you start speaking, think through the major issues in the topic in the
first two minutes. Jot down points on the paper or mentally work out the framework
for analysis. Start speaking only when you have understood and analysed the topic.
If another participant has started the discussion even before you have read and
understood the topic, you could try to ask the person to wait while you finish. It
may, however, be better to continue with your analysis, while listening to what is
being said, and to speak only when you are ready. If you do not understand the
topic, then either ask the group what the topic means and accept that your
ignorance will be obvious to all or else wait. May be the meaning will become
clear after a few minutes of the discussion, when someone else discusses it.
Avoid speaking in turn as it leads to an unnatural discussion. A GD involves a
free-flowing exchange of ideas among participants. Even though there will
definitely be chaos in most competitive GDs, as all participants will be keen to
be heard, any suggestion of order, such as speaking, in turn, is unacceptable.
Opening and closing a discussion:Opening a discussion is a high risk – high return
strategy. In most GDs, the opening speaker is the person who is likely to get the
maximum uninterrupted air time. The reason is simple – most other participants
will still be trying to understand the basic issues in the topic, or are too
nervous to speak and are waiting for someone else to start. Therefore, the
evaluators get the best chance to observe the opening speakers. Now this is a
double-edged sword. If the opening speaker talks sense, he will get credit because
he opened the discussion and took the group in the right direction.
If, on the other hand, the first speaker’s start lacks substance, he will attract
the undivided attention of the evaluators to his shortcomings. He will be marked
as a person who speaks without thinking and merely for the sake of speaking. Also,
he may be marked as someone who leads the group in the wrong direction and does
not make a positive contribution to the group.
So remember, speaking first can make or mark your GD performance depending on how
you handle it. Speak first only if you have enough sensible things to say.
Otherwise, keep yourself silent and let someone else start.
Try and summarise the discussion at the end. In the summary, do not merely restate
your point of view, also accommodate dissenting viewpoints. If the group did not
reach a consensus, say so in your summary, but remember, do not force a consensus.
Forcing a consensus could end up working against you.
Entering a discussion: Identify the way to enter the discussion. In a loud GD
where there are three or four aggressive participants, and where a number of
people tend to speak at the same time, it becomes difficult for others to get a
chance to speak. This is the most frequent problem encountered by participants.
There is no foolproof solution to this problem. And such a situation is pretty
much likely to prevail during the actual GD that you participate in. However, it
is crucial that you speak. How can you do this?
Enter with a supportive statement: A useful way of starting your interjection is
by supporting a point that has just been made. People will let you speak if
they think you agree with them or if you praise them. Try starting by saying
something like, “I agree with that point and I would like to add . . .”
Alternatively, praise the person who had just spoken by saying, “I think that is a
very important point . . . “. In all probability, he will let you speak. Once you
have the floor, you could either extend the argument or you could switch tracks by
saying, ” . . . however, before we spend more time on that issue we should be
discussing . . .”
Enter by increasing volume: The most natural way of entering when you find that
others are not listening is to raise your voice. This is not the smartest way of
interjecting and in a GD where everyone is shouting, there is only a slight chance
that it would work. To be effective, however, you will have to combine this tool
with some of the others mentioned, as it is unlikely to succeed on its own.

Personal
interview

Your academic skills were checked in the entrance test, your people’s skills were
checked in GD, now comes the turn of gauging you on your own standards. The B-
schools want to know how much you are aware of yourself and how much you relate
your goals to your personal self. Students spend most of the time in going through
course books whereas 90 per cent of the interview questions are based on you. What
could be better than answering questions on yourself? But answering questions on
yourself can catch you in a tight spot.
How to Deal With Interview Stress
To many seekers, "stress" is synonymous with "interview."Students stress over
landing an interview. Then they stress over preparing for it. And then they stress
over what to wear, what to say, if the interviewer will like them and more.
But the worst stress of all often occurs during the interview. This is the stress
that can cause you to blow it. It can make you freeze, panic, chatter aimlessly,
lose your train of thought or perspire profusely.
Interview Preparation
Review as much information as possible on your resume. Your interviewers will
review your file before speaking with you and jot down notes for possible
interview questions. Re-familiarize yourself with your grades, essays and research
topics so they will be fresh in your mind before the interview. At the very least,
be prepared to discuss your three most significant:
i) Accomplishments and what they mean to you
ii) Personal attributes of which you are most proud
iii) Abilities that will make you an excellent leader
Whenever possible, incorporate these strengths into your answers. Also be prepared
to discuss your weaknesses. Most applicants naively think that they don’t have any
shortcomings and are blindsided by these questions. Although it’s difficult to
talk about possible deficiencies, your job at the interview is to recognize
questionable points in your background and to discuss them confidently and
directly.
Learn as much as possible about the particular organization and its program. The
more information you have, the better you can anticipate typical questions and ask
intelligent ones yourself.Read every bit of material you can find about the
organization and be prepared to customize your answers to reflect its strengths.
Tips to Asking & Answering Questions Effectively
1) Keep your answers short, but informative: Be prepared to offer a 4 to 6 line
answer to every question. This is enough to share a few thoughts and to stimulate
further discussion if the interviewer desires. Try to avoid simple yes and no
answers or responding in monosyllables. Show interest in the questions and sincere
thought in your responses.
2) Avoid sounding self-centered: Cite your achievements, but demonstrate an
appropriate level of humility. When discussing professional accomplishments,
acknowledge the help and support of your teammates, mentors, teachers and role
models.
3) Don’t reveal insecurities: Accentuate the positive and don’t dwell on the
weaknesses in your background or application. Don’t give any indication that you
aren’t willing and able to meet the rigors of the organization. Your job on the
interview is to convince them you are the right candidate: they won’t believe it
if you don’t sound sure of yourself.
4) Watch your tone. You’ll certainly be asked a few stressor questions that are
designed to test your ability to handle conflict. Don’t get defensive. Your tone
can be revealed in both the words you choose and your voice. Practice responding
to difficult questions with a friend before the big day. It will help.
5) Listen carefully to the interviewer, no matter how nervous you are. Too many
candidates ask questions at the end of their interviews on topics that we’ve
already covered. Although you’ll be stressed during the interview, this isn’t
acceptable. It simply confirms that you weren’t listening, which is the kiss of
death for the applicant.
6) Goals -Show that you are committed to your career objectives: Your goals
should be consistent with your experience and your desire to pursue further
education.Be prepared to demonstrate how advanced training and education will help
you achieve your goals. Highlight some of the strengths of the program to further
justify your choice. Make sure that all your answers connect and reflect the
thought you have put in planning for your future.
7) Personal -Be sure to prepare a brief outline of your upbringing. Take every
opportunity to show that you are achievement oriented and strive to develop both
personally and professionally. At the same time, show yourself to be a well-
balanced and sensible person with varied interests. In your choice of books, it
does not matter whether it is science fiction or biographies: the idea is to show
yourself as knowledgeable in whatever interests you pursue.
Tips for Interview Success
1) Prepare for the interview extensively: review your application, learn about the
school, and prepare answers for the typical questions
2) Practice answering questions aloud before the interview until you can handle
all types of questions confidently
3) Walk into the interview with an air of confidence and professionalism. Offer a
firm handshake and a professional demeanor .
4) Listen carefully to the interviewer’s questions and answer accordingly. Don’t
babble incessantly about a related topic or answer the question you wish he had
asked
5) Be yourself. If your answers are ambiguous or inconsistent, the interviewer
will likely consider you a poor candidate. Don’t send out any unnecessary warning
signs.
7)Self awareness - You should be able to delve on each and every aspect of your
personality, family background, the city you come from and the institutes you have
studied in. If you are aware of your strengths and weaknesses you will be able to
justify them, for example the panelists may ask you about your poor academic
record. As long as you know why you under-perform you can prove that.
8)Ability to maintain calm - The real you comes up when you are under pressure
situation. The panelist will try to grill you on your weakness or on the answers
you are giving. They want to put you under pressure and see whether you lose your
calm once put under pressure. Students at this situation become nervous and it
starts showing on their faces.

The interviewer may wish to probe into some of your claims to fame in your
resume/essays. Be sure to review your application, essays and resume prior to the
interview. The worst thing you can do is contradicting yourself at the interview.
A few simple techniques can help calm frayed nerves and sooth interview jitters.
• Early Warning Timing is everything: Don't cause yourself undue stress before
a big interview.Arrive about 10 minutes before the interview is scheduled to
begin. If you arrive too early, you'll sit and wait and worry. And if you arrive
too late, you may find yourself racing in the door, your heart already pounding
from a last-minute dash.A ten-minute, pre-interview break will give you an
opportunity to catch your breath and acclimate to your surroundings. It's enough
time, but not too much time.
• Picture This You can make your dream a reality. Use your imagination to stay
calm during a job interview.Visualization is a relaxation technique in which you
create a mental image of a stressful or challenging situation. Then you imagine
yourself succeeding in the situation. By doing so, you're mentally preparing to
handle the event in real life.You can practice visualization in the days, hours or
even minutes before an interview. Simply close your eyes and breathe deeply.
Picture yourself greeting the interviewer confidently and answering tough
questions with ease.
Practice succeeding in your imagination, and soon you'll be doing it in
reality.
• Relax A relaxed candidate is a confident candidate. Show the interviewer
that you're calm, composed and in command during an interview. He's likely to
assume that you'll be rock-solid on the job too.
Use these tips to stay relaxed during an interview:
• Breathing deeply and slowly (and quietly, of course).
• Sit up straight and don't cross your legs or arms.
• Speak slowly and pause for breath often.
• Keeps your hands and jaw relaxed; no clenching.
• Smile -- it really is contagious!

• Pause, Don't Panic In every interview, there comes a moment that doesn't go
according to plan. There's an awkward silence. You stumble over your words. You
flub a tough question.Don't panic. Now's the time to put your relaxation skills
into overdrive.It's much easier to control fear and panic as it starts to build
than to calm yourself down once they've begun to spiral out of control. When you
feel yourself starting to panic and lose focus, pause. Tell yourself silently that
you can do this. Take a deep breath. Refocus. And then resume interviewing.A quick
ten-second pause can be all you need to regain your composure and get back in
control. And the interviewer likely won't even notice.