To ace a campus placement drive, it is important to impress the recruiters with your strong personality, knowledge, and leadership skills. It is comparatively easier to stand out and give a great impression of yourself during a face to face interview and far more difficult to do so during a group discussion. The reason being group discussions are quite unpredictable as there are a number of equally enthusiastic candidates with different personalities eager to share their views. So, you really don’t know what conclusion the discussion may reach.

Nonetheless, doing a little preparation beforehand can take you places. Outlined below are a few group discussion tips and tricks that will not just help you overcome the nervousness but also do amazingly well and stand out in the crowd.

1. Know what skills you need and work on them:

The group discussion is one of the most important rounds for the candidates. It is during this round the recruiters shortlist the candidates they want to interview for the next step in the placement process. And the basis on which they shortlist majorly constitutes the good qualities or skills they see in the candidates. Therefore, you must demonstrate the following skills to impress the recruiters during the group discussion round–

Communication Skills

Without good communication skills (both verbal and listening), you won’t be able to put forth your viewpoint clearly and effectively.

Teamwork

Employers are looking for people who can work well with other members of the team. Try demonstrating the same during the group discussion.

Leadership Skills

Leadership skills are of great value to the employers and is something a candidate looking for his/her first job must possess. One way you can demonstrate this quality during a group discussion is by giving a candidate who has not spoken anything so far to share his/her views.

Analytical Skills

Comprehension or analytical skills come handy when you don’t know much or anything about the discussion topic. Patiently listen and try to understand the topic through what the others are speaking, gather your thoughts, and then put forth with conviction your own understanding and viewpoint. This will definitely help you win some brownie points.

group discussion tips

2. Read about the possible group discussion topics:

Take help from the Internet to read about the latest group discussion topics and read as much as possible so that you have enough content to share during an actual group discussion. You can also take help from your college’s placement committee by asking them the common discussion topics asked by the companies. The topics generally asked by the companies can be classified into two categories:

Abstract

Such topics are difficult to prepare for but the beauty of such topics is that you can figure out a way to relate them to another topic that you do know about by drawing a parallel comparison.

Specific

The secret for acing the specific group discussion topics is reading as much as possible. Specific topics can also be categorized into two types:

General Knowledge Based Topics

Current affairs or events.

Technical Knowledge Based Topics

Related to a subject or a concept you have studied in your college.

To be on a safer side, it is better to prepare equally well for both, abstract as well as specific group discussion topics.

3. Master the art of initiating a group discussion:

A group discussion offers tremendous opportunities to the candidates to initiate the discussion and make a great impression on the employers. You can start by sharing a quote that goes well with the topic or simply define the topic for everybody. Another effective way of initiating a topic is by presenting a question followed by an answer. If you are lucky enough to have given a topic on which you have studied extensively, do share facts and figures to support your argument.

4. Carry a pen and a notepad always:

Always carry a pen and a paper to the group discussion so that you can note down crucial points to refer back to or write down your own thoughts in a more structured manner. Before the discussion starts, make it a point to write down the names of the group members in the order of their seating arrangement. If later you have to refer to some other candidate’s point you know who he/she is. Remembering names is another great way of impressing the employers as it shows that you are attentive.

5. Put forth your views assertively and confidently:

Although it rarely happens, still it is quite possible that during a group discussion someone may try to make the discussion a little difficult by testing the patience of others by not letting others speak. No matter what don’t be the guy who loses his/ her calm and gives into the temptation to give a shout. Be respectful of other’s opinions but at the same time, share your own views assertively and with conviction. The way you conduct yourself and treats others sitting beside you will say a lot about your character even if you don’t get enough opportunities to share your thoughts verbally.

Hope these tips and tricks help you clear the group discussion round successfully. All the best!