How To Prepare For SBI PO Group Exercises And Interview

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How To Prepare For SBI PO Group Exercises And Interview Guide Free Post

Group Exercises & Interview is the last leg of the selection process of SBI PO Exam. This phase of the selection process carries a total of 50 Marks (20 Marks for the Group Exercises and 30 Marks for the Interview). Now these 50 marks have the capacity to decide your fate. It has been seen in the previous year’s interviews, that candidates have scored 45+ marks in this phase of the SBI PO Exam. It is possible to get a score as high as 48 marks out of the total of 50. This Post is intended to guide the prospective candidates, in all respects as to how to go about the preparation and ultimately the performance in the SBI PO Group Exercises and Interview.

SBI PO Group Exercises & Interview Preparation Guide

Here we will look upon all the important aspects of this phase.

SBI PO Selection Process 2019 – Phase – III Marks

Group Exercises 20 marks

Interview 30 Marks

First let us talk about the Group Exercises part.

There would be two exercises carrying 10 marks each.

Group Discussion (10 Marks)

First exercise would be a Group Discussion.
You will be made to sit in a semicircle with 9 other interviewees.
There would be two moderators mostly top brass of the State Bank of India. They would give you very clear instructions on what has to be done during the Group Exercises. Listen to them very carefully.
Then you would be asked to introduce yourself. Keep your introduction short, crisp and fairly informative. Do not drag it too much giving irrelevant details.
After the introduction part is done, you would given a topic for Group Discussion and a time frame of mostly 10-15 minutes to give the topic a thought and note the points that you would speak.
The moderators would give you a signal and then you all would start the Group Discussion.

Some Tips for Group Discussion

First things first, if you familiar with the topic given to you for group discussion, then it is an added advantage. You can take lead and go on with starting the Group Discussion. Remember, present your points very clearly and in a concise manner. Do not repeat the same point over and over again. The moderator would be impressed seeing your knowledge on subject matter and also your confidence level to having started the discussion

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How To Prepare For SBI PO Group Exercises And Interview Guide Free Post

If you are not very familiar with the topic of discussion then it is advised, listen to fellow candidates and try to gain some perspective. After this, you could gather up some of your points and present yourself.
Speaking is important, gain some confidence and speak up. Sitting quiet for a very long time can have negative impact on your score in the Group Exercises.
Another thing that is judged during a Group Discussions is your listening skills as to how you give due importance to listening to other candidates’ opinions, adding your points to it and then carrying forward the discussion.
The next thing that is judged is your leadership skills. The way you lead the discussion, ask your fellow candidates their opinions about the topic, add to their opinions and giving direction to the discussion.
It is advised not to be aggressive and overbearing during the discussion. Maintain your calm and give others an opportunity to speak is also a very important aspect. Not letting others speak or becoming too defensive about your opinion, raising your voice, being harsh or being dismissive or other persons’ opinions can have a deleterious impact on your performance.
Have a complete control over your body language and gestures. Shaking your legs or hands or fumbling or always looking in one direction can be bad signs. Always be calm and maintain your composure while sitting during the discussion.
Maintain an eye contact with fellow candidates while speaking. Carefully listen and respond when other candidates are putting their viewpoints. Do not look towards the moderators during the Group Discussion.
The moderators sitting there would also judge you on your decision-making and problem-solving abilities. Try to discuss the given topic in all its aspects including its pros & cons. Do not overtly emphasise only on the negative aspect of the problem. Be optimistic as well as real.
In the end try to conclude the discussion with an appropriate conclusion. Decide amongst yourself and try to come to a plausible conclusion at the end of the discussion.
Be confident, be clear & precise, be a good listener, try to lead the discussion towards a conclusion and that would be all.

Prioritization Exercise (10 Marks)

The second exercise would be a prioritization activity. You would be given a situation or requirements for a particular activity. Candidates will be given a set of 8-10 qualities/ attributes/ traits/ parameters which they will have to prioritise according to their understanding of the topic/ situation/ thinking ability. The arrangement would be like the most important thing will be on the top and then going on the least important at the last. You would be given a few minutes to decide the priority list yourself and then 15-20 minutes to discuss with the fellow candidates.

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How To Prepare For SBI PO Group Exercises And Interview Guide Free Post

Tips for the Prioritization Exercise

Analyse the situation given to you rationally.
Think about it with an all-round perspective and think what could be done if you were in that position. And then prioritise the pointers given to you.
Be open minded and use common sense as to what could have been done if you were in that situation. This would serve the purpose.

Interview (30 Marks)

First of all, let us discuss what does the Interviewer looks for in a prospective candidate.
The interviewer looks for a candidate who is a perfect fit for the job. A personal interview is an attempt at knowing the candidate at a personal level and assessing the various traits of his/her personality. The interview panel wants to know whether you are capable enough to handle the roles and responsibilities for the post of a Probationary Officer.

Let us discuss what all needs to be done on your part in order to excel in your interviews.

Things to be taken care of before the interview.

Dress appropriately. Dress to conquer.

For Males:

Have neatly groomed hair.
Clean shaven or groomed moustache; No Beard
Light coloured, ironed long sleeved shirt and a tie(optional)
Well ironed pants, preferably black or blue
Any dark coloured, well-polished formal shoes

For Females:

Neat Hairstyle. The hair should be well tied or neatly kempt even if open. They should not interfere with your concentration while you are giving the interview.
Keep your make-up minimal or very light even if you apply it.
Indian Formal Wear: Keep it to a neatly ironed salwar-kameez or neatly pleated cotton saree. Do not choose bright or eye-popping colours.
Western Formal Wear: Prefer dark trousers with a light-coloured shirt with a proper fit.
Minimal accessories and simple footwear.

How To Prepare For SBI PO Group Exercises And Interview Guide Free Post

Be Punctual

Reach on time and give yourself time to relax so that you are calm and composed during the Group Exercises & Interview.

III. Carry all the important Documents

The most important documents would be your Interview Call Letter and Biodata form that you would download from the official website.
Pay attention to what all documents are required of you. The list of documents that you need to carry would be given in the Interview call letter. Make a note of it and carry those without fail.

What all is being assessed?

First and foremost, your Body Language & your etiquettes as soon as you enter the room in which the Interview panel is sitting.
Greet them appropriately. Take a note of time and wish accordingly Good Morning/ Good Afternoon. Be soft but be audible and clear.
Next thing is your level of confidence and clarity of thoughts. How well you can articulate your thoughts and knowledge that you have.
Your personality is assessed by asking questions on your family background, your academic performances and any extra-curricular activities that you had indulged yourself in during your school and college years. These things give them the knowledge of how active and consistent you had been in your past and also throws some light on way you had handled things.

“Tell us about yourself?”

The next thing you are asked is most common but important question that is “Tell us about yourself?”

Now the way you answer this question will lead the interview.
Start with the basic information about your name, your birthplace, your Parents occupations, your academic background and gradually leading to your achievements and hobbies and activities that you indulge in your free time.
You can also share the recent important activity that you have been doing at that time. Be very clear while you speak about yourself.
There should be confidence and excitement seen on your face while you describe yourself.
Be truthful about your achievements and past records.
Never fool around as the interviewers are very smart people and would surely catch you if try to be dishonest.

How To Prepare For SBI PO Group Exercises And Interview Guide Free Post

Do not mention anything in your introduction that you don’t want the interviewer’s thoughts to be redirected at and asked questions upon.
Be careful of what you tell them and be ready to get questions on the information that you give.

What all questions to expect?

There might be questions upon the candidate’s most recent academic/job profile. If you are currently serving in any organization, be prepared to answer questions about your job profile. Tell them clearly about your current job’s roles and responsibilities.
Be ready to answer the most infamous question that is “Why Banking Industry?”. Try and convince them that you have a keen interest in this sector and want to build your career in the Banking Industry. Never show them that the PO job is your last resort and you are very desperate for this job.
As this is a job in the Banking Industry, be ready to face General Awareness/Current

Affairs questions.

They will test your General Awareness. How aware and well-informed you are about the recent day to day happenings in the India & the world. Keep reading newspapers and revise the latest happenings before you go for the interview.

Always expect Basic questions on Banking & Financial Awareness. Interviewers would surely test you on some basic banking awareness questions and your basic knowledge about the Banking Industry. Prepare in advance and answer confidently. Even if you are not aware of some answers. Do not get fidgety and anxious. Learn to say politely that sorry you don’t know the answer.
If you’re a fresher/just passed your college, you can expect some questions on the major subjects of your graduation or post-graduation.
Know about your place of birth, the places that you have lived in so far, the attractive or famous things of those places, their historical importance etc.
There might be a few questions upon your Hobbies and interests. The hobbies and interests mentioned in the Bio-data form should be real and not fabricated. You might be asked a few questions about them and if you are unable to answer these, then they might roast you as well.

So, this was all from us in this eBook “How To Prepare For SBI PO Group Exercises And Interview Guide Free Post”. We hope that you like it and also be able to benefit from it.

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