A lot of companies conduct group discussion rounds in the recruitment process. Group discussions are conducted for various roles in business, academics, and administrative organizations.
Group Discussions are as important as the face-to-face interview. Group discussion reveals various skills of a candidate.
The recruiters assess you based on your communication skills, body language, teamwork, and leadership skills. Recruiters check if you have the ability to work in a team through your behavior in a GD round.
Discussion is impossible with someone who claims not to seek the truth, but already to possess it. ― Romain Rolland
Your behavior in a GD round decodes your personality. It shows how you talk, how you make your point, do you listen carefully to your peers, what is your attitude during a discussion, etc.
Recruiters need people who can lead the discussion, and guide the team towards a concrete conclusion. Being an active listener, a good communicator, being empathetic are some of the skills that can help you crack this round. You might find this round difficult.
However, with the help of essential group discussion skills and practice, you can easily get through this round.
And to make things a little easier for you, this article lists essential group discussion skills that you must possess.
7 essential group discussion skills you must know (and possess)
1. Reasoning
Group discussions are conducted to check your ability to work in a team.
Though recruitment group discussion topics are based on current affairs or general knowledge when you join a company you need to carry out work-related group discussions.
You need to find a solution to a problem or discuss the objectives and outcomes of a project. You might need to carry out discussions regarding new products and services.
To do this, you need reasoning abilities. And showcasing your reasoning abilities by making use of facts and figures in a GD round can help you stand out from the crowd.
Go through common GD topics and stay updated. This will help you to add relevant points in a group discussion.
2. Time Management
Usually, you are given 2-3 minutes of time before starting the discussion.
During this time, you are supposed to figure out what points will you state. You need to think quickly and use your presence of mind.
Note down the keywords and pros and cons related to the topic. It will help you during the conversation. If possible, make a note of facts related to the topics.
The time given in a GD is approximately 4-5 minutes for each group. Therefore prepare 3-4 points for your turn and try to finish it in the given time.
Being able to organize your thoughts, state your points and conclude the discussion within the given time shows your effective time management skills.
3. Communication skills
Communication skills are the main aspect of any conversation.
Communication skills both verbal and nonverbal play an important role in a group discussion too.
Your conviction in stating a point, your listening skills, how strong are your points and the way you add your points in a discussion is one thing that matters.
The other thing that matters the most is your body language. Your gestures, hand movements, the way you sit, the tone that you incorporate while speaking says a lot about you.
Your posture and facial expression show whether you are interested in the discussion or not. Being attentive, maintaining eye contact are some of the important things you need to consider during a GD.
4. Presentation skills
The way you present yourself is of great importance during a GD.
Presentation skills are an effective way to express your thoughts and views. Try to initiate the discussion.
Organize your thoughts and present them properly. Be clear. Make use of facts and figures to support your points. With the help of your body language, you can try to paint a picture of what you are trying to speak.
That is the power of effective body language. Along with this, be polite and humble through ou the discussion. Avoid insulting gestures. Show your energy and enthusiasm and approach the discussion in a positive manner.
5. Creativity or analytical skills:
Analyze the topic first and see the topic from multiple perspectives.
Create your own strategy to persuade others. When a group member is speaking think of bringing a new dimension to the discussion.
Try to give a creative or unique direction to the discussion. However, make sure that you don't hurt others' feelings or make a contradictory statement.
Be humble. Even if you don't agree with someone's point, don't point out or criticize. Collect others' points and add your own to add value to the discussion.
6. Leadership skills and initiative-taking ability
The initiative approach, your knowledge, and your ability to lead contribute to your success in the GD round.
Whenever you initiate the discussion, you get the opportunity to drive the discussion in the direction you want.
Starting the discussion shows that you have leadership skills and you can bring the team together when something important needs to be discussed.
Try to encourage and motivate your group members to add their points. This shows that you believe in taking the team along with you.
7. Paraphrasing/summarizing
Try to summarize the discussion. A good leader always considers everybody's points before coming to a conclusion.
So if you wish to conclude the GD, make sure you take some part of everybody's points and then conclude it with some of your own. Summarizing gives you the advantage to give an overview of the pros and cons related to the topic.
Concluding or summarizing the discussion shows that you were attentive throughout the discussion and have the ability to come to concrete conclusions at the end of the discussion.
Now that you know what are essential group discussion skills, you can start practicing them.
Group discussion is a very good opportunity to present yourself to the best of your potential. You can bring up all the dimensions of your personality during a GD and can impress the employer.
GD allows you to showcase numerous skills at a time. You need to make sure to grab this opportunity and turn it into an advantage for your selection. Prepare common GD topics.
Practice well. Prepare well. Organize your thoughts and present them flawlessly. Keep adding good points. Be humble and polite. Take the initiative to start the discussion. encourage your fellow teammates. Maintain a warm and welcoming body language. Be confident and you will surely succeed.
So where are you starting to improve on your GD skills? Let us know in the comments.
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