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CoolAvenues' Interview with:
Varun Jindal
Symbiosis Institute of Operations Management (SIOM), Nashik.

1. General Questions
2. Questions related to Pre-MBA Preparation
3. Questions related to Group Discussion / Group Exercise
4. Interview-related Questions
5. After Joining MBA

4. Interview-related Questions

Q. Date and location of Interview? Were you given the option to choose. Was the interview date fixed or rescheduled couple of times.
A. My GD/PI process was scheduled on February 10, 2008, and I was not given an option to choose. The process was held at Nashik for all candidates. The entire process lasted for 4 days from February 9, 2008 to February 12, 2008 with around 200 candidates evaluated on each day. Interview date was fixed.

Q. Can you tell us about the panel that interviewed you?
A. The panel which interviewed me for PI during Stage 2 consisted of 2 ladies. One of the panelists is an HR faculty at SIOM, Nashik. There was finally an interview with the Director too in Stage 3.

Q. How long was your interview?
A. My personal interview during Stage 2 lasted for around 15 minutes while the final interview with Director lasted for just 10 minutes.

Q. What was the first question? The most interesting question? The most difficult question?
A. First Question: When did you arrive?
Most Interesting Question: How much was your bench period during your job?
Most Difficult Question: Are you satisfied with your present job?

Q. How did you prepare for the interview? While facing the panel, were you confident, did you feel prepared?
A. I prepared my introduction, practiced it many times, and tried to present it in a way which doesn't give the look of a fabricated interview. I also prepared the answers for many expected questions based on my academics, interests & hobbies, achievements, etc., I was able to present myself in a positive and confident way before the panelists.

Q. Was any feedback given to you? What feedback did you receive from the panel at the end of session?
A. No. I didn't get any feedback.

Q. Did work experience help in getting the choice of your school and also in dealing with the curriculum?
A. Work-experience was one of the parameters on the basis of which I got the admission.

Q. Getting into and sailing through a B-school is easier for a Science Graduate than for someone from umanitarian background. Your comments please.
A. I don't think so. The questions asked in the Entrance Exams (particularly from Quant) are mostly confined to syllabus till X Standard, which everyone has studied.

Q. Will an MBA degree add on to your existing career plan or did you decide to switch/start a career in management?
A. I haven't really thought about it.

Q. Why did you decide to do MBA from this school?
A. Out of all the available options before me, SIOM-Nashik was the best B-school.

Q. Were you able to get the school of your choice or did you compromise and opted for the best option that was open/available for you?
A. Although I didn't get the B-school of my choice, yet I am happy that I was able to secure admission into a reasonably good B-school.

Contd.   5. After Joining MBA