IIFT Call Getters: A Guide to the IIFT Interview form.

Those who have cleared the first round of IIFT are now left with another ardent task.  A mammoth form awaits them.   And here I am with my list of suggestions which you can keep in mind while filling the form.

  • This form is purposefully given so that the interviewers can know about you. Fill up the form keeping in mind the fact that they will question you on the basis of this form.
  • Filling up this form would require serious introspection. Actually this serious introspection will also prepare you for many interviews which you will be facing ahead.
  • To begin with, I suggest you to write your biographical sketch. Write whatever you have done in past 6-7 years with the logic behind each decision you took.   Recall every good and bad moment and narrate it with the learning.  Elaborate for yourself.
  • Be honest.  That is the best policy. The people perusing your form are veterans and they will easily find a cooked story.
  • We all have stories; it is just that we have never tried to relate them to find something about ourselves.  Now you have to do it. If not for IIFT then you would have to do it for some other college (Wait there are quite a few mammoth forms which await you)

Q 1. What are your career objectives?

Short/Mid Term (5 years):  Talk more about what you want to learn and how do you wish to add value to the college and then the company you join.  This period is usually about honing the existing skills and discovering new ones.

Long Term (15 years):  That is the ultimate goal. Yes, at this stage you might not be having a clear idea about it.  So, best thing is to envision yourself as a leader in your chosen area (Some people want to be entrepreneur, some CEO, some writers and some event managers). Yes, you should have some idea about your area of interest. It is NOT NECESSARY to write that you want to contribute to the society.  If you want please write but it is not a compulsion.  This is a myth which many carry that in the long term one has to have objective of contributing to the society. Remember to be honest!!

To answer this question, start with your long term goal and from it derive you short term goal.

Q2 . Name one person who has inspired you to pursue a career in Business Management, and in what way?

The person need not be a known business figure like Ratan Tata or NRN. The person could be anyone – your father, your aunt or your sister.  You need to tell how he/she has inspired you.  Do not talk about money and lifestyle – not because they are sin but simply because they are never the right reason to pursue- but talk about the value addition that business management has to offer.  If you are working then you can also pick your boss or someone from your organization who has done MBA as an example and the state how his perspective and thinking is different from others.  And if you don’t know anyone who has done MBA even then you can narrate obstacles which a Non- MBA faces in the workplace, you can surely take help of your acquaintances working somewhere to know more about such obstacles.

Q3. What do you like to do in your leisure time?

DO NOT COOK up hobby. A big myth about hobby is that it has to sound intelligent – like reading book, painting or writing. Watching cartoon network or cooking is as good a hobby as reading book. Again be honest. KNOW about your hobby. You are not suppose to be expert but some degree of awareness is advantageous.

Q 4. Describe an incident in your life that has changed your perspective/outlook towards life.

It is not necessary to narrate a sad incident at all. In fact such incidents are less appealing.  I think one can also describe a happy incident which was life changing in a way – like a book or a movie which changed your perspective.  Incidents like falling ill before an exam or loss of near and dear one are great teachers but then they are everybody’s incidents.  Sound vibrant and positive while answering such questions

Q5.  Describe two instances where you have been able to demonstrate leadership and team building skills.

Again sound positive, there was a challenge, you took the challenge voluntarily and you overcame it.  Many of us cannot even remember one instance to mention.  I think if you probe, you will definitely find two, this is where your biographical sketch will come to rescue.  Managing event, class captaincy, working in a team at workplace or at college for a project, playing any team sports – I am sure each of us has done a few things.  Remember, that while narrating the instances DO NOT FORGET to highlight your qualities. It should not only be a story but a story with adjectives and verbs.

Q6 (a). Specify one thing about yourself that you are proud of.

Talk about your strength and support it with a real story or an achievement. Remember that when you are illustrating your strength it should sound like a strength.

Q6 (b). What are you most often criticized for?

Talk about your weakness. The weakness should sound like a weakness and not like a strength under the cover of a weakness. Be honest, be humble. Each of us has some weakness, even the interviewer has, so do not hesitate to be frank. Yes, but DO NOT FORGET to mention what you are doing to overcome the weakness.

Q7. According to you, have the values of your generation changed when compared to those of your parents’ generation? Is this change good or bad?

This is purely your opinion. However, I suggest thinking about the positive and negative changes  as you see them  and substantiate with the help of examples.

Q8. Do you consider ethics to be a limiting factor in doing business?

No Never. Ethics is always an enabler which guides one’s way. Talk about the long term impact of being ethical. You can use real life examples to drive your point.

Q9. Any other information that you have not pointed out before and that you consider may be relevant for the Interview Board.

Please do not leave it blank. If not anything then mention your strengths and values.

All the best
Siddharth Mehta
Career Launcher, Bhilai

About Siddharth:
Siddharth is an avid reader and a fitness freak.  From running a marathon to writing blogs, Siddharth is someone keen to explore his new talents. His passion for teaching can be felt in his positively charged classes and his informal interactions with his students to whom he is a mentor and a motivator.

Siddharth is an XLRI alumnus.