The XLRI interview experience

Feb: 21st. I had been shorlisted for the BM profile by XLRI (which seemed a distant dream after my XAT exam which was no less than a disaster. One of the rumours making the rounds was that next yr the XAT exam would be in French to discourage people from attempting any questions.)
Anyways, My XLRI interview was scheduled on the 21st Feb at the Xavier's College. Arguably the most colorful college in town, the hip & happening crowd in the college a far cry from the grilling I was about to face.

I reached the college at 11 for my inteview and started interacting with the 10-odd people inside the AC-filled waiting room. Most of them had the PMIR (HR) profile which entitled them to have a 20-min case-study before their interviews. I got into a conversation with a girl & a guy who had just finished with their case study which was about relations between top management & union leaders hitting a low due to different incidents and unfourtunately u r the guy in between who can mend ways.

I could gather from their talk that the case-study hadn't been a "fish market" (a dreaded proposition which no one wants in a GD. Beats me! Then who converts it into a fish market??) and each of them had got an opportunity to put their thoughts. The 2 then asked me about how case-study applied only to PMIR profile and not the BM profile to which I applied. I told them I had no idea and continued wearing and adjusting my tie. The girl took my noncholance for great cool-headedness and confidence, commenting that I dint seem nervous at all. (Ya right! wats the point?)

The guy who had his turn before me had just returned. Judging from his grim smile and not-so-pleasant reactions he had got a royal rollicking from the BM panel. At one point he was confused whether it was an interview or a JAM (Just a minute) session.

One of the panel members called out my name and I followed him to the interview room.
I was shortlisted for BM. So it was just the interview for me

A panel of 3 sat before me

P1 - middle-aged man (spoke 50% of the time)
P2 - middle-aged man (did everything but talk)
P3 - old man (did the rest of the talk, listened intently, looked for opportunities to stress u out using whatever you spoke..)

Duration: 20 min

No forms/documents were filled by me. They had all details of me before them.

P1: So should we call you "Vishwanath"?
Me: Yes sir, thats my name.(Naam mein kya rakha hain?)

P1: So tell us something about yourself
Me: Blabbered for about 2 min about school, college, mumbai, nit trichy, metallurgy, 3 yrs of experience in M&M, materials management, automobiles etc.(the idea here is to keep talking abt urself, ur acads, work ex, job profile, company etc etc..but stick to the truth)

2. y the chosen field for grad. (be genuine abt it)

3 relation of field of grad to current work (dint have to take much of an effort in my case )

4. challenges at work (dont make it up)

5. projects/ achievements

6. how is the market for ur industry (do a lot of reading and form opinions)

7. asked abt competitor and competitor's products (Nano)

8. some more info asked about auto industry, comapny stding, latest news, new happenings etc.

9. asked abt interests.

10. i told them abt blogging.. so they asked about when i started? blogpage? wat is the content? lot more talk (pls choose a intrest which u can speak about)


11. P3 spoke for abt 5 min on the company i was workin for, its progress, my salary, my work, my profile, etc etc..and then all 3 stared at me.
I stared back at them. They told me to answer. I asked them wats the qstn? actually it was "y mba"?

12. preferences (told options open)

13. they told me to be specific. (i told prefernces are ops/mktg)

14. which industry? (i told manufcg or non-manufcg)

15. which industry other than manufcg.. (i told fmcg)

16. Some basic qstns on fmcg, a few companies and products.

17. Tried to unsettle me by saying fmcg not ur cup of tea etc etc, v dont take engineers for fmcg, etc etc. I smiled back and said u ll face massive manpower shortage then)

17. Y mktg? convince us. ..they tried dicomforting me again in between

18. Y not finance? and a few more qstns to try and spice it up ..responded

19. Asked me abt my other calls.. (told them)

20. In case of converting all calls which one u ll take and y? (be careful here..its a pitfall. I told them I would prefer one of the IIM calls and they used this as a tool to question me further.)

21. Tried needling & unsettling me again.. (big smile from my side)

Pi,P2, P3 - i think we r done..thank u

I think it went of well ..no regrets as such

Important points:

.No bluffs pls ..be honest
.Choose intrests properly...Rest all will be fine

And no need to make an effort to remember wat you scribbled after the XAT exam (Read "essay").


Final Verdict: Converted

Regards

Vish