Hotel management aspirants generally come unprepared for the GD / PI round in the hotel management selection process. Here are some simple tips to crack the GD / PI rounds of hotel management admissions.
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The Hotel Management admission process in India is pretty simple. You sit for an entrance exam, qualify, get allotted a college and courses in counselling, and complete the admission. However, some hotel management colleges in India also require a candidate to appear for a GD / PI round in the admission process. The GD/ PI round is conducted in online mode as well as offline mode depending on the college. Some of the colleges have started conducting an online interviews where a candidate can appear for the PI round directly from his home. They can use appear for the online PI round using their personal laptop or desktop.
GD / PI is not a requirement for popular hotel management entrance exams in India, including the NCHMCT Joint Entrance Exam (JEE). Therefore, hotel management aspirants do not pay much heed to preparing for this round. However, some institutes such as the IHM Aurangabad, which is one of the top 10 hotel management colleges in India, do conduct GD / PI for admission.
Plus, many of the qualities, personality traits, and skills required to excel in the GD / PI round are the same as those required in an ideal Hotel Management professional. Therefore, it makes sense for aspiring candidates to have some level of preparation for GD / PI. Here are some preparation tips for GD / PI round for hotel management admissions. Also included are the popular questions asked in Hotel Management interviews and important topics for GD in hotel management admissions.
Hotel Management Personal Interview Round
A personal Interview or PI round of hotel management admissions is an important step in the selection process of hotel management colleges in India. The PI round of hotel management admissions is a formal event in which a candidate faces a panel of interviewers who ask certain questions to the candidate.
The panel mainly judges a candidate's communication skill, character, clarity of thought, the reason behind career selection, knowledge, etc. In a personal interview, other aspects of a candidate's personality are also judged by the panel. These include body language, cleanliness, grooming, etc.
Also Read:Hotel Management Courses, Specializations and Best Colleges in India
Popular Questions asked in Hotel Management Interviews
The questions asked in the PI round of hotel management admissions are not fixed. They can vary as per the information provided by the candidate as well as the interviewer's judgement. Through the questioning, the interviewer attempts to understand the personality traits and point-of-view of the candidate.
Having said that, there are some questions that are frequently asked in hotel management interviews. Preparing answers for these questions beforehand can help a candidate perform better during the interview. Here are some of the popular questions and how they should be answered.
Question | Include the Following | Answering Tips |
Tell us something about yourself. (Seeking general introduction such as background / family-related information etc.) |
| This is usually the first question asked in the interview. Keep your speech and language clear to give a good first impression. |
Why choose hotel management as a career? |
| It is best if your answer shows passion for the field without going too overboard. |
What would you say are your strengths and weaknesses? |
| Keep the answer focused on your strengths but do not boast. After mentioning the weakness, end the answer on a positive note by mentioning the steps taken to improve. |
Where do you see yourself in 5 / 10 years? |
| Not required to go into the details about any company or position but it is not discouraged either. Talk about your long-term goals and what you want to learn from the industry. You can also talk about how you plan to use what you learn for you and the industry's growth. |
What do you expect to learn from the hotel management course? |
| You can talk about which sector of the hotel management industry inspires you and how this course will help you get there. Giving particulars about the course will make your answer strong. |
Why did you choose our college for this course? |
| You should go through all the impornat highlights and acheivements of the college before appearing for the interview. You can read the infomation provided in the information brochure to prepare for this question. |
| What are the qualities of a good manager? |
| You can talk about what good things a manager should follow. What are the key skills, he should have. |
| What do you understand by "Housekeeping" and "Catering" in hotel management? |
| You can explain the operations involved in housekeeping and catering. You can also talk about how housekeeping is different from the catering department of any hotel. |
Also Read:How to Choose the Best Hotel Management Colleges After 12th
Apart from these, an interviewer may also ask questions related to your course to test your technical skills and knowledge of the hotel management industry.
- What are the skills required for a hotel manager?
What are the different sectors of the hotel industry?
How are hotels classified? etc.
The interview usually ends with the interviewer asking 'Is there anything that you would like to ask us?' We have covered how to answer this question in detail in our article on 5 Tricky Questions Asked in MBA Interviews.
Hotel Management Personal Interview Tips
During the personal interview, the panel is trying to judge whether you are a good candidate for the hotel management course. Here are some tips to be followed to excel in the PI round of hotel management admissions.
- Give honest answers. An interviewer may figure out a candidate is lying during cross-question and there is nothing worse than being caught lying in an interview.
Maintaining a positive and cheerful attitude goes a long way in attracting the attention of the interviewing panel.
Be formal in your approach towards the interview. Keep a good dressing style and pay attention that your language is polite and clear.
Stay updated with current affairs and news. Interviewers may ask questions related to general awareness.
If you do not know an answer to a question, it is better to apologize and say that you do not know than try to lie your way out. This is only true for knowledge-based questions, however. For personal questions, answer honestly but with discretion.
If asked, do not focus on your weakness or failures. Instead, use that question to talk about your learnings and improvement process.
Also Read:Skills Required for a Successful Career in Hotel Management
Hotel Management Group Discussion Round
In the Group Discussion (GD) round, a candidate is grouped with several other candidates. The group is then given a topic to discuss while a panel observes the discussion. The group may also be asked to reach a conclusion, if possible. Usually, no other rule is specified for a GD.
The GD round is a test of the confidence, leadership and communication skills of a candidate and how it compares to the other candidates. The GD round also tests how a candidate performs in a team, their way of dealing with opposing opinions, ability to make their point heard and understood, listening skills etc.
Hotel Management Group Discussion Topics
Hotel Management GD topics are mostly either related to the Hotel Management industry or current affair topics. This is another reason why it is recommended that candidates appearing for GD / PI round stay updated with the current affairs or trending news.
Some of the topics usually raised in Group Discussions include the following.
Indian Cuisine vs Global Cuisine
Impact of service sector on the economy.
Challenges and opportunities in the hotel management industry.
Terrorism
Is technology good or bad for society?
Also Read:Hotel Management vs Culinary Arts
Hotel Management Group Discussion Tips
Here are some important points that you should keep in mind when appearing for a Group Discussion round of Hotel Management colleges.
Be polite. No matter how the other candidate is behaving, always be polite and courteous towards your group mates.
Be clear and loud without shouting. Make sure your group and the interviewing panel can clearly hear you.
NEVER get into an argument or a war of words. You can stay quiet or politely request your group mates to calm down and let the discussion continue peacefully.
Come to the Point. In a GD, 10-15 people are waiting for their chance to speak. Keep your point short and precise while also giving others a chance to speak.
Do not criticize. Do not criticize or discredit a point made by a candidate. Instead, provide your point of view even if its contrary.
Here are some related articles in which we have explored GD preparation strategies and tips in detail.
| Related Articles | |
| GD, PI, WAT Preparation Tips | How to Start, Lead and Conclude a GD |
Remember that GD and PI both involve the use of skills that can be trained. Prepare and practice your answers for the interview but do not try to cram. It is better to make pointers and use natural language.
Talking while looking in a mirror and discussing in groups of friends are also great strategies to improve communication and build confidence. If you have any doubts, ask our experts on the CollegeDekho QnA Zone.
For help with admissions to hotel management colleges in India, fill our Common Application Form (CAF) or call our toll-free student helpline number 1800-572-9877.
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