XLRI Interview Experience of Satvik Bajpai
This is the interview experience of Satvik Bajpai, XAT 97.64%iler and XLRI Jamshedpur convert. He was a part of the iQuanta group and test series. Let us dive into how he tackled the interview of one of the best B-schools in India with the best HR program in Asia and converted it in his own words.
Detailed Profile
Satvik is a general, non-engineer, male. He scored 97.64%ile in XAT 2022 & 94.49%ile in CAT 2021. His past records include 95% in X, 92.4% in XII and 87.20% in his under-graduation. He also converted IIM Ranchi MBA and MBA HR, IIM Kashipur, Baby IIMS, IMT GZB & XIM HR.
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The XLRI Interview Transcript of Satvik Bajpai is as follows:
I was shortlisted for XLRI Jamshedpur Interview for the PGP-HRM course on 29th January 2022, and my interview date was slotted for 8th March 2022. I started my preparation for the interview by reaching out to the XLRI Alumni, who then explained what questions could be asked. I then reached out to my grandfather, who worked with Tata Motors in Jamshedpur and had hands-on experience attending one of the Management Programs of XLRI.
I searched about people’s interview experiences on websites that included- Quora, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pagalguy, iQuanta’s Facebook Group, Telegram, etc. It helped me gain exposure and provided me with the needed background experience on how the process will be. I also searched about the XLRI Alumni and researched their background and their growth trajectory. Finally, I used the Youtube forums to listen to HR Talks that helped me gain valuable insight into Human Resource Management.
My Interview was scheduled at 2:10 PM but had started early, around 2 PM. There was one middle aged professor, one female professor, and one young-age professor. The first to ask me questions was the younger Professor, then the median age Professor joined, and there was a continuous rapid fire from both professors.
There were many questions asked- the questions generally ranged from
- Why Human Resource Management with a Bachelor of Commerce background?
- What are the HR Policies of your organization that you like?
- How efficient you can be to your organization if you leave them for XLRI Jamshedpur in just seven months of working?
- Are you a Cost to your company, and when can you become their profit?
- What leadership skills have you shown?
- Difference between Charity and Donation?
- Did you get a call for XLRI BM?
There were some questions that I found extremely interesting. I’ll refer to the Professor as P. The older professor asked trickier ones, such as:
P: What books are you reading.
Me: Sir, I am reading a book called – “10-Day MBA.”
P: What a book about an MBA in 10 days; how is that possible. Shouldn’t you sue them for fraud.
Me: No, sir, we should not.
P: Why not?
Me: Because it is a selling point, and the book has useful ideas.
P: But the book renders us jobless- if people can get an MBA in 10 days, why should they come to XLRI for two years.
Me: Yes, sir, I agree, but like many marketing campaigns designed to attract customers, the book’s title is to attract the readers. The book is essentially just a blip of what an MBA teaches and is useful to gain points for an interview but not for a diploma.
The other question that stood out for me was:
P: How did you prepare for your MBA Interview with XLRI?
Me: I did it mainly from YouTube just recently, I was listening to Mr. CV Rao giving a lecture in IIM Ahmedabad about the 360-degree appraisal, and I learned about a manager who was an asset to a company financially but a loss to the company in human resources because the employees working with him kept leaving. Thus he added more cost to the company, but because HR cannot be financially defined, the loss he was causing was never substantiated.
P: Can you tell me more about 360-degree Appraisal?
Me: Sir, it is an anonymous review of the manager or an employee where the co-workers disclose information and rate the manager’s performance in non-quantitative ways. We then run an analysis to realize the Manager’s Performance. The biggest thing about a 360-degree appraisal is its scope and the anonymity.
P: So how do you strike a balance between performing managers not liked by his team v/s nonperforming managers liked by his team?
Me: Sir, we can strike a balance by introducing training programs for both. We can find out areas they can work on and train them.
P: What if they do not want to get trained?
Me: Then I think they are Inept Managers because Managers should always be flexible.”
P: So, how can you train a manager who is stubborn?
Me: By being Diplomatic to them.
P: So essentially lying.
Me: No, not lying, diplomacy- it is twisting the facts, not eroding them.
P: What is twisting and eroding of facts?
Me: Lying is eroding the core nature of the fact, whereas diplomacy is bending them to suit you.
The last question I asked was about my other IIM calls, where I strictly replied that XLRI is my dream and no other call matters as XLRI is my first preference. I ended my interview by telling the panel that if I am offered admission to XLRI, I will become the Next Leena Nair or Rakesh Kapoor of XLRI and that XLRI would be proud of me. The older professor remarked, “I should not be next to anyone but the first me.”
Verdict: Converted XLRI HRM
Key Points To Remember
- Research about the college you are going to give the interview for its alumni, it is legacy, etc.
- Reach out to Seniors of the college to gain experience in the interview process
- Search for interview experiences from all sources possible
- Read Domain specific books- specifically if it is an HR interview
- Be confident; missing out on an answer or not knowing an answer is not a big deal and can happen to anyone
- Add a line or two during the interview that is attractive and unique about you. Can help the panel remember you for a long time
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