- Prologue
- Stop feeling guilty
- Measures to become guilt free:
- How to handle Bank interview?
- Tell me something about yourself
- Food for thought: Why formal dress for interview?
Prologue
Total five articles on how to prepare for IBPS Bank Interviews
- Stop Feeling Guilty and Tell me about yourself, Stupid cutoffs and Insecurities about Profile (you’re here).
- Why BankPO? Preparing the Sales Pitch: Career growth, job satisfaction, negative factors, work-profile, Promotion, hierarchy, Sample Answers
- Banking, Economy, Current Affairs, HR and GK related questions for BankPO/MT
- Graduation related Questions: IT, B.E., B.Tech, Biotech, B.Com, BBA, Arts, sample questions from previous interviews
- Stress Interviews, When things don’t go as planned, B.Tech, Engineers and IT Why BankPO?
all those things come later, first thing is:
Stop feeling guilty
- Many of you have the IBPS BankPO/MT interviews in a few days, but still suffering from guilt, insecurity and inferiority complex because of your written score, bio data, academic profile and other personal issues.
- As long as you remain guilty- your answer tone and body language will defensive, pessimistic, submissive. The interviewer panel willnot get positive vibes to select you. Therefore, first step is to become guilt free. Let’s check the common reasons behind guilt:
Guilt#1: Low score in IBPS Written
Some random expert on internet predicted that your written score is not sufficient for final selection- citing some previous statistics about final cut offs. So now you’re just spending time inquiring on various blogs, forums, facebook communities “my score is xyz, will I get selected or not?”
I say every score is good score. And you must fiercely prepare for the interview. Why?
Reason #1: reliable work horses
If banks had to select candidate just by looking at their written score, they wouldn’t waste time interviewing people. They conduct interview to find mainly two things
- “ye tikegaa ki nahi?” (Will this guy stay in our bank or not?).
- “thik kaam karegaa ki nahi” (will this guy work sincerely or not? )
In short, As long as they get good feeling about you being a reliable workhorse, you’ll get the job- at one place or another.
Reason #2: Learning XP
- A formal interview with complete strangers gives you better picture of your own shyness, strength, weaknesses, than you’ll ever get by interacting with your friends, relatives and parents.
- The interview experience will help you prepare yourself better for the next round of whatever exam you’re giving.. that-
- “I should have prepared more from my graduation topics, I should have prepared more current affairs etc.,
- I shouldnot have said abc thing in DEF question because it lead to xyz followup question where I fumbled…”and so on.
- You cannot buy that type of mental conditioning and experience in any other mock interview conducted by anyone- because the real-life stress factor will be absent in such mock interviews.
- So, Even if you fail in a real interview=> money spent on travel and lodging is not wasted. Because it is a great learning experience that will definitely help you in the next interview for whatever job you’re applying.
Reason#3: CAT
- Many CAT aspirants give IBPS exam just for ‘fun’ or for career backup.
- CAT-2013 result will come around 14th January 2014. Then IIMs and various other MBA institutes will start their GDPI round (group discussion / personal interview). Most probably from mid-feb onwards
- IBPS allocations are to be made in March-April 2014.
- Now comes the interesting part: Most of the tier-II MBA colleges will declare their final result before IIM final results. (That’s is a loot-technique, if a candidate has given interview in both non-IIM and IIM then he’ll pay the 10-20-50 rupee non-refundable deposit in non-IIM institute for just for “seat-insurance”, before IIM final result comes.)
Similarly, some candidates would have made calculation about which banks they will not get city posting. So they’ll even forfeit offers accordingly.
- And there will be upward movement in the buffer list / waitlist.
- How much movement? Well, I cannot predict but my point is: Not all candidates with good IBPS score will finally join the bank. Therefore, You MUSTNOT lay down your weapons and accept defeat even without going for interviews- just because some gyani baba has predicted that final cutoff will be xyz.
Moving to the next guilt factor:
Guilt#2: Insecurity about “Profile”
You’re afraid because any of the following reasons:
- After graduation, you’ve spent past 1-2 years in competitive exams, without any success. So, your biodata has “empty” years and no job-experience. You’re afraid interviewer will ask tough question about it.
- You don’t post-graduation degree
- You’re from some less famous college / university
- You’ve poor academic scores in class 10-12- college or you’ve failed in some semesters etc.
- You met another IBPS candidate who has higher score than you PLUS
- he has done some special banking related course
- he has work-xp from private bank.
- he has a thick file with plenty of extracurricular certificates.
You must get rid of all these guilty feelings because:
- If banks wanted only university toppers and students with high CGPA, they’d have directly hired from campus instead of organizing exam through IBPS and wasting their own time.
- All they want is reliable workhorses who’ll not run away from non-city postings. As long as they get good feeling about you being a reliable workhorse, you’ll get the job- at one place or another.
- Time machine is not invented yet. You cannot go back in past and fix those issues. The only way is to move forward in life, is with whatever baggage you’re carrying but without feeling guilty.
- (worst case scenario) IF at all they ask you something about “why low score in class 10-12-college?” then, don’t make long stories and excuses. Just summarize what was wrong and then shift focus of your answer on how with age you’ve matured, understood the value of money, career, hardwork and you’re no longer the same lazy person from that is shown in the marksheet.
Guilt#3: Personal issues
You’re feeling loser just because your cousin, brother, sister, relative, neighbor’s kid, batch mate etc. have got high paying jobs. You think that “even if I get this PO job, I’ll be never as successful as they’re.”
You must come out of this loser mindset, because:
- 5-7 years from now, all the “career-glamour” will be over (like whatever IAS/IPS/bigger job or degree your cousins and batch mates have got.) By that time, new youngsters will take your place and all your relatives and neighbors will start comparing them and trash talking about them. So, instead of trying to please and impress others, you better pursue the career you’re interested in.
- 15-20 years from now, the only thing that will matter is: can you provide for a good education, home and life to your kids or not?
- On those criteria BankPO doesn’t suck. It has great potential, people with no IIT/IIM degrees have started career as PO/MT and made it all the way to MD/CMD positions. (More details under “Sales Pitch-Why BankPO” topic in next article click me.)
Finally, Some of you may also be feeling guilty about your looks, height, skin color whatever. Again stop feeling guilty about it. These interviews are conducted to find reliable workhorses for banking sector and not actors for Karan Johar’s next movie.
Measures to become guilt free:
first of all, Stop being in company of idiots, negative talkers, crybabies and pessimistic people. You’ve already met them in library, in coaching class, in online forums. They never study, they just keep chatting all the time:
- this time cut off has gone very high “ab kya hogaa”
- SSC has changed pattern for CGL exam “ab kya hogaa”
- this time UPSC papers were too tough “ab kya hogaa”
These type of dookhi-atmaa (sad souls) infect your brain with their negativity. So, avoid them like hell- even after this IBPS interview is over.
- Avoid taking phone-calls, whatsapp messages, facebook updates from college batchmates. They just want to talk for time pass and give you ‘gossip’ of how much salary package they’ve got, who joined which company, who got what promotion, who is dating whom etc.etc.
- Because their universe is confined to only those petty things. You’re destined to do something bigger and better. If you keep paying attention to their life and issues, then self-doubt and guilt-feeling will come automatically. Remember what the coach said to Milkha Singh “the birds who’re meant to fly high in the sky, should not keep their hearts attached to small trees.”
- Exercise regularly. Lazy brain and lazy body always picks up negative thoughts. And by exercise, I mean only two things: running and pushups. After a few weeks, you’ll automatically start feeling good about yourself, every time you look in the mirror. And then self-confidence and positive vibes will come automatically.
- In your head, Keep telling yourself “I’m totally awesome.”
How to handle Bank interview?
A conventional IBPS Bank PO interview runs on following pattern
- Tell me about yourself (introduction) + followup on personal qs.
- A few questions on graduation
- then “why Bank PO”
- Then a few questions from banking sector.
- If time permits, some more questions from economy, current and GK.
Since every panel has to handle hundreds of candidates over a span of few week, the Average interview time is ~10-15 minutes. That’s a double edged sword.
good because | not good because |
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Given this short duration interview, you must prepare certain answers in advance.
Tell me something about yourself
Very common question. The moment you enter room and sitdown, one of the member may ask
“Please introduce yourself. OR tell me something about yourself.”
Experts are divided on its ‘right’ answer:
VIEWPOINT #1 (CONSERVATIVE) | VIEWPOINT #2 (LIBERAL) |
answer should be only limited to these things
|
Apart from those details (name place etc.),he should also mention “Why you want to join banking sector.” |
Should not mention hobby, family members.Because those things are considered informal conversation. | should also mention following:
|
- You can try either way, or mixture of both BUT answer must be at the tip of your tongue.
- If you don’t prepare this at home, you will fumble during interview and you might forget mentioning some important information.
- You must also prepare all the routine ‘followup’ questions associated with “tell me about yourself” question. for example
tell me about yourself | follow-up question that should be prepared in advance |
Myself ____. Or My name is ____. |
|
I’m from ______. orI belong to _____.Note: After speaking this, take a little pause so he may ask you a followup question. (Which will be safe than if he asks something from graduation!) |
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I’ve done ___ from ___ college of ___ university in the year___ with ___ class.Notes:
|
(more about graduation based questions in separate article, click ME) |
Work XP: For last ___ years, I’ve been working in ____ company as a _____.Note: Don’t immediately start explaining why you want to leave that job. Let the panel ask you a follow-up question. |
|
Ex-Serviceman.I’m an Ex-serviceman, I served from __ to ___ in ____. |
|
(optional) Family: My father is ___.
Mom is ___. Brother/sister is working in ____. |
|
In the next article, we’ll see the second question: “Why do you want to become a BankPO?” click me
by the way…
Why formal dress for interview?
Copying a few lines from NSA Shiv Shankar Menon’s speech to IFS officers:
A word about dress. Some younger colleagues have asked me why dress so formally and why they could not dress as they chose. The answer is that we normally dress to make the other person take us seriously and to be persuasive, not to express our personalities or look good or stylish, or for comfort.
Like it or not, people judge you by your appearance. How we dress depends on the culture we operate in and the statement we choose to make.
I have a theory about why diplomats, soldiers and bankers dress so conservatively, each in their own uniforms. Notice how the more an occupation deals with risk, the more uniform their dress is? A soldier risks his life, the banker risks your money, and the diplomat deals with the risks of war and peace.
It is in order to convey the assurance that they know what they are doing, to reassure society, the client or the interlocutor that these professions dress in what amounts to a uniform. And it seems to work.
(end of copy paste)
For more on IBPS, visit Mrunal.org/IBPS
if anyone given interview of officer-I gramin bank of aryavart lucknow
I attended the Interview at Lucknow for Clerk Not for Scale I (Not shortlisted for Scale I)
sir,i m a physiotherapist.i cleared ibps clerk 3.i mentioned 70 percentage and first class in degree in my ibps application.but i had 50 percentage in degree and in my certificate grade is not mentioned.now what i do?
i have interview for ibps clerk 0n 19 jaipur
Where ..?
have anybody attended the csb interview???? pls share ur experience…. cant find any interview experience any where….
hello friends,can anyone tell me whether i will get interview call for RRB-P.o.II.my marks is 104.possibility of calling in any list?
Hi IRA… From which state you belong….and Be Positive ..
I BELONG TO U.P.is there any possibility of interview
my clerk interview on 17 feb tamilnadu..
Is there any1 from TN???. Do reply
Friends, I got selected for rrb po, on 14th feb they called , for certificate verification along wiyh a stamp paper to sign bond, iam waiting for po result also. What can I do now, from when the bond eill be effective.
Why only a government bank and why not a private bank like ICICI which is at present the topmost bank in India?
What is the personal benefit by joining Government bank?
Hi,
My clerk interview was yesterday, it didn’t go well :(
Anyway, I didn’t have provisional degree so I had to sign the undertaking.
So when and where do I have to provide my degree..? Any idea.??
Plz help
@Aman, sorry dude i don have any idea about that.
Tell about your interview experience.. like what they asked.. it will be useful for us..
I have my interview on 17 feb..
call to ibps call center.they will provide info regarding this
i have selected ibps rrb as office assistant.but recently my left ear stooped working,is there any hearing test,during recruitment.i am so afraid that i will select or not .please answer my question please please
hi everyone!
i know it’s too late to post my interview experience of po-3 but due to some inhibitions i didn’t post it earlier
My interview was on 9th january,8:30a.m.
BOI Noida
Panel-8
there were four men as interviewers
M2: So u are aanchal
ME:said yes
M2: Kahan se aayi ho
ME:vasundhara
M2:Uska matlab btao
ME:earth,prithvi
M2:so u did ur graduation from gautam buddh technical university;tell me something about gautam buddha
me:told them
M3:How your branch (Ec) helps in banking
me:explained
M2:tell me something about ghaziabad
me: told them
M4:Tell me two headlines related to banking
me:told them
M2:Asked me about no. of districts in ghaziabad
me:don’t know sir
M2:why u have filled OBC bank as your first preference
Me:because i have an account there
Everyone started laughing,bole ki pehle to account tha ab wahan po bankar jana chahti ho
Me:smiled too and said yes
M2:your marks?
ME:61 (CONFIDENTLY)although this is my biggest inhibition ;i just have attained marks equal to cut off of general
M1:tell me abt banking
ME:told
M1:tell me abt swawablamban scheme
ME:i told it was started in 2011 and i didn’t know much abt it
all of them said ok u may go now
now frnds pls genuinely tell me if there is any chance of getting bank in first list ,i belong to general category and rate my interview too
Did you cracked the interview/got the job?
I would like to know what have you replied when panel asked how your (EC) knowledge/subjects helps in banking?thanku
Selection to samjho ho gya…to ab party to bnti hai
Though it is very difficult to judge an interview.But your interview experience seems to give positive and smooth vibes . May be your ‘inhibitions’ has worked in your favor. Hope for the best.
@avinash ranjan thanks buddy your comment really cheered me up
Please add information about How to crack the interview for IBPS Specialist Officer (Agriculture Field Officer.)
I want a change of date for my I.B.P.S. S.O. interview as I have another interview falling the same day. Is it possible to request a change in date? Whom shall I contact?
I know that it’s too late to post my interview experience but i had promised myself to do it only after results are out…
My written marks :84
Category : GEN
Interview location : Ranchi, Jharkhand
Background: BE
there were 5 persons in my interview room ; 2 were silent observers
P1. When did you complete your graduation? did you join any job ? how much are you earning ? why do you want to leave your job ?
Me: After replying with the facts ,I started talking of all the pull factors that a bank job offers like financial acumen,social service , etc
P1. What do you know about banking ?
Me: Basics of banking mostly as a customer.
P2. what is CRR, SLR
Me: replied
P2: what is growth?
Me: i started talking of growth in economy and then compared it with development and its qualitative aspects
P2: he interrupted and asked me about pension sector related growth plans
Me: regulator is PFRDA and told him about current interest rates as named few pension schemes
P2: he was not looking convinced and asked me to enumerate different regulators related to financial sector
Me: I listed out RBI, SEBI, IRDA, PFRDA, FMC
P2: FMC kya hota hai?
Me: Forwards market Commission is the regulator for futures contracts
P3: interrupted in the middle and asked about plastic money
Me: RBI is planning to introduce plastic currency in India as the same is already used in few countries. It will help in long life of currency
P3: he asked me that whether i had heard of debit card, credit card
Me: yes sir, and i defined both and cited the difference as well.
P3: plastic money matlab debit card, credit card hin hota hai samjhe
Me: i nodded smilingly
P2: who is your boss in office ? what is his name ? what you do there?
Me: answered
P3: what is CSR ?
Me: answered and i started telling them about my company’s schemes
P2: Interrupted in the middle and asked me my score in written
Me: 84
he said thank you and i too said thank you smilingly to all the members.
final result : selected :)
total marks 44/100
congo yar. Please let me know how can I prepare for IBPS IT officer interview
Bro
How many marks for interview alone and how total marks were calculated
84/2=42
42*.8=33.6
44-33.6=10.4
10.4*5=52
So you score only 52/100 in Interview ?
bro, how is the interview done for handicapped candidates.is it same for all?
I had some kind of tears in my eyes while reading this post. esp portion related to Gulit#3.
I haven’t filled Bank PO form. But I am preparing for SSC-CGL (october) as I had a most unexpected washout in just concluded UPSC prelims.
I always had excelled in AIEEE/JEE/Quant/Aptitude/English but due to over confidence and a disturbed mind, I did a homicide of my UPSC chances, scoring just 170-174. ( Last year had scored over 150 in CSAT alone).
Now I am taking this SSC CGL very seriously.
All my friends and relatives who used to envoy me till few years ago, are happily settled and merrying around. And am struggling in dark rooms of Delhi. But this article of your has generated new inspiration.
Mrunal Sir you are great. May God bless you with everything you want in life.
Hey Hi Gyss
What is the cut off list for general cat. in the written exam of IBPS Clerk as one can aim for it.
Please tell me the name of good institutes in Delhi which can give coaching for IBPS Cerk.
waiting for reply
Thanks
hello everyone..!!
I have done B.tech In mechanical Engineering in 2014 but could not manage to find a suitable job. By now, I have filled all the three exams Viz- IBPS PO-4, IBPS clerk-4 & SBI associate bank. Now at this time of posting this mail it is already very late 7 ibps po-4 exam is after 11 oct. Now i am very confused because between preparing for exam OR to look for job in my field as i doubt that how would i be able to crack exam in 30 days. I am also not having a clear vision of growth hierarchy of a clerk otherwise i shall have started preparing for that. Please help me to clear my confusion so that i can focus either on exam or job search & also please tell me of growth hierarchy of a clerk
Yeah there is a growth in banking by giving few internal exam u willl get prmoted as po।
thanks a lot …sir…
really generous and humanitarian work..!!!!!
Hello,
I had studied Computer in School till 10th standard.Does that meet the eligibilty criteria fr ibps po?in other words does 10th standard qualify as high school?
thanks
Sir pls upload study plan for nicl officers….
anyone can tell me…..OBC ka certificate 11/08/2014 se phle ka issue hona zruri h kya or latest. becaz i hv OBC certificate after 11/08.
Hi! I appered for ibps po last year. It was good experience. I prepared all possible questions. i wrote down all answers in my diary. Prepared my Engg background with some basic concepts. They mainly focused on biodata qs. Few banking questions and 1-2 current events. It was 10-12 minutes session. I joined coaching at career quest of sanjeev kabeer sir. It was realy good. All the best!
10th ke baad 3years ka gap uske baad +2 kiye hone par bank ki tayari karna sahi hai ya nahi plse sir suggest me.
Plse sir suggest me because i want to prepare for bank job and my age is 23 and i m graduate with physics now and i m confused
no issues…go ahead with ur preps!!
Hi Mrunal, Let me know if I clear IBPS IT office scale-1 exam. How will I be allocated posting. Is it statewise or anywhere in India?
my score is 130 for ibps rrb office assistant in general category can i get a interview call?
my score is 152 for sc category can i get an interview call??
i solved 77 questions in ibps po cwe 4, belong to sc category and have been provisionally shortlisted.. will i be able to get selected for any bank..
sir suggest me books for ibps po 4 interview.
Sir,i m btech mechanical..shortlisted for interview for ibps po 4..what will b the best answer for the question-why u wish to join bank not any technical job and how ur technical degree will help in banking field?