Cool. Your CV looks perfect. Every time you see it, you feel a sense of satisfaction. Afterall one major part defining your interview process is done by now. You feel all elated for the D -day to ecstatically present it to the panel of your dream college and rock the process.
But hold on!
Are you sure that you have done the latter part of the preparation? Do you know what is there in your resume? Are you aware of the things you have presented about yourself?
If not, it is better you do. A fact about the interview processes is that 90% of the interview is in the hands of the interviewee. It is he who shapes the flow.
How?
1) Describe yourself/ Statement of Purpose
2) Resume
3) Answers the interviewee gives become a stimuli for the upcoming questions But amidst the whole preparation for the GD-PI, candidates generally don’t really consider “knowing the CV”(please notice, it is knowing the CV and not preparing the CV”) at par with other important things viz General Awareness , HR interview prep.
And then in the interview, the panel finds little alignment in the candidate’s words and the CV. Hence, do not miss it. Keep it in the process.
Some pointers on what you should do:
1) Read your CV top to bottom , word by word , once it is ready
2) Divide it into brackets in your head : a. Academics, Professional , Personal b. Important , Average , Vague c. I know all about it , can be discussed, arena not to be visited
3) Identify 1 person each who has a good idea about each bracket. Get availability of the person to spend time him. Ask this person to ask all possible questions that come in his head upon seeing that section of your CV
4) Download possible interview questions on each bracket and start preparing 5) Post some prep , you will be easily able to classify sections into second (Important , Average , Vague) and third(I know all about it , can be discussed, arena not to be visited) set of brackets
6) Maintain notes on discussions/ learnings/ possible que and their thought of answers/related NEWS etc.
You know by now what is IMPORTANT to be discussed in the interview; what you may discuss; and what is little vague in your CV, you probably included it just because you did it sometime. You also know here what part of your CV you are strong at; what you are not very strong at but are comfortable discussing; and what part you need to take conversation away from.
If you get this feeling, you are very good to go.