Hope your preparation for the RBI Grade B interviews is going well. The interview dates are not out yet which gives you enough time to prepare well. Hope you are not procrastinating, waiting for the interview date. If yes, waste not another second; the competition is more refined at this stage of the selection process and stakes higher. So get down to preparing well.
But what to prepare, you ask? I like to call it the quadrant approach to interview preparation. Although there are 4 quadrants defining 4 areas to prepare on, 3 out of these 4 are most focused on, in varying degrees of importance, by the candidates and one of the quadrants is usually neglected by the majority of the candidates – YOU. Unfortunately, the majority of the time, this one neglected quadrant is where most interviews start and decide the direction of, and ultimately your performance in the interview.
In my first blog, I had begun with an introduction of sorts as to what interviews are and how you should approach them. In this article, I will discuss the aspects that you should focus on as you prepare for your interview. Now, let us take a look at the 4 quadrants and the importance and strategy for the preparation of each.
Quadrant 1 – The world around you
This is the most prepared area by most candidates. It is an important aspect and shows your understanding of the world and interest in the job you are dreaming of. Being aware of the world around you is important generally too. One should know about the economic and financial setup of the nation and also the broader aspects globally that have an impact on the economic situation of our nation. And not just the financial world, being generally aware of the world around you shows that you, as an individual will always strive to keep learning and be updated. You will have a broader perspective of things which will improve your decision-making skills and ability as you grow in the organisation. You will be more adaptable to change when required. You might have heard of the Hindi phrase “kuyen ka mendhak”; aim not to be one. The best strategy to prepare for this quadrant is to inculcate the habit of reading a financial newspaper daily, and this habit should last your lifetime.
Quadrant 2 – The organisation
This quadrant is well prepared by some while totally missed by some as trivial or just too obvious. Well, it is important to know and research about the organisation you are aiming to be a part of. It shows how serious you are about being a part of this organisation. In this case, you should know everything about this organisation – RBI. You should know the preamble of RBI, the functions and what each function is all about, the history of the organisation, the various departments, the organisation structure, the names of the key personnel, any recent appointments in the organisation, etc.
The best place to prepare for this area is the RBI website itself; it is one of the most detailed and updated websites.
Quadrant 3 – Banking and financial sector
As you are already aware, RBI is the central bank of the country and the banking sector regulator. Being aware of the financial sector in general and about the areas of interest of RBI especially is very important. The banking system in the country, the various types of banks and financial institutes RBI regulates, financial inclusion and Priority sector lending, monetary policy, money markets, other financial markets are some of the areas you should be aware of, both conceptually and current developments point of view.
You may prepare for this section through newspapers (for key developments), the RBI website (FAQ section), and your own notes prepared at the time of written examination.
Quadrant 4 – YOU
This is the most neglected area of preparation by candidates. Candidates either think it as unimportant to prepare for this aspect or forget to prepare on this aspect, or miss preparing it as they keep pushing it for the end or are unaware of what or how to prepare for this aspect. The best way to know if you need to prepare for yourself or not is to speak about yourself for 5 minutes. How long were you able to actually speak? If you stopped after a few seconds or could not go beyond your name, your city name and your education, you seriously need to work hard on this quadrant.
You should be able to confidently and clearly talk about your background, your goals and career aspirations, your strengths and weaknesses, achievements and failures, skills, interests or hobbies, your current or past jobs, education, etc.
The best way to prepare for these is to be aware and explore different questions related to your profile with help of friends, family and mentors. Think and dive into your life experiences and how you can present them. Practice speaking out loud to increase your confidence.
In my next blog, Ace RBI Grade B Interview with Prachi Agarwal – Part 3, I will be discussing the mistakes that candidates generally make during these interviews that cost them dearly.
Hope this will help you to prepare holistically for your interview. All the best. For any guidance, please reach out to us.
At ixamBee you can find free Online Test Series, GK updates in the form of BeePedia, as well as latest updates for Bank PO, Bank Clerk, SSC, RBI, NABARD and Other Government Jobs.
Also read
Ace RBI Grade B Interview with Prachi Agarwal – Part 1
Ace RBI Grade B Interview with Prachi Agarwal- Part 3
Ace RBI Grade B Interview with Prachi Agarwal – Part 4