Roshan had always been the shy, silent one among all his friends. So shy, that many a times he was not able to answer the questions he knew everything about. Remember that your silence can be taken as ignorance, especially in a Group Discussion (GD).

GDs are seen as an important tool by HRs to choose or eliminate a group of candidates, and if you are an introvert like Roshan, GDs can be a real challenge. While some keep quiet because they are clueless about the topic, there are others who get overpowered by the more aggressive speakers. Being an introvert, soft-spoken, and shy is innate human nature, and there’s nothing wrong in it. However, it is critical to work on one’s shyness when participating in a GD.

You need not be noisy or outspoken to leave a long-lasting impression; after all it’s the quality of the content that matters. To overcome his weakness, Roshan prepared well before his GD, and shared below are the pointers that he took care of!

Break the Ice:

GDs do not always go straight to the point. There are ample opportunities to break the ice among the participants and the moderator. Roshan decided to target those opportunities and tete-a-tete with many of the fellow participants to make his presence felt before the GD started.

Prepare well for the Subject:

Roshan understood that the most talkative person in a GD is not always the most knowledgeable, so he was determined to not get intimidated as others might only be using their oratory skills to get through. On the contrary, he, despite being an introvert, made clear and concise relevant points since he had prepared well for the subject.

Focus on Beginnings and the Endings:

Roshan made his presence felt from the beginning. He made sure to initiate the discussion and grab maximum limelight during the discussion. When the GD came to an end, by concluding the discussion with a clear summary, he made a lasting impression too.

Use Your Weakness as Your Strength:

Many a time, extroverts are not good listeners. Being a good listener come naturally to introverts, helping them make thoughtful, analytical and to-the-point statements and gain an edge over the extroverts.

Body Language and Behavior:

Roshan might not be a gifted speaker, but that didn’t stop him from having a positive attitude. A firm handshake, an enthusiastic smile, or an energetic introduction helped him build a strong impression on the moderator.

Finally, Roshan kept reminding himself that everyone present in the GD was as nervous as he was, and they were keen on their own success and not on judging each other. Roshan’s motto for his success was, “Speak less but speak confidently – your ideas do matter!”