Cracking the FMS Interview: A Fresher’s Experience with Tough Cross-Questioning
Candidate Profile
- Background: B.Tech in Electronics (Fresher)
- Academics:
- 10th: 96%
- 12th: 94%
- Undergraduate: 84%
- Interview Date: April 22, 2023
- Duration: ~10 minutes
- Panel Composition: 2 Female Professors
Interview Questions & Candidate’s Approach
Breaking the Ice & Profile-Based Questions
🔵 Panelist 1 (P1): Tell me about yourself.
📌 Tip: Keep it structured—start with education, any relevant experiences (internships, projects), and future aspirations.
🔵 Panelist 1 (P1): Tell us about your internship and your campus placement experience. What was the CTC?
📌 Tip: Be honest, but focus more on the learning experience rather than just the salary figures. Interviewers often ask about CTC to gauge industry exposure, not to judge financial worth.
Extempore Round
🔵 Topic: Digital Economy
📌 Tip: When given an extempore, structure your response:
- Define the topic briefly.
- Discuss its relevance and impact.
- Give real-world examples.
- Conclude with your opinion or future scope.
Business & Tech Awareness Questions
🔵 Panelist 2 (P2): What do you think is the most iconic product of Apple?
Candidate answered: iPhone
- Follow-up: Why do you think so?
- Follow-up: Can you compare its success with other Apple products?
- Follow-up: What do you think Apple needs to improve in its product line?
📌 Tip: Expect deep cross-questioning on popular brands and products. Be ready with facts, sales figures, and logical reasoning. If discussing an improvement, ensure it's backed by market trends or user demand.
Finance & Market Trends
🔵 Panelist 1 (P1): What were the reasons for the Paytm share crash?
Candidate started explaining the business model but was interrupted—"The model was the same before IPO, so what changed?"
📌 Tip: When discussing stock market events, focus on:
- IPO pricing and valuation mistakes
- Market sentiment
- Regulatory or competitive challenges
- Post-IPO financial performance
Candidate’s Reflection
📌 "It was a short interview, around 10 minutes, with intense cross-questioning. I felt I could have handled some responses better, especially under pressure."
Key Takeaways for Aspirants
- ✅ Be concise and well-structured in your responses, as FMS interviews tend to be short and to the point.
- ✅ Expect cross-questioning, especially if your answers seem generic or lack depth.
- ✅ Stay updated on business news, especially IPO performances, company strategies, and financial market movements.
- ✅ Prepare for extempore topics—practice structuring your thoughts quickly and delivering a balanced viewpoint.
- ✅ Confidence matters, but don’t hesitate to acknowledge when you don’t know something—just ensure you attempt a logical answer.
📢 Disclaimer: Real Stories, Modified for Privacy 🔍 The above interview experience is based on real candidate interactions collected from various sources. To ensure privacy, some details such as location, industry specifics, and numerical figures have been altered. However, the core questions and insights remain authentic. These stories are intended for educational purposes and do not claim to represent official views of any institution. Any resemblance to actual individuals is purely coincidental. 📢 Stay tuned for more first-hand MBA interview experiences and expert preparation tips!
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