TAPMI Interview Experience: Turning a Year Gap into a Growth Story
Candidate Profile
- Background: Mechanical Engineering graduate
- Work Experience: Fresher, with a year-long gap after graduation
- Academics:
- 10th Grade: 88%
- 12th Grade: 92%
- Engineering CGPA: 7.6
The candidate took a year off after graduation, using that time for personal growth and skill development. This TAPMI interview, held on February 6, 2021, involved three panelists: a marketing professor, an HR professor (both female), and a finance professor (male).
Group Discussion (GD)
Topic: Has social media democratized news in India?
Interview Questions & Structure
1. Icebreaker & Personal Questions
🔵 Panelist: Justify your year gap after graduation.
🔵 Panelist: What new things did you learn during your gap year?
🔵 Panelist: Tell us about your achievements.
🔵 Panelist: Have you held any roles of responsibility?
2. Strengths & Self-Reflection
🔵 Panelist: What are your strengths?
🔵 Panelist: What are your weaknesses?
🔵 Panelist: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
🔵 Panelist: Why MBA?
🔵 Panelist: Tell us something not in your resume.
3. Ethics & Decision-Making
🔵 Panelist: Have you ever said no to someone during work or events? Elaborate.
🔵 Panelist: Any ethical dilemma you've faced?
Behavioral Round – Situational Judgement (Second Candidate)
In a second interaction (possibly a peer or alternate session), the panel delved into behavioral assessments:
- Unable to help a coworker
- Displaying high self-confidence
- Being critical to a project’s success
- Facing an unwanted life change
- Seizing an opportunity
- Key learnings from these experiences
Key Takeaways for Aspirants
- âś… Embrace and justify any career gaps constructively
- âś… Prepare behavioral questions using the STAR framework
- âś… Stay aware of current events and their broader implications
- âś… Demonstrate readiness for collaborative and ethical environments
- âś… Show clarity in goals and how MBA helps achieve them
🔍 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.
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