A group discussion is an evaluation procedure conducted by a company to gauge the proficiency and personality of each candidate. Being a team player is imperative to thrive in a competitive work scenario and conducting Group Discussions helps to assess how a person behaves and acts when he/she works in a team. A group discussion is rarely conducted among a set of people who know each other and this is what lets a recruiter identify a person's true persona, as the real intention is to check how a candidate behaves, participates and contributes towards reaching a consensus. The panel strives to estimate a candidate's skill and character based on his/her behavior; importance paid towards reaching a common agreement that complies with the group's objective and his/her broadmindedness combined with the capacity to listen and accept others point of view.

How it works
By and large a leaderless group of 10-15 candidates are formed and given a situation or topic to discuss, analyse and arrive at a consensus within a stipulated time. A panel of evaluators observes the proceeding and assesses the candidates based on preset criteria.

Traits that employers look for in prospective candidates:
Team spirit & capacity to be a team player
Communication skills
Rational & logical reasoning
capacity
Leadership qualities
Creativity
Assertiveness
Mental Agility
Open-mindedness
Self-confidence
Decision-making ability

Aim
A written test gauges the technical prowess and creativity of a candidate but to survive and grow in a workplace, a person has to learn to work as a team; this is the main reason why companies opt to conduct GDs. As an employee everyone interacts with others in the team to reach their set targets, so what can be a better way to judge a candidate's interactive ability than by putting him/her in a team of people with contrasting opinions? The aspects based on which an employer assesses a candidate in a GD are behavior, participation, contribution in reaching an agreement, non-verbal conduct, ethics one follows, decision-making ability and team-spirit.

Guidelines to follow:
Be yourself. Do not be fazed by the fact that every word you utter will be heard by a group of people.
You are expected to be vocal, so make sure you speak your thoughts but be rational, do not speak just for the sake of being heard.
Organise your thoughts and analyse if you're not sure and speak only when you know what you are going to speak about.
If you're not sure about something, ask and clear your doubts.
If you want to be heard initiate the discussion but if that's not possible then openly agree to someone else's viewpoint and move on from there to express your thoughts on the given subject.
Just opening the discussion cannot assure you the attention of the panel. If you're looking to be recognised, it's the valuable insights that you offer that can gain you the attention of everyone.
The attitude of a person can be surmised from their manners and gestures, so ensure that yours does not reflect you in the wrong light.
Good communication skills come in handy when you want to put forth your views clearly and concisely, so work on your language before attending a GD.
Being assertive shows that you are confident and not afraid of voicing your opinions but there is only a thin line separating assertiveness and over-bearing. Make sure you do not cross it.
Do not get angry. If someone says something that opposes your views, refrain from over-reacting. Always remember that views expressed in a GD should not affect you personally.
Be polite. Do not strongly object or disagree with anyone in the group. Phrases 'I would like to share my views on...' or 'One difference between your point and mine...' or "I beg to differ with you" sounds more polite and apt.
Your leadership skills come to the fore when you encourage others to voice their opinions. So try to win over others by helping them and gently nudging them towards voicing their views.

Practice makes perfect and this is something you should keep in mind to participate in a GD. If you belong to a group of like-minded people, then try to organise mock sessions to get over your fear of speaking in front of people. This will also help you get honest feedback and rectify your mistakes before the actual day. Always remember that a GD lets people assess your alertness, ability to think on your feet, problem-solving abilities and helps to deduce your capacity to work in a team. Therefore make sure you inculcate these abilities to survive and succeed in your career.