Writing Ability Test (WAT) – All about it!

Writing Ability Test or WAT, as it is popularly known today, has replaced the Group Discussions (GDs) in most of the B-schools’ selection procedure. In 11 of 13 IIMs (6 new IIMs are to start from 2015), WAT has replaced GD.

What is WAT?

WAT is essentially a test of the writing abilities of a candidate. WAT assumes importance because a candidate has to communicate in the written form, most of the times, in his/her professional life. So having a good writing ability comes as an advantage. To add to this, the knowledge of a candidate is also checked in his/ her writing. The more the knowledge, the better the writing.

WAT is mostly asked in two formats viz.

• Essay writing
• Summary writing

Important points:

While WAT appears to be an easy task at the first instance, it definitely requires a lot of attention and meticulous execution. We need to remember that we are WRITING. It can check our creativity, knowledge, logic and language, all in one go!

We suggest the candidates to take care of the following points while attempting WAT:

-          Clarity of thought

 
This is one of the most important things to take care of in WAT. Think a little before you start writing. Remember, it is not a test of scribbling. You need to be sure of what you are writing.

-         Structure

It is quite important to maintain a proper structure while writing. Normally, the flow should be

Idea – Body Text – Conclusion

One normally should start with the idea(s) which one wants to elaborate upon. It should be followed by the content which supports the main idea(s) discussed initially and then finally one should conclude. It is quite obvious that the conclusion should be in line with the idea(s) with which one had started.

-          Flow (Smooth and Logical)

The flow of the article/essay/ summary one writes should be smooth and quite logical. We suggest that one decides the flow in advance i.e. before one starts writing. If done successfully, it will ensure a proper flow and message will come out clearly.

-          Language

It goes without saying one has to take care of the grammar, punctuations, spelling, and other such things while writing. An incorrect language would definitely leave a bad impression on the evaluator and will result into a poor understanding and hence the score too. One also has to ensure that the length of the sentences is not too long.

-          Clear and simple writing

The writing should be legible and enough space should be left between the words. One should also take care that the words used are not very difficult to understand. Usage of simple words and clear handwriting is advisable.

-          Knowledge

Nothing can undermine the importance of this point. Knowledge is the thing which can make a candidate stand apart from others. A good reading habit will definitely come handy while writing.

Keeping these points in mind, one should practice writing on a few topics before attempting WAT as a part of the selection procedure. The more one practices, the more one will be benefited.

A few WAT topics:

-          Essential services like water and electricity should not be privatized.

-          Politics is a money-game, the more you garner the better are your chances of winning.

-          Difficulty shapes a man, as does labour to body.

-          Grass is always greener on the other side.

-          Terrorism is the biggest challenge of this century.

Paridhi Trivedi Parikh | Hardik K. Parikh

Building Careers, Shaping Lives!

(Click on "Join this site" tab on the right-hand side of the page and get instant updates)

Disclaimer: The views mentioned above are based on the authors' opinion and experiences. We do not take responsibility for any decision that might be taken, based on these views/ information.

BASICS OF INTERVIEW - PART # 1

PART # 1 - THE GROUNDWORK

Interviews nowadays form a very important part of the selection process of any company/institute/ organisation. Gone are the days when interviews were just a formality. Today interviews can be the differentiating factor and could result into rejection or selection of a candidate. Hence it is imperative for most of us to tackle it tactfully and eventually successfully too.

We believe, a successful candidate should do his/her groundwork religiously in order to be successful in the interview. So what does the groundwork comprise of? We would categorize it into two parts viz. a) Foundation and b) Building Blocks

a) Foundation

How often have we heard "First impression is the last impression"? Often, one would say. That is it and that is the story. We have to have a very good impression, more so,the first impression. And dear friends, mind well,first our impression is created by our CV/Resume. Hence it is quite important that we have a very clear, attractive and informative CV/Resume. A few things that we should keep in mind while preparing are:

- Clutter free

- Free of grammatical errors

- Properly formatted

- Perfectly demarcated

- As short as possible

- Accurate and correct information

(We will write a special article on CV/ Resume building later).

b) Building Blocks

These are those things which one will essentially require in the interview.

- Basics of your academics

- Detailed knowledge of 2 to 3 subjects from your academics

- Current Affairs

- Knowledge of the relevant company/ institute (where one has applied)

- Knowledge of the industry (sector) in which one is applying

- Work experience related knowledge (if any)

Normally, interviewers have a tendency to ask questions from academics, if the candidate is a fresher. So it becomes quite imperative for you to be thorough with your basics and atleast have in-depth knowledge of 2-3 subjects. And believe us friends, it cannot be done overnight. Spend some sufficient time on it. Current affairs is another area from which questions are asked in the interview. It shows the awareness and preparedness level of the candidate and hence it one of the most favourite sections in many competitive examinations. And obviously, one should not mug up everything mentioned in the above statements but should be well-versed with the topics mentioned above.

The above mentioned parts, if managed successfully, will definitely enable you to be successful in the interviews with practice of things mentioned above.

Read more about interviews in PART # 2...

Paridhi Trivedi Parikh | Hardik K. Parikh

Building Careers, Shaping Lives!

(Click on "Join this site" tab on the right-hand side of the page and get instant updates)

Disclaimer: The views mentioned above are based on the authors' opinion and experiences. We do not take responsibility for any decision that might be taken, based on these views/ information.