PZ Cussons Territory Sales Manager Interview Questions and Answers

Round: Resume Shortlist
Experience: I come from a 29 months work ex in Automobile Industry. However, I wasn't shortlisted in first 2 lists. Later, when some of the placement committee members pushed for me personally, I was the only candidate shortlisted in third list.

In campus recruitment, you need to be extremely lucky if the first selection is CV based. In a campus like KJ SIMSR, where recruiters generally get around 200-250 CVs, its unlikely that they'll look at them personally and completely. CGPA and Work Ex (having more can also go negative) are general filters.
Tips: Either make sure that you are one of the best CGPA holders or have good access to recruiters so that they look at your other credentials too. (Good relations with PCommers could be really helpful in this.)

Round: Group Discussion
Experience: After getting shortlisted at 11:45am, I was told to sit for the GD at 12:10pm. But since it was a case study based discussion, everyone was on the same page. HR guy explained the case study to all of us and asked us to put our individual points in first 5 mins. Then it was opened for forum. It went on very peacefully without any interruption by the moderators (more because very few of the participants had a little bit of product knowledge). We were asked to plan marketing stratergy for TML's commercial vehicle Tata Magic which is used for passenger movements. Out of 12 participants, 4 were shortlisted including me.
Tips: Start well, speak less, speak sense. Save your best words to close in last two lines.
Duration: 15 minutes

Round: HR Interview
Experience: HR interview was very generic. Reason to join Automobile, Team Handling capabilities, role description, past experiences. I have worked with Tata Motors before as a vendor in my previous company. So I could take many known names, discuss various experiences in detail. Tatas are known for ethics. And trust me, as far as my experience is concerned, I have really felt that its people who work there, make it really special. HRs made me very comfortable and complete interview experience was really nice.
Tips: Speak the truth. Company like Tata Motors have been recruiting people since last 60 years. They'll catch you if you're lying.

Round: Technical Interview
Experience: Tech interview was not that difficult. I had spoken to one of my friends in service department who helped me a lot with pros and cons of TML products. I knew the market wise performance of the company. Hence, I am sure that I scored the most there. Being an experienced candidate, the interviewer took me on a discussion level than interview. Some of the basic guesstimate questions were like,

1. What is TML's market share in Commercial Business
2. Why TML commands so much of MS?
3. Why do you think Ashok Leyland is doing better in South and not anywhere else?

Just have some basic knowledge about Automobile industry and you should be through. They don't expect you to know everything.
Tips: Learn, study or talk to people who are working in the company. People are very simple here. So don't try to impress them with your style. They'll get impressed with sensible, real knowledge and material that you have. If you are a fresher, then obviously they won't expect you to have product knowledge and information on commercial vehicle industry. But you should be able to convey your passion for Automobile Industry and domain for which you are being interviewed.

General Tips: Be properly dressed. Speak clear, speak sense, to the point. Don't try to show off. Ethics are very much important in this organization. So don't say otherwise in interviews. The company can have gone places if it starts following market practices. But its firm on what it is doing and will stick to it.
Skills: Market Analysis, sales, domai, Leader
College Name: KJ Somaiya Institute Of Management Studies And Research
Motivation: Past work ex as a vendor, people who work there, excellent leadership that company has had in past.
Funny Moments: I knew that I was selected even more finishing my interview. As I mentioned earlier, I wasn't shortlisted in first two lists. So I missed the presentation that TML gave to all shortlisted candidates. Hence I requested the interviewer to go through the presentation so that I don't miss on anything important. He replied with a question asking me if I really need any presentation to know more about the company?