Campus drives are campus recruitment sessions that connect organizations with today’s talented students for the purposes of employment. Campus interviews are very popular and much sought after in professional colleges. Many educational institutions flock to a College Placement Officer to make selections for the young Graduates and Post graduates. It is very convenient for the students to select a job and have the satisfaction of taking it up immediately after completing the course. They can start their career with lot of confidence.
The Recruitment Process
The campus placement officer usually coordinates the recruitment process. The recruitment season typically extends from mid-October to mid-March. However, because of increased competition, campus recruiting is becoming a year-round activity.
Campus Selection
One of the first steps in developing a campus recruitment programme is to select the right campus with which to build a relationship. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), employers should target only campuses that “produce both types of students that best fit into its corporate culture and the number of students it needs to achieve its hiring goals.” Although there is no set formula for determining which campuses to visit, campuses can be rated by several objective factors.
In addition to Indian IT firms, global giants like IBM, Accenture and HP, also have plans to hire in large numbers in India. This requirement of IT companies can be fulfilled by two different methods. In the first method, companies can reach out to the vast pool of talent through advertisements in newspapers. This way the prospective candidates approach the companies. This method may be particularly useful, if the number of job vacancies is less. When the number of vacancies is high, this method is time consuming. The other more proactive approach by the organization is to directly visit the campuses and recruit the candidates from those campuses. This method is referred to as Campus Recruitment. This way both the organizations and the prospective candidates come on a common platform. This common platform provides excellent opportunities to the companies to interact with the talented students who are enthusiastic and extremely motivated and who are willing to go that extra mile to prove themselves. For a student, this system provides a smooth path to enter the job market straight from the campuses.
Why Campus Recruitment?
Today, many top corporate houses are giving a lot of importance to Campus recruitment. Corporates want to hire and retain the best possible talent in order to gain competitive edge over their rivals. During recruitment process, a company employs various selection tools to ensure that it hires right person for the right job. This quest to attain the right fit between a person and a job has magnified the importance of Campus Recruitment and not only engineering colleges but also degree colleges have started to adopt this process. In this context, it is worthwhile to mention that the job-market, today, is promising, not just, for engineering graduates but also for non-engineering graduates. Top notch IT companies are also hiring non-engineering graduates like B.Com, B.Sc, BCA graduates, diploma holders.
For example, in the year 2010-2011, Infosys made offers to 1000 non-engineering graduates. The compensation package offered to them was Rs 2.18 lakh per annum. Similarly, TCS is recruiting commerce graduates for software development. The coding has been redesigned so that these graduates can do that part of the work, which does not involve engineering knowledge. This, surely, is an encouraging sign for all those who are from non-engineering backgrounds and who wish to take up jobs with companies like TCS, Infosys, Wipro etc. Not just IT industry, but other industries too are buzzing with recruitment activities. For example, the Mahindra Group, which has a wide range of businesses, plans to hire around 25,000 professionals by the end of this year.
Eligibility criteria for entry level position:
Each company has its own eligibility criteria in terms of age, qualification, year of graduation, % marks scored in class Xth, XIIth, UG/PG. The basic eligibility criteria for entry level position in different IT companies may vary slightly from company to company, but broadly they do not differ much.
For example, for an entry level position in TCS, a prospective candidate should have an aggregate of 60 percent in Std X, XII, & Graduation/ Post Graduation (all semesters including optional subjects). He also should have less than two years of gap in his academic career. Similarly, for an entry level position in Cognizant, a prospective candidate should have secured over 60 percent in X, XII, UG/PG (if applicable). There should be no outstanding arrears.
Stages in Selection Process:
Various stages of the selection process remain, broadly, the same for these companies, with some slight variations. These variations could be in the form of an additional or less number of stages for some companies.
The following are the stages that students normally go through as a part of Campus Recruitment:
(i) Aptitude Test (ii) GD (iii) Interviews
(i) Aptitude Test:
Aptitude test is one of the integral components in the entire scheme of the selection process. The areas normally covered in the aptitude tests of most companies are Quantitative ability, Reasoning, Verbal Ability and basic computer skills. These tests are well structured. The kind of questions that are asked or the topics that are tested depends entirely on the company conducting the test. Each company has its own pattern. For analytical test you need to be through in the following areas:
Numbers: HCF # LCM of Numbers, Decimal Fractions, Simplifications, Square Roots, Average, Problems on Numbers, Problems on Ages, Surds, Percentage, Profit and Loss, Ratio and Proportion, Partnership, Chain Rule, Time and Work, Pipes and Cisterns, Time and Distance, Problems on Trains, Boats and Streams, Allegation or Mixture, Simple Interest, Compound Interest, Logarithms, Area, Volume & Surface Areas, Races, Calendar, Clocks, Stocks and Permutations & combinations…
Puzzles: HCF # LCM of Numbers, Decimal Fractions & Simplifications, Square Roots and Average, Profit and Loss, Ratio and Proportion, Partnership, Figure, Time and Work, Pipes and Cisterns, Simple Interest, Compound Interest, Time and Distance, Problems on Trains, Boats and Streams, Problems on Numbers, Ages, Surds, Percentage, Syllogism, Logarithms, Area, Volume & Surface Areas, Coding and decoding, Logical connectives, Data sufficiency, Data interpretation, Statement – Conclusion, Blood relation, Cube and dice, Races, Calendar, Clocks, Stocks and Permutations & combinations…
For example, in the written test of Infosys, there are two sections, each with specified time limit. In one of the sections, 40 questions are asked, with a time limit of 35 minutes. This section tests a student’s Verbal Ability. Usually, out of 40 questions, 10 questions are on Reading Comprehension (involving two passages). The remaining questions are based on English Usage. The second section has 30 questions to be attempted in 40 minutes. This section tests a student’s problem solving ability. The type of questions can vary slightly from one exam to another. But broadly, the questions come from different areas like Data Interpretation, Data Sufficiency, Non Verbal Reasoning, Analytical Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude.
As yet another example, in the online test of TCS, a total of 35 questions are asked. The questions are taken from a large pool of questions. All these 35 questions are based on either quantitative aptitude or reasoning. In Wipro, a total of 50 questions are asked, spread across three sections, to be attempted in 50 minutes. In test area of Verbal Ability, a total of 15 questions are asked. Out of these three sections, there is one section in which there are 20 questions, which test your technical knowledge and you need to have sound understanding of different subjects like Computer Science and Engineering (programming languages like C, C++), Electronics and Communications (Microprocessors). In Cognizant Technology Solutions (CTS), however, there is no technical section. As per the new pattern, there are a total of 55 questions spread across two sections.
You need to be adequately prepared to handle the aptitude test of any of these companies. The questions won’t be as smooth as you may be thinking. This stage is very important and if you do not clear this stage, then you cannot move to the next stage in the selection process, which is usually the Group Discussion.
(ii) Group Discussion:
A group discussion or GD is conducted to test the inter-personal, including communication skills of candidates. It also tests a candidate’s knowledge and his ability to link the facts.
In a GD, a group of students is asked to discuss a topic given to them. The topics that are given in GD are of two types – Knowledge based and Abstract. GD is conducted to test certain key attributes in you. You would be tested for your clarity of thought and clarity of language. The companies, also, test your ability to understand and structure a response to the topic. Your leadership skills are also put to test during Group Discussion. In order to do well in GD, you need to read newspapers, magazines regularly.
(ii) Interview:
Interview is the last stage in the entire scheme of selection process. Some companies conduct HR and Technical Interviews separately, while some other companies combine both types in a single interview. The interviews are conducted to test a candidate’s knowledge of self, his career plans, hobbies, interests, achievements, knowledge about his specialization etc. Questions can be drawn from any area. It is expected that you have a clear career goal or objective when you face an interview panel. If you are from the department of Electronics Engineering and you are applying to TCS, then it is expected that you have good command over the subjects you have learnt in your engineering. At the same time, you need to show interest in the field of IT and come up with a convincing answer as to why you are shifting your field from “Electronics Engineering” to “IT”. Overall, your confidence and your knowledge are the key attributes which would be checked here.
The CSE, IT students do prepare C, Java, Data Structure, DBMS, Software engineering and SQL query very carefully. Core students prepare C, data structure and departmental subjects. Do remember that, the technical part is most important round. You should have good technical/ subject knowledge.
Some sample HR questions:
1. Tell me about yourself?
2. What’s your short and long term goal?
3. Why do you want to join in our company?
4. Why should I hire you?
5. What will you do if you are not selected?
6. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
7. Expectations from our company?
Each of these stages is eliminatory.
Salaries: Pay packages offered by companies are usually in the range of Rs 3 lakh to Rs 4.5 lakh a year for fresh engineering graduates.
Need for preparation: Today, many organizations seem to offer a good salary package and a better work profile. This has only intensified the competition amongst candidates. It, then, becomes very important for a candidate to display excellent professional skills - be it in terms of inter-personal skills or in terms of mathematical skills, analytical skills or technical skills. So, even good students need to fine-tune their knowledge base and enhance their overall speed and accuracy. This can be done through regular practice and under expert guidance.
How to prepare for campus interview
Campus Interview … Hmm… is what one looks forward to with enthusiasm, fear and excitement towards the beginning of the final year. For some it’s a make or break, at least that’s the way it’s looked at and for some it’s a matter of pride. Follow these commandments to get success.
1. Know Thyself!
The first step in preparing for an interview is to do a thorough self-assessment so that you will know what you have to offer an employer. It is very important to develop a complete inventory of skills, experience, and personal attributes that you can use to market yourself to employers at any time during the interview process.
In developing this inventory, it is easiest to start with experience. Once you have a detailed list of activities that you have done (past jobs, extra-curricular involvements, volunteer work, school projects, etc.), it is fairly easy to identify your skills. Simply go through the list, and for each item ask yourself “What could I have learned by doing this?” “What skills did I develop?” “What issues/circumstances have I learned to deal with?”
Keep in mind that skills fall into two categories - technical and generic. Technical skills are the skills required to do a specific job. For a laboratory assistant, technical skills might include knowledge of sterilization procedures, slide preparation, and scientific report writing. For an outreach worker, technical skills might include counseling skills, case management skills, or program design and evaluation skills. Generic skills are those which are transferable to many work settings. Following is a list of the ten most marketable skills. You will notice that they are all generic.
• Analytical / Problem Solving
• Flexibility/Versatility
• Inter-personal
• Oral/Written Communication
• Organization/Planning
• Time Management
• Motivation
• Leadership
• Self-Starter/Initiative
Team Player
2. Know the Organization
The more you know about an organization, the better prepared you will be to discuss how you can meet its needs. Some of the characteristics that you should know about an organization are:
Where is it located?
How big is it?
What are its products and who does it serve?
How is the organization structured?
What is its history?
Have there been any recent changes, new developments?
If the organization is fairly small, or fairly new, there may not be much information published. In this case, it will be necessary to do an information interview. Contact someone within the organization, introduce yourself, explain that you are considering moving into the field, and ask if it would be possible to meet with him/her to inquire about the company/organization and about what exactly the position would involve.
3. Testing What You Know and not What You Don’t.
Many interviewers may ask the student the subjects that she/he wishes to be interviewed upon. Here’s a golden opportunity. Answer this wisely! Never end up choosing a difficult subject that you know only little about, rather choose the one you are most confident of.
4. Rack Your Brain – Analyze
The interview is not just limited to testing your knowledge base, but also interested in knowing your ability to apply it. Often questions that need to be solved then and there are asked. Now keep in mind – the right answer is not the only thing being looked at. The focus area is also the way in which you attack the problem i.e. approach to problem solving is equally important. So, remember to put your thinking caps on!
5. What are your biggest accomplishments?
You may like to begin your reply with: “Although I feel my biggest achievements are still ahead of me, I am proud of my involvement with …. I made my contribution as part of that team and learnt a lot in the process”. It will be a good idea to close your answer with also specifying what attributes and circumstances made you succeed.
6. Be Calm, have Clear Verbal and Sound Non-Verbal Communication
Calmness shows emotional maturity. True, being calm in a job interview is a difficult proposition, but then that is where it is required! Calmness does not imply being unenthusiastic or apathetic during the interview, but knowing that you are nervous and not letting it come in the way. A clear verbal communication implies clarity of the thought process. One should also watch out for the impressions made in non-verbal communication. Body language and facial expressions can assist you in establishing a good rapport with the interviewer. Pauses, silences and gestures may all indicate what you mean, understand, or would like to emphasize.
7. Two-Way Exchange Process
The interview process is a two-way exchange of information. Make sure you also understand about the company, its activities, and job requirements. The company is in need for good candidates and you need a good company to launch your career.
Interview is an opportunity to present yourself and your skills to your best advantage. Make sure you make the most out of it. And YOU are the best one to do it!!
Books for Placements preparation:
• Quantitative Aptitude by R.S.Agarwal
• Puzzles by Shakuntala Devi
• GRE Barrons for Aptitutde Test
• A modern approach to verbal and non-verbal reasoning by R.S.Agarwal
Final Suggestion:
If you have the campus recruitment in your college, then see what are the profiles of the companies which come to your college? For software companies, you need not worry, if you have good percentage and your anxiety shows how serious you are about your career. Apart from this, if you have communication skills, it would be enough to sail through them very easily.
If you get the companies which offer positions like business analyst, financial analyst etc... Then you need to show your participation in the co- and extra- curricular activities. You have to prove your leadership and management skills in the events you have organized in the college and you should have good analytical thinking.
The best way to begin preparation is to first solve any of the past papers. By doing this, you will understand your weak areas and also the areas you need more preparation. So you must purchase books like Wren and Martin, R.S Agarwal etc. You will find some tricks in these books. Once you cover all the areas you can start solving rest of the past papers.
It’s important for you to first pay attention to a few things before you step into a campus interview and categorically they are:
1. Dress properly and wear a tie.
2. Be confident with a pleasant smile.
3. Never show your nervousness.
4. Answer all the questions asked in the language they are asked.
5. Don’t be over confident.
6. Prepare the basics very well.
7. Prepare your subject well as well as popular current events and happenings or changes and get yourself well-acquainted with the latest developments in your field.
8. Give answer very precisely and accurately and in a very polite manner.
Remember the three thumb rule; you must be through in Soft Skills, Technical Skills and reasoning. Time is the most important factor in this aptitude test. So do take note of time. Before the interview be prepared for all technical subjects which you have mentioned in your CV. Most important thing is, your CV may be small but it should be full of truth, interviewers do not take dishonest or liars. Review your project/dissertation. Be prepared to elaborate it in not more than two minutes. The interviewers will ask you the areas you are interested in. Don’t pretend on the areas you are not confident about. Focus on what you are thorough. Before going to face any company, study the placement papers of that company (in Google it is available) and go with thoroughness and confidence. All the best! Study hard and never forget the concept, ‘hard work and practice is the only way to achieve success’ in any area.
(The author is Training and Placement Officer in Sree Dattha Engineering College, Sheriguda, Ibrahimpatnam)
The Recruitment Process
The campus placement officer usually coordinates the recruitment process. The recruitment season typically extends from mid-October to mid-March. However, because of increased competition, campus recruiting is becoming a year-round activity.
Campus Selection
One of the first steps in developing a campus recruitment programme is to select the right campus with which to build a relationship. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), employers should target only campuses that “produce both types of students that best fit into its corporate culture and the number of students it needs to achieve its hiring goals.” Although there is no set formula for determining which campuses to visit, campuses can be rated by several objective factors.
In addition to Indian IT firms, global giants like IBM, Accenture and HP, also have plans to hire in large numbers in India. This requirement of IT companies can be fulfilled by two different methods. In the first method, companies can reach out to the vast pool of talent through advertisements in newspapers. This way the prospective candidates approach the companies. This method may be particularly useful, if the number of job vacancies is less. When the number of vacancies is high, this method is time consuming. The other more proactive approach by the organization is to directly visit the campuses and recruit the candidates from those campuses. This method is referred to as Campus Recruitment. This way both the organizations and the prospective candidates come on a common platform. This common platform provides excellent opportunities to the companies to interact with the talented students who are enthusiastic and extremely motivated and who are willing to go that extra mile to prove themselves. For a student, this system provides a smooth path to enter the job market straight from the campuses.
Why Campus Recruitment?
Today, many top corporate houses are giving a lot of importance to Campus recruitment. Corporates want to hire and retain the best possible talent in order to gain competitive edge over their rivals. During recruitment process, a company employs various selection tools to ensure that it hires right person for the right job. This quest to attain the right fit between a person and a job has magnified the importance of Campus Recruitment and not only engineering colleges but also degree colleges have started to adopt this process. In this context, it is worthwhile to mention that the job-market, today, is promising, not just, for engineering graduates but also for non-engineering graduates. Top notch IT companies are also hiring non-engineering graduates like B.Com, B.Sc, BCA graduates, diploma holders.
For example, in the year 2010-2011, Infosys made offers to 1000 non-engineering graduates. The compensation package offered to them was Rs 2.18 lakh per annum. Similarly, TCS is recruiting commerce graduates for software development. The coding has been redesigned so that these graduates can do that part of the work, which does not involve engineering knowledge. This, surely, is an encouraging sign for all those who are from non-engineering backgrounds and who wish to take up jobs with companies like TCS, Infosys, Wipro etc. Not just IT industry, but other industries too are buzzing with recruitment activities. For example, the Mahindra Group, which has a wide range of businesses, plans to hire around 25,000 professionals by the end of this year.
Eligibility criteria for entry level position:
Each company has its own eligibility criteria in terms of age, qualification, year of graduation, % marks scored in class Xth, XIIth, UG/PG. The basic eligibility criteria for entry level position in different IT companies may vary slightly from company to company, but broadly they do not differ much.
For example, for an entry level position in TCS, a prospective candidate should have an aggregate of 60 percent in Std X, XII, & Graduation/ Post Graduation (all semesters including optional subjects). He also should have less than two years of gap in his academic career. Similarly, for an entry level position in Cognizant, a prospective candidate should have secured over 60 percent in X, XII, UG/PG (if applicable). There should be no outstanding arrears.
Stages in Selection Process:
Various stages of the selection process remain, broadly, the same for these companies, with some slight variations. These variations could be in the form of an additional or less number of stages for some companies.
The following are the stages that students normally go through as a part of Campus Recruitment:
(i) Aptitude Test (ii) GD (iii) Interviews
(i) Aptitude Test:
Aptitude test is one of the integral components in the entire scheme of the selection process. The areas normally covered in the aptitude tests of most companies are Quantitative ability, Reasoning, Verbal Ability and basic computer skills. These tests are well structured. The kind of questions that are asked or the topics that are tested depends entirely on the company conducting the test. Each company has its own pattern. For analytical test you need to be through in the following areas:
Numbers: HCF # LCM of Numbers, Decimal Fractions, Simplifications, Square Roots, Average, Problems on Numbers, Problems on Ages, Surds, Percentage, Profit and Loss, Ratio and Proportion, Partnership, Chain Rule, Time and Work, Pipes and Cisterns, Time and Distance, Problems on Trains, Boats and Streams, Allegation or Mixture, Simple Interest, Compound Interest, Logarithms, Area, Volume & Surface Areas, Races, Calendar, Clocks, Stocks and Permutations & combinations…
Puzzles: HCF # LCM of Numbers, Decimal Fractions & Simplifications, Square Roots and Average, Profit and Loss, Ratio and Proportion, Partnership, Figure, Time and Work, Pipes and Cisterns, Simple Interest, Compound Interest, Time and Distance, Problems on Trains, Boats and Streams, Problems on Numbers, Ages, Surds, Percentage, Syllogism, Logarithms, Area, Volume & Surface Areas, Coding and decoding, Logical connectives, Data sufficiency, Data interpretation, Statement – Conclusion, Blood relation, Cube and dice, Races, Calendar, Clocks, Stocks and Permutations & combinations…
For example, in the written test of Infosys, there are two sections, each with specified time limit. In one of the sections, 40 questions are asked, with a time limit of 35 minutes. This section tests a student’s Verbal Ability. Usually, out of 40 questions, 10 questions are on Reading Comprehension (involving two passages). The remaining questions are based on English Usage. The second section has 30 questions to be attempted in 40 minutes. This section tests a student’s problem solving ability. The type of questions can vary slightly from one exam to another. But broadly, the questions come from different areas like Data Interpretation, Data Sufficiency, Non Verbal Reasoning, Analytical Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude.
As yet another example, in the online test of TCS, a total of 35 questions are asked. The questions are taken from a large pool of questions. All these 35 questions are based on either quantitative aptitude or reasoning. In Wipro, a total of 50 questions are asked, spread across three sections, to be attempted in 50 minutes. In test area of Verbal Ability, a total of 15 questions are asked. Out of these three sections, there is one section in which there are 20 questions, which test your technical knowledge and you need to have sound understanding of different subjects like Computer Science and Engineering (programming languages like C, C++), Electronics and Communications (Microprocessors). In Cognizant Technology Solutions (CTS), however, there is no technical section. As per the new pattern, there are a total of 55 questions spread across two sections.
You need to be adequately prepared to handle the aptitude test of any of these companies. The questions won’t be as smooth as you may be thinking. This stage is very important and if you do not clear this stage, then you cannot move to the next stage in the selection process, which is usually the Group Discussion.
(ii) Group Discussion:
A group discussion or GD is conducted to test the inter-personal, including communication skills of candidates. It also tests a candidate’s knowledge and his ability to link the facts.
In a GD, a group of students is asked to discuss a topic given to them. The topics that are given in GD are of two types – Knowledge based and Abstract. GD is conducted to test certain key attributes in you. You would be tested for your clarity of thought and clarity of language. The companies, also, test your ability to understand and structure a response to the topic. Your leadership skills are also put to test during Group Discussion. In order to do well in GD, you need to read newspapers, magazines regularly.
(ii) Interview:
Interview is the last stage in the entire scheme of selection process. Some companies conduct HR and Technical Interviews separately, while some other companies combine both types in a single interview. The interviews are conducted to test a candidate’s knowledge of self, his career plans, hobbies, interests, achievements, knowledge about his specialization etc. Questions can be drawn from any area. It is expected that you have a clear career goal or objective when you face an interview panel. If you are from the department of Electronics Engineering and you are applying to TCS, then it is expected that you have good command over the subjects you have learnt in your engineering. At the same time, you need to show interest in the field of IT and come up with a convincing answer as to why you are shifting your field from “Electronics Engineering” to “IT”. Overall, your confidence and your knowledge are the key attributes which would be checked here.
The CSE, IT students do prepare C, Java, Data Structure, DBMS, Software engineering and SQL query very carefully. Core students prepare C, data structure and departmental subjects. Do remember that, the technical part is most important round. You should have good technical/ subject knowledge.
Some sample HR questions:
1. Tell me about yourself?
2. What’s your short and long term goal?
3. Why do you want to join in our company?
4. Why should I hire you?
5. What will you do if you are not selected?
6. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
7. Expectations from our company?
Each of these stages is eliminatory.
Salaries: Pay packages offered by companies are usually in the range of Rs 3 lakh to Rs 4.5 lakh a year for fresh engineering graduates.
Need for preparation: Today, many organizations seem to offer a good salary package and a better work profile. This has only intensified the competition amongst candidates. It, then, becomes very important for a candidate to display excellent professional skills - be it in terms of inter-personal skills or in terms of mathematical skills, analytical skills or technical skills. So, even good students need to fine-tune their knowledge base and enhance their overall speed and accuracy. This can be done through regular practice and under expert guidance.
How to prepare for campus interview
Campus Interview … Hmm… is what one looks forward to with enthusiasm, fear and excitement towards the beginning of the final year. For some it’s a make or break, at least that’s the way it’s looked at and for some it’s a matter of pride. Follow these commandments to get success.
1. Know Thyself!
The first step in preparing for an interview is to do a thorough self-assessment so that you will know what you have to offer an employer. It is very important to develop a complete inventory of skills, experience, and personal attributes that you can use to market yourself to employers at any time during the interview process.
In developing this inventory, it is easiest to start with experience. Once you have a detailed list of activities that you have done (past jobs, extra-curricular involvements, volunteer work, school projects, etc.), it is fairly easy to identify your skills. Simply go through the list, and for each item ask yourself “What could I have learned by doing this?” “What skills did I develop?” “What issues/circumstances have I learned to deal with?”
Keep in mind that skills fall into two categories - technical and generic. Technical skills are the skills required to do a specific job. For a laboratory assistant, technical skills might include knowledge of sterilization procedures, slide preparation, and scientific report writing. For an outreach worker, technical skills might include counseling skills, case management skills, or program design and evaluation skills. Generic skills are those which are transferable to many work settings. Following is a list of the ten most marketable skills. You will notice that they are all generic.
• Analytical / Problem Solving
• Flexibility/Versatility
• Inter-personal
• Oral/Written Communication
• Organization/Planning
• Time Management
• Motivation
• Leadership
• Self-Starter/Initiative
Team Player
2. Know the Organization
The more you know about an organization, the better prepared you will be to discuss how you can meet its needs. Some of the characteristics that you should know about an organization are:
Where is it located?
How big is it?
What are its products and who does it serve?
How is the organization structured?
What is its history?
Have there been any recent changes, new developments?
If the organization is fairly small, or fairly new, there may not be much information published. In this case, it will be necessary to do an information interview. Contact someone within the organization, introduce yourself, explain that you are considering moving into the field, and ask if it would be possible to meet with him/her to inquire about the company/organization and about what exactly the position would involve.
3. Testing What You Know and not What You Don’t.
Many interviewers may ask the student the subjects that she/he wishes to be interviewed upon. Here’s a golden opportunity. Answer this wisely! Never end up choosing a difficult subject that you know only little about, rather choose the one you are most confident of.
4. Rack Your Brain – Analyze
The interview is not just limited to testing your knowledge base, but also interested in knowing your ability to apply it. Often questions that need to be solved then and there are asked. Now keep in mind – the right answer is not the only thing being looked at. The focus area is also the way in which you attack the problem i.e. approach to problem solving is equally important. So, remember to put your thinking caps on!
5. What are your biggest accomplishments?
You may like to begin your reply with: “Although I feel my biggest achievements are still ahead of me, I am proud of my involvement with …. I made my contribution as part of that team and learnt a lot in the process”. It will be a good idea to close your answer with also specifying what attributes and circumstances made you succeed.
6. Be Calm, have Clear Verbal and Sound Non-Verbal Communication
Calmness shows emotional maturity. True, being calm in a job interview is a difficult proposition, but then that is where it is required! Calmness does not imply being unenthusiastic or apathetic during the interview, but knowing that you are nervous and not letting it come in the way. A clear verbal communication implies clarity of the thought process. One should also watch out for the impressions made in non-verbal communication. Body language and facial expressions can assist you in establishing a good rapport with the interviewer. Pauses, silences and gestures may all indicate what you mean, understand, or would like to emphasize.
7. Two-Way Exchange Process
The interview process is a two-way exchange of information. Make sure you also understand about the company, its activities, and job requirements. The company is in need for good candidates and you need a good company to launch your career.
Interview is an opportunity to present yourself and your skills to your best advantage. Make sure you make the most out of it. And YOU are the best one to do it!!
Books for Placements preparation:
• Quantitative Aptitude by R.S.Agarwal
• Puzzles by Shakuntala Devi
• GRE Barrons for Aptitutde Test
• A modern approach to verbal and non-verbal reasoning by R.S.Agarwal
Final Suggestion:
If you have the campus recruitment in your college, then see what are the profiles of the companies which come to your college? For software companies, you need not worry, if you have good percentage and your anxiety shows how serious you are about your career. Apart from this, if you have communication skills, it would be enough to sail through them very easily.
If you get the companies which offer positions like business analyst, financial analyst etc... Then you need to show your participation in the co- and extra- curricular activities. You have to prove your leadership and management skills in the events you have organized in the college and you should have good analytical thinking.
The best way to begin preparation is to first solve any of the past papers. By doing this, you will understand your weak areas and also the areas you need more preparation. So you must purchase books like Wren and Martin, R.S Agarwal etc. You will find some tricks in these books. Once you cover all the areas you can start solving rest of the past papers.
It’s important for you to first pay attention to a few things before you step into a campus interview and categorically they are:
1. Dress properly and wear a tie.
2. Be confident with a pleasant smile.
3. Never show your nervousness.
4. Answer all the questions asked in the language they are asked.
5. Don’t be over confident.
6. Prepare the basics very well.
7. Prepare your subject well as well as popular current events and happenings or changes and get yourself well-acquainted with the latest developments in your field.
8. Give answer very precisely and accurately and in a very polite manner.
Remember the three thumb rule; you must be through in Soft Skills, Technical Skills and reasoning. Time is the most important factor in this aptitude test. So do take note of time. Before the interview be prepared for all technical subjects which you have mentioned in your CV. Most important thing is, your CV may be small but it should be full of truth, interviewers do not take dishonest or liars. Review your project/dissertation. Be prepared to elaborate it in not more than two minutes. The interviewers will ask you the areas you are interested in. Don’t pretend on the areas you are not confident about. Focus on what you are thorough. Before going to face any company, study the placement papers of that company (in Google it is available) and go with thoroughness and confidence. All the best! Study hard and never forget the concept, ‘hard work and practice is the only way to achieve success’ in any area.
(The author is Training and Placement Officer in Sree Dattha Engineering College, Sheriguda, Ibrahimpatnam)
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