How to Prepare for Job Interview
Getting a decent job offer in a campus placement drive is a dream of every college and university graduate. While scores are essential, other skills matter as well if one is targeting good companies. Big companies, of course, demand good grades. But these companies also look for a variety of other aspects while selecting eligible candidates. It has more to do with one’s attitude, strategic approach to things, and other necessary job-relevant skills.
It is not that difficult to crack the campus placement interview. However, what one needs is the right strategy and preparation. While there is no scripted rule book as to how to prepare for a placement drive. But there are certain essentials that one needs to keep in mind if one wants to ace the job interview. To help you succeed in your campus recruitment drive, we’ve listed the top tips that will help you to get your dream job:
Research the company and the job profile well
Background research on the company and the job description in advance is crucial. Start by researching about the companies that you would sit for. Companies expect candidates to have a basic idea about their operations. Begin with areas the company works on and its challenges in terms of its products/services and their execution. Follow up with any news about them. Get an idea about what the companies look for in a potential candidate and prepare accordingly. It will undoubtedly give you an edge over other candidates.
Prepare for the aptitude test
Most companies that visit engineering and management colleges opt for aptitude tests to assess the intellect of candidates. A skill assessment test can often be a multiple-choice questionnaire with an OMR sheet or a computer-aided test. An aptitude test is a hurdle that candidates need to clear before reaching the next round in a campus interview.
Generally, aptitude tests cover the following dimensions:
- Communication Skills
- Logical Reasoning
- Quantitative Ability
- Domain Knowledge
Brushing up your basics in grammar, quantitative ability, and logical reasoning is essential. Taking online sample tests is the proper method to prepare oneself.
Companies genuinely care about your domain knowledge. Domain knowledge is knowledge of a specialized discipline or field in contrast to general knowledge. Candidates with domain knowledge can only efficiently contribute to a company’s growth and efficient management.
Make an excellent first impression
The resume is an excellent opportunity for candidates to make a first good impression. The resume must be appealing and easy to understand. Using bullet points to highlight one’s achievements, skills, work experience helps the recruiter understand your qualifications and skills quickly.
Body language and the way one presents themselves speak volumes about their personality. One must dress suitably for the occasion. Being on time for the interview too matters a lot if one wants to make an excellent first impression.
Practice for group discussions and case studies
Some companies start their placement interviews with group discussions and case studies. It is around where the interviewers observe the candidates and check for several qualities like confidence, body language, leadership skills, public speaking skills, spontaneity, and presence of mind.
Preparing for this round requires work on different aspects like clarity of thoughts, communication skills, and current updated affairs. It is of great assistance if one engages in mock discussions with friends, acquaintances, or family. It will help one to better prepare for the actual group discussion.
Panel interview
A panel interview is where a group of interviewers interviews a candidate to comprehend their capabilities and skills. It is often a screening round where the interviewers test a candidate’s situational awareness, communication, clarity in thought, and judgment skills.
Candidates often get intimidated at this round by seeing more than one person on the panel. They often get deterred by the number of questions multiple panel members pose. The key is to remain calm and composed and understand the crux of the questions posed. Staying confident and speaking with resolve and poise is essential. One also needs to safeguard oneself against common interview mistakes like preliminary research on the company and domain area, non-reading of verbal cues, and inadequate communication skills.
Human Resources (HR) Interview
The final round of interviews would be with the HR panel. Every company conducts an HR interview to judge a candidate’s personality, strengths, weaknesses, ability to handle the role, and understanding if the candidate is the right fit for the job.
To prepare for this, candidates should work on similar areas, as mentioned above, although in a different context:
- Understand the job position applied for.
- Research adequately about the company so that a rapport can be established with the HR. The trick is to be professional while having a conversation with them.
- Dressing up professionally and being aware of one’s body language is essential.
- One of the most significant things would be not bluffing in front of the HR manager but being yourself.
Pro Tip
Google past any placement papers. Many companies have a standard set of campus placement interview questions and directives. These questions are often repeated in different placement sessions. The idea is to know the pattern and type of questions previously asked.
Placement interviews are a tricky thing, but the key is preparing with confidence. Things can go smoothly, and one can get the dream job if one puts in the effort and hard work. We hope these tips will help you crack your campus placement interview and get the job you deserve. All the best!
