How to crack campus placements?  

Shruti is pursuing a Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) in the field of Marketing and Human Resource Management from ASM. She recently secured a campus placement with HDFC Bank as Personal Banker – Sales. Her father, Dinesh Singh Rawat, is Manager at Central Bank Of India while her mother, Neelam Rawat, is Office Superintendent at Air Force Central Account Office (AFCAO). In a candid interview, Shruti explains how a candidate can ace a campus recruitment drive. Edited excerpts: 

1. Right preparation is the key

In a bid to position yourself as the best candidate, start your preparation by researching the companies you are sitting for. You can go to their official website to get a good understanding of what they do and their core values. You can also Google to know about news and recent events about the employer. All of this information can be used in the conversation to show off how genuinely interested you are in the company. In addition, reach out to current employees who work there and to know more about employee functions and duties, details about the hiring process, and more.

2. Ace your self-introduction

Knowing how to introduce yourself professionally is a must-have skill. During the hiring process we were asked to make a one-minute self-introduction video. To breeze through this round, keep your self-introduction brief and professional and explain why you are a good candidate for the job position. Also, do not hesitate to discuss your passions and hobbies. During your conversation, maintain natural body language with relaxed shoulders and open arms by your side. Importantly, create professional-looking videos. The effort should be to establish yourself as an open, friendly and professional individual.

3. Learn from the mistakes

If you don’t clear an interview, don’t get upset, frustrated or beat yourself up. I too couldn’t clear my initial interviews. It’s important to take some time to reflect on the experience and learn valuable lessons from it. Did the interview go badly because you didn’t prepare well? Were you stressed, or your technical knowledge was not up to the mark? If you can identify the exact reason the interview went poorly, you can easily mend your ways.  

4. Don’t be aggressive in group discussions

A group discussion (GD) allows recruiters to judge the candidate’s knowledge and shortlist candidates for the face-to-face interview round. First, try and initiate the GD as it gives you an edge over the other candidates and indicates your ability to impart direction to the group. Secondly, demonstrate your analytical ability by presenting your thoughts in a clear and comprehensive manner. Thirdly, don’t be aggressive or impulsive. Knowing how to speak in a group discussion is important but it’s also crucial to let others express themselves freely. Even when you do not agree with their views, do not interrupt. Allow others to finish expressing before making your point. Lastly, if you don’t have much knowledge on the topic, actively listen to others before jumping into the discussion.

5. Mention the skills you acquired during internships

Make a list of the skills that you developed in each internship. Before the interview, shortlist the skills that are related to the job you are interviewing for and bring them up during the discussion. You can also share your accomplishments, achievements or awards if you have ever got.