This 23-year-old bagged a plum job offer in a placement drive. Here’s how!

Campus placements can be nerve-wracking as the first job has a huge impact on the direction of your career. However, Aditya who is pursuing Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) in the field of Finance and Operations from ASM, says with the right preparation it’s easy to crack your campus placement. Here’s how:

1. Do your homework properly

You will have an idea beforehand about the companies that are going to be present in the campus placement. Use that time to gain as much knowledge as you can about companies and their vision and mission. Also, update yourself with the latest trends in the industry. For instance, I knew at least one month in advance that Deloitte will be coming for campus hiring. I spend that time researching about the company, its policies, recent deals, identifying my reason for selection, etc. Next, understand the placement rules for your campus. If you land a job early, can you appear for another interview later? Discuss with your teachers so that you are sure you have understood each potential situation.

2. Improve your knowledge

One of the key agendas of interviews is to assess your technical knowledge. Students should be well-aware of the topics they have studied during the course, so read, revise and repeat before the placement sessions begin. No tricks or eloquent speeches will work if your knowledge base is weak. You can also gain additional knowledge via online resources. For instance, I did an online course on ‘US taxation’. When I mentioned this in the interview the interviewer was mighty impressed. Make judicious use of the Internet.

3. Get ready for interviews

Your performance during the interview is the final deciding factor of your selection process. Be prepared for group discussions, technical interviews and HR interviews. List down common interview questions and practice the content. Work on your body language too. For example, I was prepared for questions such as ‘Why do you want to join Deloitte?’, ‘Why do you want to choose taxation?’ What are your expectations or future plans?’, etc. When you are prepared with your answers you will come across to the interviewer as more focused and calm. You can also align your answers with the company’s vision and mission. Importantly, plan your introduction beforehand. It is good to be prepared with a well-structured and crisp introduction.

4. Don’t get flustered

You could be appearing for your first big interview. Even with adequate preparations you can get a question or two wrong, but don’t get flustered. If you don’t know the answer, don’t beat around the bush. Admit it and move forward.

5. Always respond to ‘Do you have any questions for me?’

A good response to the interviewer asking, ‘Do you have any questions?’ would be: ‘Yes, I do.’ One must ask questions about the company and the job’s challenges. If you are interviewing with the hiring manager, ask questions about the job, desired skills and expectations. If you are interviewing with the human resources manager, ask about the culture of the company and its policies. For instance, when the interviewer asked me, ‘Do you have any questions?’ I asked, ‘Can you please tell me how your experience was on the first day of your first job? He got really excited and went about sharing his experience for the next 5 minutes.