25 Tips to Excel in Campus Interviews
By Shanmugam Gnanasambandam
1. Go well prepared. Make a whole hearted attempt. You are sure to succeed.
2. Identify your areas of interest in terms of technology and nature of work.
3. Prepare well, in depth, in your own areas of interest, studies and project work.
4. Keep yourselves well updated on the latest developments in the market/business in the state of the art technology areas.
5. Select companies (for interviews) in line with your areas of interest and aspirations.
6. Know well about our university, college, departments, teachers, courses and significant achievements. Your knowledge on all these aspects is very important.
7. Consult your Teachers/Professors/T&P Officers and learn about the Company and its expectations and on the best practices you need to follow to represent our college well.
8. Know if there are any of our PEC alumni/seniors are working in the Organization, where you are attending the campus interviews. Good references will be an added advantage.
9. Collect all required information about the company you are attending the interview and know about their organization, products and services, competition and their focus areas.
10. Go neatly dressed and be appealing to the Organizations in the campus for interviews.
11. Have all the required information ready in hand – Resume, Certificates, Project Reports, Passport Photos etc.
12. Go well prepared for the aptitude/technical tests/group discussions/personal interviews and be prepared to take them at any point of time.
13. Keep your short term and long term goals in mind and position yourselves accordingly. Organizations would be keen to know about this and see your fitment with their Organizational goals and objectives.
14. Today companies are in need of good people with the right attitude, keen interest to learn new things, be flexible to the dynamic working environment and the ability to work hard cohesively with the team in achieving the Organizational objectives. You can keep these basic organizational requirements is in mind during the interviews.
15. You are representing our college and your department and always ensure that you show great respect and regards for your teachers, department and college during interviews.
16. Feel comfortable to clearly state your areas of interest and specialization. Recruiters today ask and test you on what you really know and not otherwise.
17. During the Group discussion:
Listen carefully and then Speak/Express your views
Give respect to other’s views as you would do for yours
Be focused on the topic of discussion and do not deviate
Summarize the points at the end of the discussion
Be cool, calm, participative and appealing (with a smile in the face)
18. During the Personal Interviews:
Sit in a comfortable posture
Always look and speak to all the panelists
Listen to the questions and then answer patiently
Be crisp and clear in your answers.
Feel free to draw diagrams and explain things, if required
Feel free to ask specific/selective questions from your end, if required
19. If you are not comfortable with the topic of discussion/query during interviews, politely mention about this and your own areas of interest and expertise (than guessing and answering the questions).
20. Pick up the offer only if you are sure and have made up your mind to join the Organization. Accepting the offer and then not joining the Organizations sets a bad reputation both to you and our college.
21. Once you have got a placement, do go out of the way to help your fellow student friends in sharing your interview experience and best practices to encourage, prepare and help them to get a good job like you.
22. Help the T&P Cell and our teachers taking care of the T&P activities and that would go a long way in getting good Organizations to the campus.
23. Have due respects to the companies visiting our campus for interviews. Show the hospitality in its best form. Do well as a team, giving in your best effort. This will ensure success and would encourage the companies to visit again in the next year.
24. We you join the Organization through campus interview, give in your best, stay with them for at least 3-5 years or more and earn a good reputation for yourself and our college. This helps your juniors to get into these Organizations in future.
25. As Alumni, always be in touch with your teachers, colleges and juniors in sharing your professional knowledge and experience. Come back to our college and recruit students, this is the best way to show our respect to our Alma Mater.
