10 tips for placement interviews

As you reach your final year of engineering programme, placement concerns begin hovering into your mind. No doubt, your first step towards your long-term career depends on how you carry yourself before the interviewers during your campus placement or off-campus job interviews. Careers360 brings you placement interview tips by industry leaders who recently counseled IIT students on tackling placement interviews.

Make a crisp resume

Your resume is a window to present yourself briefly. It should contain bold headlines highlighting your key academic achievements and highlights of your extra-curricular activities. Frame a crisp intro and keep your CV short preferably lasting for one-two pages.

A crisp resume with all the necessary details about your professional experience till date is very effective. Try to picture in mind the success story, which you have mentioned in the resume and you are going to tell at the interview.

Research on interviewer and organisation

It always helps you to know about the interviewer and the company before appearing for a job interview as it helps in figuring out some of the expected questions that can be asked during the interview.

Ignore common mistakes:

After entering the interview hall, candidates do some common mistakes. It’s better to list out those mistakes and beware of them during interview.

“Be yourself, make eye-contact with your interviewers and always follow your values. Be truthful, honest and humble but make sure your humanity should not be mistaken as quietness. Don’t be aggressive

Other common mistakes committed by candidates during job interview include chewing pencils, nervousness, being casual etc. Experts suggest that you should not be overconfident while sitting before the interviewers.

Right body language, proper dress

Body Language: Right body language and formal dress code always get plus points for you. You are going to be tested not only for what you know about your area of expertise but also on how you present yourself at the interview.

Meet the interviewers warmly. It’s good and appreciable if you offer a strong handshake to them. Strong handshake shows warmth and enthusiasm. Experts advise candidates to look like a mature person. Being a little imperfect is not bad. After all, nobody is perfect. Smile on your face reflects a charming personality.

Dressing sense: Formal dress code is recommended for a job interview but there is no need to wear a nice suit and tie which you don’t own.

Show interest and mutual commitment

During the interview, show your interest in the job that you are going to be assigned if you get selected. It should be reflected on the interviewer that your job priorities are not going to change very soon. Don’t go for temporary plans, otherwise many resources exploited by the organization during job interview are wasted, and also the candidate loses your goodwill.

Have grip on domain but don’t be stubborn

Clear basics and concepts: Basics and concepts of your subjects should be very clear in your mind and you should have a strong grip on your domain. Still, a learning attitude is always appreciable.

Avoid being stubborn and humorous: If at some point during job interview, your views get conflicted with those of the interviewer’s, be confident and stick to your point, but don’t be stubborn. Leave it and if needed, just say ‘I may be wrong. I will check it again’.

Be prepared for ‘Beginning’ and ‘End’

Beginning and end are very important part of anything in life, even in an interview. Beginning of an interview makes your first impression on the interviewers and they almost decide whether or not you are fit for the job. End of the interview draws your last impression, immediately after which evaluation is done.

First 3-minutes are crucial: Don’t ignore the importance of first three minutes of your interview. These three minutes are going to be judgmental.

Speak well-framed sentences and be very particular about your body language. If these three minutes go well, your half work is done.

How to conclude interview: After an interview, whether your performance was up-to-the-mark or not, it is desirable to thank the interviewer. Here is also an opportunity to show your interest in the job. So do it.

Handle stress level

Many candidates find it difficult to handle stress level before an interview. Being stressed is natural but you should learn to clear it off.

What’s your weakness?

Interviewers generally ask your strengths and weaknesses at the interview. You may have a long list to tell about your strengths but it is not the right place to mention your weaknesses. Many candidates get confused what to do at this moment. Try to mention few weaknesses that seem to be plus points for the job and the organization.

Ask about organization’s growth

It’s a mutual commitment and an understanding of give-and-take formula between you and the organization. However, when you get an opportunity to ask a question at the interview, don’t ask about your own growth or what the organization can give you. Ask more about the organization and its future plans. It reflects that you are coming up with long-term plans and organization’s goals are superior for you.