Tips to ace your campus interview

Campus interview is usually the first step of introduction into professional life for most students in India. No doubt, a lot of importance is placed on them. Small preparations will help you achieve your career goals, and it all begins with campus placements. This blog post will cover all the aspects of such interviews and how best to ace them.

How can universities provide great career opportunities?

The university or college is the first place where students get an idea about careers and opportunities out there. Universities can do a wonderful job at not just providing, but also giving career advice as and when needed. While exam scores matter a lot when getting a particular job, an impressive resume matters more. Universities can work with students to help them traverse the critical world of professional life.

READ MORE: Why should you choose a university with a great placement cell?

Common parts of a campus interview

Now let’s look at all the different parts that such an interview is usually made of:

1. Aptitude test: This is basically the part of the interview where a company will try to assess the student’s skill and knowledge.
2. Group discussion: This is the part of the interview process where many students have to come together and are encouraged to take part in a group discussion.
3. Panel interview: This is the part of the interview where a panel of people in the said company interview the students one by one.
4. Technical interview: This is where the technical expertise of the student gets assessed.
5. HR interview: This is the last part of the campus placement process where the human resource department talks with the candidate and tries to gauge whether he or she is a good fit.

ALSO READ: How to stand out in an interview?

Preparing for aptitude test

• Know the basics: You have to first understand what exactly you are being tested for here, which is usually communication skills, quantitative ability, logical reasoning, and knowledge of the domain.
• Practice as much as you can: It is important to undergo as many mock tests on the above subjects as possible so that when you are actually in the interview process, it becomes easy.
• Study all core subjects: Don’t make the mistake after online degree program to work on just your subject. Instead, work on all the core ones so that you are prepared.
• Take feedback: When you do mock tests and different types of exams, you are usually given feedback. It is imperative to use this feedback seriously and use it to be better at campus interviews.

Preparing for GD

• Develop critical thinking: For Group Discussion, you will be given one or two topics to discuss. There will be experts from the industry present where students will be discussing, weighing the pros and cons of a particular subject, and so on. That is why developing critical thinking for this part of the interview process is so important. After online degree courses, it is imperative that students develop the skill of critical thinking and communicating thoughts effectively.
• Work on your communication skills: Preparing for GD is a lot about communication skills and how to put your thoughts across in a group. Work with friends, work with family members, and others to express thoughts calmly and assuredly. Some of the factors to help you work on these skills are understanding who your audience is, what problem you are discussing, the tone you intend to take, and what the important points of the subject matter are.

Preparing for the panel interview

• Your body language matters: This is the screening round where you will be interviewed by a set of interviewers. It can feel formal and as such you need to make sure your body language is up to par. Your body language should be open, assertive, and practical. You should be ready with a smile and able to articulate thoughts and answer questions clearly and effectively.
• Do research on the company: After doing an online degree program MBA, too many candidates go to campus interviews without the slightest idea about the company they are interviewing for. This is a grave mistake that cab undoes all your hard work. Doing research on the company is crucial to success. This way you will not only know what the company does but also be able to ask intelligent questions.
• Understand the vision of the company: A smart young person knows to align answers to what the company is about. The right career advice is to structure your answer in a way so that it agrees with the mission the company is known for. This will show you in a positive light with the panel of people interviewing you.
• Present yourself well: Facing a panel interview can feel like a lot to take in but preparing yourself well will help you. For this, make sure you have good formal clothes, that your personal grooming is on the dot, and you have the right attitude. When you do all this, you will be better prepared than most other students.

READ MORE: Students must build these 7 skills to ace future job interviews

The technical round

If you have chosen MCA from one of the UGC-approved online degree courses in India, then the technical round requires special preparation. You can expect to be assessed on how well you know your core subjects, what your programming skills are like, and it can be an interview with a project manager or someone else high up in the company. This is the time to brush up on your background research, practice coding and perform mock challenges, and better all your strengths.

This assessment will help the company you are interviewing for understand exactly what you are going to bring to the job if you are hired. If you are a technology person, it is time to showcase your skills.

The HR interview

This is the time to try and convince HR that you are the best person for the job. It is also the time when HR is going to check you and any red flags you may have. So, you should be very smart and intelligent to clear this interview. No matter which online degree courses you choose, the HR interview is a time when your personality and communication skills must shine through. It is also a good idea to prepare for common interview questions you can find online.

Common interview questions

We have listed some of the common interview questions the freshers may encounter during their interviews.

1. Introduce yourself

This is the first typical interview question you’ll be asked, and it’s also most likely the first one that will leave a lasting impression that will influence whether you’re hired or not.

In order to understand why you’re the best applicant for the position, recruiters will eagerly await your well-prepared response to the same. The purpose of the interview is to find out why you would be a good fit for the job.

Start your response by describing your personal information, such as where you were born and attended school. Then gradually enter the stage that helped build your professional identity today. Answering this question shouldn’t reveal too much or too little information.

2. Why are you the best fit for this job?

Another icebreaker question that gauges your enthusiasm for the job. If you meet all the requirements, recruiters will be curious. Be prepared to defend your suitability for the position.

Make your response a positive, condensed, and well-focused sales pitch that explains what you can provide and why you ought to be employed. Reviewing the skills and requirements listed in the job description at this point can help you create a response that satisfies the interviewer’s needs.

2. Why would you like to work for this organization?

This inquiry indicates that the hiring manager is interested in learning how much you have learned about the business.

A qualified applicant does their research before the interview. Therefore, be sure to conduct thorough research about the company. Sing the company’s virtues but refrain from exaggerating to the point where it sounds false.

3. Describe an occasion when you overcome a difficulty.

It may be difficult to react when you don’t understand why you are being questioned during a behavioral interview.

In other words, a prospective employer is looking for evidence that you are not intimidated by pressure, setbacks, failures, or unforeseen obstacles when they ask you to talk about a challenge you overcame.

4. What’s your salary expectation?

As a new employee, every firm anticipates that you will be sharp, knowledgeable, and an excellent communicator.

If a recruiter asks about your wage expectations during the interview, you shouldn’t provide any specific figures. If you mention some numbers, it could signify a number of different things, including:

• Even if you were able to request anything else, it might not be feasible.
• If you ask for less, the HR representative can assume that you lack confidence or intelligence and that you are underestimating your CTC as a result.
• If you give a number, HR might assume that you are only thinking about money and not the work.
• HR might assume you’re merely there for interview practice if you remain silent.

So, anytime you participate in HR talks, be wise, certain, and succinct. You could, for instance, respond in accordance with industry or market norms. You should investigate the company in terms of its current CEO, stock prices, goods, and Glassdoor reviews before attending an interview.

Conclusion

When you know you are fully prepared for the campus placement interview, it is time to get everything in order, get your degrees in place, prepare the clothes you want to wear, and wait for the big day. It is also time to gather your thoughts and think positively. Campus interviews are just the first step; there is a world of opportunity ahead.

Give your career a head-start by choosing one of the UGC-entitled online degree courses in India on Online Manipal. Reputed institutions such as Manipal University Jaipur (MUJ), Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), and TA Pai Management Institute (TAPMI) are offering some of the in-demand programs online, such as bachelor’s in Commerce, Computer Applications, and Business Administration, and master’s in Commerce, Computer Applications, Management, Data Science, and Business Analytics. Online Manipal also offers placement assistance in the form of expert career counselors and have multi-channel student support.