What I learned from campus placements— Part Two

The first part of this article deals with online rounds and technical interviews. View it here.

Once you clear the technical interviews, you would have the HR round. It is to primarily check your communication skills and if your attitude is a fit for the company.

Tips for HR Interviews :

1. Prepare for the clichéd ‘Tell Me About Yourself’ question

Generic as may it sound, many of us still fumble during it. It is the equivalent of an elevator pitch and you are required to market yourself and also give a glimpse into your background. Start by telling your name, department and area of interest — such as hardware or software. Then proceed by telling the projects and internships you did..

2. For the ‘Tell me your strengths and weakness’ question

Have some examples to provide for each strength you mention. And weakness should usually be something not too serious — like ‘I pay too much attention to detail’, or ‘I keep giving too many reminders to my team members’. Though the interviewers may know it’s not a true weakness, it’s better to avoid risk.

3. If your grades went down, be ready to explain it. Citing work in clubs as the reason tells that you can’t manage time. A better answer would be that you mastered the concepts or gained technical skills.

4. The question of ‘Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ is something I personally detest. But have something prepared to say if asked. Aiming to develop technical and managerial skills, becoming an effective leader and adapting to the changes- is a generic answer which could be given.

5. You may be asked ‘Why you chose this company? For this, you could start off with your technical abilities that match with the requirements of the role and how your personal values align with that of the company.

6. Prepare for general puzzles from puzzlefry and interviewbit.

7. Appear interested and excited to work in the company and ask questions at the end. Listen well in the pre-placement talk and browse about it.

8. Understand that if you have come till here, they probably want to select you. So don’t give them a reason not to.

There are a few general tips to follow for a hassle-free interview experience

1. Keep your clothes pressed and shoes ready the previous night. Also, make sure you have a bottle of water with you and other refreshments if you need. Most of the times, a company process could start early morning and go on until the night and it would be wise to stay fresh and alert throughout.
2. Keep your resume and certificates ready. Have at least 10 copies of your resume with you. The companies during placements keep coming continuously. Many don’t take printouts of their latest resume and end up doing it in the last minute. Also, proof-read your resumes carefully and get it checked by your seniors and peers too.
3. Be on time. Come early and familiarize yourself with the environment. Arriving late adds more stress which could easily be avoided.
4. Research about the company. Take a genuine interest in the company and read about its main products, market and its competitors.
5. You could ask your peers who come out of their interviews about the experience and prepare based on it during the waiting time — but only if you won't stress out further.
6. If you are very nervous — Think about the interview as a play where you just need to act like a confident person. Once you start it, you would naturally ease into it and become confident.
7. Don’t think about what you don’t know. Don’t panic too if you are asked about it, calmly mention that you don’t know.
8. Know why you are there. If you are only for the money, it would show. Have a genuine interest in the work and company.
9. Don’t dwell on the past. Think about the interview at hand and not on the rejections you faced.

Interviews also involve a bit of luck. Not acing an interview could mean that you weren’t fit for the role, not that you aren’t skilled enough. If you don’t get a job, prepare again on the areas you were weak. Have faith in yourself and keep trying. All the best :)

To learn more about the resources to prepare for a software role, refer to my previous article.