1

CAMPUS PLACEMENTS

Dedicated to my family, friends and all my juniors

Contents

What is a campus placement? Why campus placement? How to prepare for placements? Resume writing Internship/mini project Dress code for interview Research about the company & job profile On the day of interview/During an interview SOME COMMON QUESTIONS & ANSWERS *** List of the companies that visited our campus Testing procedure of a few companies Get inspired My personal suggestions

What is a campus placement?

Campus placement is the program conducted within educational institutes or in a common place to provide jobs to students pursuing or in the stage of completing the opted course. Industries visit the colleges to select students depending on their ability to work, capability, focus and Aim. The recruitment broadly consists of: a) b) c) d) WRITTEN TEST GROUP DISCUSSION TECHNICAL INTERVIEW HR INTERVIEW

Dont get tensed all these rounds are only for a few companies, majority of the companies which look for mass recruitment conduct a written test followed by an interview thats it!!! All the above mentioned rounds are nothing but means to eliminate people. One needs to survive this elimination process to ultimately get selected. Different companies have different approach to select freshers. Some mainly focus on individuals communication skills, some look for technical knowledge, some go for problem solving skills, ultimately the testing procedure is based on the job profile. The number of people getting selected entirely depends upon the companys requirement at that period of time. If a persons profile meets the job profile he/she gets selected. Campus placement according to me is the easiest way of getting a job.

Why campus placement?

I want this to be a little dramatic so please bare with me.We have been studying all our life till now. Parents tell their children, when they are in 10th standard that it is the most important part of their life so they are supposed to work very hard for getting a good percentage and once they are done with that they will have a very bright future, children feel ecstatic about the deal and work very hard and hope their life would be happily ever after. But here it comes again when they join 11th standard or in our state intermediateagain the same crap and this time with increased intensity and pressure. Somehow they manage to get through this as welland finally its down to engineering!!!! The question comes into your mind...Ok I worked like a donkey for hours together and ended up in this college...Whats next??? The first three years we enjoy...we dont give damn about anything...and all of sudden you are in your final year...its as if everything happened in a split second!!! People around you come up with questions regarding your life that completely freak you outWhat after engineering?, Being the scariest of all. There is time when everyone in the class feel masters is the best option and they book slots for GRE (in the end not more than 10% actually pursue M.S due to various reasons...thats none of our concern) then there is time when everyone talks about M.TECHsuddenly people start joining GATE classeshalf of them feel the competition is way too high and lose hope even before writing the examfor this as well not more than 10 percent actually get a seat in IITs NITsand very few actually appear for the interviews and pursue MTECH. So what about the rest of the people in class??? Majority of people in the class end up taking a job. Some of them are focused from the very beginning that they are going to take up a job, some of them want a job because they couldnt get into the university they applied for, some do it for experience so that that the cud pursue MBA after 2 years, some coz they have nothing in their min, and some coz their parents force them to take up a joband the list goes on. So when you

have decided to take up a job, why not try for the job that pays you higher than others. Trust me the best way of getting a job is campus placement...some might feel that they will apply off campus n all that but that should be secondary because in this country of 1 billion people.the competition is tremendous, you just cant go out searching for jobBut whereas when the company comes to your college the number of people competing for the job are comparatively very less, and the people competing against you are your fellow classmates which is I guess is better than competing against complete strangers coz you would have a clear idea about each and every person competing!!! More importantly your college being your home ground instills some confidence in you so its very easy to crack a placement on campus

How to prepare for placements?

As already said there are different aspects involved in the selection procedure. Youve got to be ready for all those.

1) WRITTEN TEST 2) GROUP DISCUSSION 3) INTERVIEW

1) WRITTEN TEST

The first and the foremost step in any job interview process is a written test. This is basically for mass elimination. Depending on the requirement of the particular company people are shortlisted through this. Software companies mostly test verbal and analytical ability of a person so one can expect questions from these two fields. Unless and until the job profile requires good knowledge about programming languages questions wont be asked based on them. But this doesnt apply for all the companies, for example Microsofts testing procedure involves questions from programming etc. So people apart from IT or CSE would find themselves in a tough situation. Now coming to core companies, they would like to check your knowledge in your field as well so one needs to brush up their technical skills before appearing for the test.

A) For software companies Whether software or core the first step in preparation should be solving Quantitative aptitude by R.S.AGARWAL You need not solve the entire book, just check out all the models and practice questions from each model. By the end of it you be in a position to solve any of those models in the actual written test. Once you are well acquainted with these models you can easily crack the quant section and time wont be an issue For verbal section there is no particular book to refer to, but it would mostly involve reading comprehensions, synonyms, antonyms, sentence correction ,grammatical error correction etc

So any decent book with all the above exercises would make it up(unless you really have a problem in verbal, preparation is not required for this section coz the questions are pretty basic) Apart from that puzzles to puzzle you by Shakuntala devi is a good book( havent read it personally but lot of forums suggest its a good one) And finally sometimes GK is also a part of the test paper so its better if you are aware of current affairs etc.

B) For core companies As already said the testing procedure varies from company to company so apart from the above mentioned points one needs to be on toes when it comes to technical knowledge related to his/her field of engineering if he/she wants to make it to a core company You need to be really smart when you are preparing for a core companys written test. It would be very difficult for you to study all the topics of engineering covered in the last 4 years in such a short period of time so I would suggest you to first check what the company/job profile demands and then start preparing accordingly. For ex. FMC (a mechanical core company) deals with solutions to engineering design problems and provides technology. Once you well acquainted with the companies profile you can prepare specifically. One can study machine design, mechanics of materials etc and leave topics like material science or kinematics of materials. What I am trying to say is first do a background check on companys profile and then mainly on job profile (by checking out the website or asking your seniors or people who work in that company) then you would understand what kind of job it is and what are the subjects that would be necessary in order to do that job. Once you are clear with that it will be easy for you to prepare

10

NOTE: The written test for any company would check your basic knowledge; in depth detail in any topic wont be required so relax. P.S: After reading the above context please dont feel that one needs to put in so much effort just for the written test coz there are lot of cases where people dont do any of it and still get through the written test. But preparation is the best thing coz it will be useful for all the other companies as well and would boost up your confidence.

11

2) GROUP DISCUSSION

This is a pretty interesting part of the recruitment process because it has nothing to do neither with your subject knowledge nor with your verbal/quant ability. Let me first explain what exactly happens in a GD. All the shortlisted candidates are made into groups. Then batches are called and a topic is given to them to speak. Topic can be anything, so you cant prepare anything in advance. Before the group discussion starts some time is given for you to prepare what you are going to speak (usually you are given a piece of paper for jotting down your ideas).Then starts the group discussion and it lasts for about 10-15 minutes.

HOW TO WIN A GROUP DISCUSSION???

PEN DOWN: The first and the most important step would be jotting down all the ideas that come to your mind before the GD starts. For example: assume topic is RESERVATION SYSTEM As soon I hear the topic, things which come to my mind are college admissions, caste based quota, implementation of reservation system based on economic basis backed up by merit, government policies and movie rajneeti: P Time up.so now the GD startsas soon as it starts try to restructure your ideas in the order cause, effects and solution. Its little difficult to do in such a short span of time and in such chaos but try doing it.

SPEECH: The way you speak reveals your personality and thus your chance of making through GD. Make sure whenever you speak your voice is loud and

12

clear (which are signs of confidence), only then people would look at you when you speak. Dont bother about the language at all, just be confident about what you speak, Even if your English is not that good make sure you speak aloud and make your point in a precise manner. Note: there is a clear demarcation speaking loudly and shouting. (Just because you want to win the GD dont shout at top of your voice its considered unprofessional) EYECONTACT: eye contact is very important whenever you communicate with anyone(again a sign of confidence).Dont shy away even if you are talking to your opposite gender, look right in the eye

INITIATION: Starting the group discussion requires lot of courage and confidence. It would fetch you many points as initiating is considered the first quality of a leader. If you are very confident about the topic and have real good points to speak then you should not wait, go for the kill and start of the discussion with full energy.

GIVE OTHERS CHANCE TO SPEAK: Just because you are well familiar with the topic doesnt mean you keep on talking all by yourself. Speak for a couple of minutes and then make a gesture looking at others indicating that its their turn now.

CLOG BREAK: Many a times whenever somebody is speaking you wait for your turn and as soon as he/she is done many people start to speak simultaneously,

13

dont stop whatever you started continue speaking loud and clear until others are forced to stop. This would fetch you hell lot of points.

STAND OUT OF THE CROWD: This one is real crazy. Ill try to explain it with a example. Let the topic be ADOLF HITLER Let us assume there are 8 people in the group and all the 7 members are against ADOLPH HITLER. You start talking by telling that I admire MR.ADOLPH HITLER, as soon as you say you support it the attention of all the 7 members and also the recruiters would be drawn towards you, this would make you stand out of the group. But when you say that you admire him you should immediately explain why you do so with a couple of points (For ex: according to me he is one of the greatest orators of all time, he had the ability to persuade the whole of Germany, his baritone, leadership skills and command over public speaking were truly remarkable) Imagine all the members of the group speaking against him, about the war about the killings, about the massacre, about the damage done to the world on one side and you on the other side supporting him, admiring him(and giving reasons for why you do so)surely you will emerge the winner of GD. NOTE: Only if you are very confident of giving out valid points supporting your argument only then go for this type of strategy

CONCLUSION: Sometimes what happens is that you dont get a chance to speak in the entire GD (Reasons could be anything, maybe you were not confident enough, may be you didnt have content to speak). But you can still turn it upside down, just recollect what all the others said and make a nice conclusion with all the strong and valid points and present it with utmost confidence ( it should look as if all those points were your own :P )

14

*** What if you arent able to think of points related to the topic given during a group discussion?? Dont worry at all, it is a pretty common phenomenon When you dont have any points then dont try to start the GD just because you want to initiate somehow. Instead wait for others to speak and listen to them very carefullyif you get any points in that process then well and good if not then just combine a few ideas of others, frame a nice sentence and present it as if it was yours

TIPS & TRICKS Initiate by taking a sideyou can talk for the topic, against it or can do both in a diplomatic way Dont argue with people who are against you instead avoiding them and switch to others to speak Dont point out anyones errors ( its disastrous) Take initiation only if you are very confident about the topic else it will backfire. Speak out complete sentences not just phrases that way you can give yourself time to think and also protect yourself from being interrupted by others Take examples/statistics/facts or any recent issue to support your argument Dont be a mute Dont allow a person to talk more that what is required instead interrupt him and make your point in a loud and clear voice until he stops speaking MAKE SURE WHENEVER YOU SPEAK YOU ARE LOUD & CLEAR Dont take anything personally, its a professional thing Picking up fights with others is a total no, hell no

15

3) INTERVIEW
You just cant go out and speak in interview. There are a few things which you need to take care of before the day of your interview. Some of the aspects of an interview: i. ii. iii. iv. v. Resume Mini/study project Dress code Research about the company and job profile On the day of interview/during an interview

16

RESUME
Your resume meets the interviewer before you do!

Exactly, even before you meet the interviewer your resume does the talking and makes a huge impact on the whole interview. So, the first and the most important step is to make your own resume. (A pretty rock solid one)

What is a good resume?

If you have studied in various places/states its considered a big advantage because that would show that you are adaptable to different environs. If that is not the case and all your life has been confined to a single place and then simply avoid mentioning the places in resume. Consistency in your percentage semester wise is very good, gradual increase in percentage semester wise is awesome!!!! If there is fall in percentage like mine then its a little bit of trouble but dont worry at end of this article I have mentioned about how to manage such situation For mechanical engineering students SAE, ASME are some of the organizations which one should look forward to have association with as it is considered a big advantage. I would recommend other branch students also to join such clubs or organizations. Board in which you have done your schooling also matters. Usually in CBSE/ICSE schools like KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA,DAV,JAWAHAR NAVODAYA,CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY SCHOOLS,HPS,DPS etc( I mean no disrespect to other schools there are hell lot of other good schools these are just a few examples) lot of importance is given to extracurricular activities apart from studies so they would prefer these students.

17

People who play sports have a very good advantage over others especially team games like football, cricket etc and if you are part of the college team or any other club make sure you tell this to the interviewer because it not only shows you are interested in extracurricular activities but also have a real time experience of working in teams and obviously about your physical fitness. Polyglot- one who can speak different languages has an edge over others because he/she can communicate in different languages and has a greater probability of working efficiently in different work places where people from all the states work. If you have done part time or even taken tuitions it would automatically show him that you have an individuality of your own and also an urge to survive on your own. One of the most important aspects would be mini project or internship which you are supposed to do in your 3rd or 4th year. A compulsory question would be asked to you regarding the project you have done ( for ex: what is that you have done personally i.e. what is your own contribution to the project and what have you learnt from it??) Hobbies are also very important. Any activity like reading books, photography, painting or gardening can be included in the resume. Unusual hobbies give you a special identity in the interviews and obviously lands your name in the interviewers head. I have a friend who is a guitarist and plays for bands and performs live etc this hobby played a great role in his interview process and ended up with him getting placed in Microsoft with a salary of around 10lpa, similarly another guy whose into short film making, in his interview also lot of focus was given to his hobby and he was placed in PEGA systems with a salary 6lpa. Social service is also considered a very big positive as it shows a sense of responsibility and also willingness to act for the society.

There are many other aspects these are just few of them. If your resume has info related to the above mentioned content then yayyyy you just have a better

18

chance of getting a job. And if you dont then absolutely no need to worry, this are just a few examples for you to understand what type of content in the resume would be advantageous, cheer up and think what other qualities or activities can you include from your life. Ultimately what matters the most is what you speak in the interview, irrespective of you not being a guitarist or a football player or from CBSE background or with an aggregate of above 80% if you convince the interviewer that you are capable of doing the task given to you then the job is yours!!!!

How to make your resume?

The worst mistake one could do while preparing his/her resume is by copying it from someone else. So please make your own resume and then go to your English lecturer or some friend who is good at English and get it read so that you can mark the errors which you couldnt point out yourself. STEP 1- Browse the internet and save a sample resume of a engineering graduate (fresher preferably).Then you will get a rough idea about what are the elements of a resume and also the format. STEP 2- Make sure that the format you select is not complicated. A simple format is considered the best option because the interviewer on the day of interview is already tired of taking the interviews and if a resume with a very complicated format comes on his desk unnecessarily it would turn his mood off. STEP 3 - After selecting a format write down about yourself on a piece of paper which should majorly include A. Aggregate in school, inter and engineering( also the places where you pursed your education) B. Mini projects/ internships if any

19

C. Paper presentations if any D. Part time job if any E. Extracurricular activities in college apart from academics which can include N.S.S, sports, college cultural club or and other association or committee.( anything worth mentioning about yourself in your school/intermediate as well, For example-NCC, scouts & guides,) F. Your aim in life both short term and long term G. Languages you can speak H. Info about your family, the occupation of your siblings or parents I. Strengths J. Weakness (you should never mention your weakness in your resume and never in the interview as well. Until and unless the interviewer asks you about your weakness, just avoid it. But one should always keep in mind his weakness because when the questions pops out you should be in position to tell him, telling him that you dont have any weakness would probably be the worst answer you could give because that would simply mean that you are telling him that you are perfect and the interviewers would hate you for that!!!) STEP 4- Prepare a resume using all the above info 12pt font and times new roman (best combo for resume writing). Use side headings and fill up the resume and make sure whatever you write you keep it short not more that a line and always use bullets. STEP 5- Resume of a fresher should never exceed 2 pages, so edit the resume and get it read by someone. STEP 6- Finalize the resume and get it proof read and keep 3-4 copies with you and also a soft copy in your mail because you will have to use it many times.

20

Mini/study project or an internship

Whether the company is IT based or core a question regarding your mini/study project is compulsory.

What exactly is this? In your four years of engineering apart from the final year project which is mandatory for everyone there is thing called mini/study project which is compulsory for students studying in colleges affiliated to JNTU. That is not the case in Osmania university affiliated colleges (like ours) but if do it obviously you will have an edge over others and also something to write in your resume. When to do it? There is no particular time for doing it but mostly students complete this in their 3rd year. I personally suggest 3rd year 2nd semester is the best time to do it because 4th year will be a little late as the companies would start coming as soon as the semester begins. Where to do it? It can be done at any industry/institute/plant related to your branch of engineering. Many or our mechanical & production students carry out their mini project at BHEL, it costs around 2000 approx. It is recommended to carry out your project at some place where you can gain practical knowledge in a short span of time. A few other places where me and my batch mates completed their mini projects I. II. III. ECIL, KLR industries (Cherlapally) South central railways(Secunderabad)

21

IV. V. VI.

Advanced training institute(Vidyanagar) NTPC(ramagundam) Midhani etc These are just a few examples my advice would be to contact your branch seniors for the contacts they can guide you in the best way possible.

How is this useful? In the interviews apart from your subject and your hobbies etc they would like to know if you have the urge to take a step further find out about the various industries and complete a project in it. Almost everyone does it for the certificate and yes you have to do it for certificate and when it comes to learning part common whom are you kidding what can you learn in a week or two and moreover what can you contribute to your project. All that is crap when ever this question of what was your contribution/ What actually did you do there?? Pops out just tell them that it was just a study project and explain him a little about your project, they dont expect more than that!!! And also convey that you are interested in the application part of engineering which made you do that project!!!! What if you didnt do any such project? No problem at all.just choose some topic Google it and write it in your resume under the name of some industry (They wont ask you to show the certificate, But if they do then only god must save you: P) Better get a certificate, why to take risk!!!

22

Dress etiquette

GUYS For guys a formal shirt and pant, shirt preferably of a lighter shade, tie is optional. Make sure the color of your socks and pant match, similarly color of belt and shoes should match each other. Please shave...Interview with a beard is a total no. Try to avoid chains/bracelets, a simple watch is fine, and finally smile on the face would make you look perfect.

GIRLS If you are comfortable with formal shirt and skirt then go for it( I have not seen anyone till now except for the H.R with such a dress code) otherwise a simple churidar would do it. Avoid jewelry or any other flashy accessories. Hair should be styled in a simple fashion and shouldnt draw much attention.

Dont overdress; there should be a clear demarcation between the interviewer and the interviewee: P

23

Research about the company and job profile

This is the point where you can make a difference, irrespective of how good your academics are or how many projects you have done. A person who actually/seriously wants the job wont hesitate to do some extra homework and find out about the company details. Just brief info is enough but where you need to work carefully is finding out the exact job profile for which you are attending the placement. Instead of asking about the job profile in the interview or waiting for the pre placement talk I would rather suggest you to check out Website/forums or talk to the seniors who already work there, somehow find out and be very clear about what exactly you will be doing once you join the company. Once you are familiar with the job profile you can asses yourself and find out if your profile is suitable to the job profile. For example- I attended a placement, FMC technologies. The company basically provided technology(designs) for subsea oil drilling systems so it required graduates with good design skills. So obviously the subjects which would interest him would be machine design, drawing, strength of material etc. I personally dont like design that much still I tried to prepare a little bit but eventually failed to convince the interviewer. See what happened, I dont like design that much so I dint project anything which would bring out my designing skills ( I was part of the design team of SAE even though I dint do any design at least I should have mentioned about it but I was a little scared because obviously the next question would be that what my contribution was?? So what I could have done is learn something from a friend about the designing, some small section and tell the same thing in the interview. Moral of the story is, if your interests and your profile meets the job profile then well and good go ahead be yourself give your best shot but what if it doesnt

24

match the and you want the job pretty badly then give the interviewer what he wants not what you have or what you like, give examples which would assure him that you are fit for that job, if you really dont have examples then make up some

25

On the day of interview/during an interview

PRE- REQUISITES As already said make sure you possess 3-4 copies of your resume ( better have a softcopy as well ) Get your marks memos of SSC,INTER and ENGINEERING Certificates of internship/mini project/course etc. if any Make sure you are well dressed to the occasion Most importantly eat properly and come because recruitment process is time taking ( can last up to 6-7 hours ) Make necessary travel arrangements

***DURING AN INTERVIEW*** Your chance of getting through the interview would depend on the five factors which I have mentioned above GOOD NEWS: If you have sincerely worked on all those factors you have a real good chance of getting through!!! BAD NEWS: Even after working hard on those five factors and being well prepared if you cant convey/communicate/project whatever you have prepared, your chance of getting through is pretty less!!! Trust me there are people who prepare real hard for the interview but ultimately fail because of inefficiency in their way of communication. And then there are people who dont prepare that hard but manage somehow to convey all that is needed and get through. Finally there are people who dont prepare at all but amazing get through.

26

What is want to say is you getting selected or depends on HOW WELL CAN YOU CONVINCE THE INTERVIEWEE THAT YOU ARE SUITABLE FOR THE POSITION

HOW TO GET THROUGH THE INTERVIEW THEN???

STEP 1: PREPARE I have already written how to prepare so one needs to do mentioned things as a part of the first step Once you are prepared automatically you will be confident naturally show in your interview (some people even without bloody confident about themselves and a few as said make wellrespect to them...I do not belong to that category ) STEP 2: BE CONFIDENT ONCE YOU ARE PREPARED, FIRST BELIEVE YOURSELF, HAVE FAITH AND BE VERY CONFIDENT. PREPARATION AND CONFIDENCE ARE ALL THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO CRACK THE PLACEMENT. all the above and that will preparing are it through as

STEP 3: TALK

There is no easy way of doing thisyou will be selected only if you talk. Even if your English is not that good, even if you are scared, even if you give a wrong answer, even if your interviewing is not going wellplease dont let your confidence go down all these are pretty normal with freshers. Speak your heart out, dont let your preparation go in vaintell the interviewer what all

27

you planned to tell in the interview ( many a times you miss out so many things which you wanted to telldont worry at all its pretty normal ) Be well versed with your resume because questions would be fired starting from the details which you mention in your resume. NOTE: I have mentioned a few sample questions (and their answers) asked in interviewsdo check them outread and analyze all the answers then I am sure you can perform very well in the interviews

### Always keep your motive in your headconvince the interviewer that you are the best person for that positiongive him what he/she wants ###

28

SOME COMMON QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

1) TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF?? This is a certain question(with exceptions sometimes),you should be well prepared for this question coz if you are not then certainly you can make sure you are going to blow up the interview. Make 5 points which are you own unique selling points(for example : if you are passionate about photography then you must tell him that so that whenever photography comes to his mind he/she should think of you)and tell him irrespective of whether he asks you or not !!!! I believe anyones strongest answer should be this one and one should really prepare for this one.

2) WHY SHOULD WE SELECT YOU? Tell him you loved the job profile and you feel your profile meets his requirement and then talk about your strengths backed up by examples to support your answer.

3) WHAT ABOUT HIGHER EDUCATION?

Few sample answers: A. If given an opportunity I would like to pursue but presently there is financial crisis so getting a job is the only thing that is there in my mind. B. Sir I would like you to apply whatever I have been learning for the past few years and I believe one can actually master the trade only by practical application in real life of whatever he learnt. C. Sir my seniors who are already working in the company have told me wonderful things about the work culture and the overall growth of a

29

individual and I want to be a part of such a company and seek growth in the line of companys growth. These are just a few sample ones dont rely on them completely your job is to assure the interviewer that you wont be leaving the company for the sake of higher education at least for a few years (only in the worst case you admit about your immense urge to pursue higher education but you should assure him that you will work for at least 3-4 years (you need not work jus bluff that you would do it) If you in any sense give him a hint that you will be pursuing higher education for sure after engineering, cent percent you wont get the job. (Obviously when he/she finds out that you are going to leave then why waste time and money by selecting you)

4) WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK ABOUT YOU??

Again you talk about your strengths and highlight those strengths which make your profile meet the required job profile. For ex: if you are applying for a managerial post then you should highlight strengths like leadership qualities, organizing capability, etc If you are applying for some design company then strengths like creativity (all your strengths should be backed up by some or the other examples to prove them), team player etc!!!

30

5) DO YOU HAVE ANY WEAKNESSES?

No I dont is the worst answer you could give coz no one is perfect. Not weaknesses only weakness never mention more than one weakness. Why the hell do you want to show the company your negative side? Always remember there are a few weaknesses which are not acceptable at all by the company for ex: laziness, fluctuating mind, ill health etc By telling them these kinds of weaknesses you are only conveying that you are unfit for the job and asking him not to give it you. A weakness should be a moderate one (lol moderate: P) i.e. something which doesnt adversely affect the company or the work. Always your weakness should have a correction factor (for ex: communicating in English correction factor: you are trying to overcome it by reading the newspaper and talking to friend in English) Whenever you admit your weakness you show him that you are honest. Also if use a correction factor it would impress the interviewer coz you are making an effort to overcome your weakness and that is what the company looks for, people who make constant effort to improve their personality.

6) DO YOU HAVE A GIRL/BOY FRIEND?

If yes is the answer then no problem just tell them, if no then immediately back up your answer by telling him that even though you dont have a girl friend you have many friends who are girls. This question is just asked to see if you can interact comfortably with the opposite sex or not. If you support your answer immediately next question would be why dont you have a GF? What do you seek in a girl to make her your life partner?? Better you dont let the interview sail in that direction coz all those are debatable topics, unnecessary headache.

31

7) WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 5 YEARS FROM NOW?

Its asked coz they want to check whether you have a goal in your life or not. There are usually two types of goals: I. Short term goal II. Long term goal Short term goal is nothing but where you see yourself in the near future(4-5 years) Long term goal is what you probably want to do 15-20 years from now. You need not be specific about these goals just a vague idea would be enough. *** For short term goal never mention about higher studies ( For ex: I would want to pursue my post graduation or mastersbecause as soon as you say this he/she would get an idea that you will be moving out of the company in a couple of years which isnt good at allso better avoid anything like this !!! )

8) WHY DO YOU WANT TO JOIN THIS COMPANY? Tell him/her that this is your dream company (even if its not: P) and more importantly it is the job profile because of which you are so much interested in joining the company. The mentioned job profile is what you are looking for and you posses the ability to perform those tasks ( tell him about your strengths like leadership skills or man management ability or proficiency in technical knowledge or adaptability to diverse environs or organizing capability etc ALL BACKED UP BY EXAMPLES) SAMPLE ANSWER: Sir the job profile which was explained in the seminar earlier this morning is what I have been looking for and I strongly believe that I am capable of doing those tasks efficiently.

32

Immediately the next question would be what makes you so capable of doing those tasksthis is the point where you talk about your strengths ANSWER CONTINUES: Sir I am the captain of my college football team and I lead the team for various tournamentsIn fact we even won the AP inter engineering football tourney last year. Apart from that as mentioned earlier I have done my schooling in three different states and there was never a problem in adapting to a new place so I can easily adapt myself to diverse environs. And finally I have good organizing capability as I was an active member in NSS and organized many events like blood donation camp, save trees campaign, etc If the company wants someone good in technical knowledge then he/she must give examples suitable to the job profileFor ex : I believe I have good technical and practical knowledge in design field as I was a part of the design team in SAE and I designed the roll cage of an ALL TERRAIN VEHICLE ( even if you dint do anything just learn whatever was done from whoever actually did the designing part) Apart from that I have submitted technical papers for paper presentations at OSMANIA UNIVERSITY AND IIIT HYDone of my paper presentation was awarded the 2nd prize as well. And whenever you say you are good with technical knowledge you can expect a few questions in that field undoubtedly ( so must brush up your subject knowledge as well ) But dont worry it wont be in depth !!!! 9) DO YOU HAVE ANY INSPIRATIONAL FIGURE IN LIFE? It can be anyonebut make sure whenever you mention someone you have basic information about that person.more importantly you should be in a position to tell why and how has that person inspired you (Dont make silly mistakesImagine yourself telling Sir, SAINA NEHWAL is my inspirational figure I am an ardent follower of her game and I have seen all her tennis matches!!!) Along with that you should have basic knowledge like from where the person belongs or any other important highlights of his/her life.

33

10) DID YOU FACE ANY CHALLENGES IN LIFE? AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THEM? This question is asked to test if you can handle critical situations which you are bound to face when you actually work. So challenges can be anythingany problematic situation which you have faced in your class or home or team or in public.Tell them what the situation was and what your approach was in handling that particular situation !!! 11) IT SEEMS THAT YOU HAVE A LOW AGGREGATE IN ENGINEERING, COULD YOU JUSTIFY SO AS TO WHY? If your aggregate is low and you cant think of any reason to defend yourself then it is advisable to accept the fact that you do have a low aggregate but then include the correction factor stating that you have been working hard to improve the aggregate. SAMPLE ANSWER: Sir I do believe my aggregate hasnt been satisfactory but I have been trying real hard to improve it, In fact there has been a gradual increase in my semester wise marks (or) In fact I have done very well in my internals this semester and I am looking forward to perform well in my external exams also. 12) TELL ME ABOUT YOUR COLLEGE? Whenever this question pops out never ever give a negative feedback. Its just to check whether you are loyal to place where you have spent your four years of engineering. I do agree that there might a few things(or many :P ) on the negative feedback list but better avoid anything of that sort, but if you really want to point something go ahead but make sure you do it in a polite way and also

34

add a correction factor. For ex : The drinking water facility wasnt up to the mark in college so we complained to the management and they assured us that they would resolve the issue at the earliest. This way you have two advantages, i. ii. You are telling the interviewer that you are in a position to point out errors if any More importantly you made an effort to resolve that issue by giving a complaint.

13) WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK ABOUT YOU?

This is a real good chance to create one hell of a impression on the person your interview coz what your friends think about you is nothing but the kind of person you are according to the public, which is really very important So, you are again going to talk about the attributes of your character which would bring out the strengths in you. Remember to back up those statements by examples giving proper reasons. For ex: My friends believe I have good leadership skills coz I am the captain of the college cricket team (reason can be anything.head of a cultural club or lead in a association etc etc) and I am responsible for the team and its well being. By doing so you tell the person that you are a responsible person, you can mange people, you have leader ship skills. Finally the example you give would stand as a proof for whatever you are saying.

35

14) DO YOU HAVE ANY HOBBIES? Again this is the point where you have a chance to stand out of the crowd. A hobby can be anythingreading books, dancing, singing, collecting articles, playing a sportanything!!! Its just that you should be really fond of whatever you like to do. For Ex: You say that reading books is your hobbythe next question could be the name of your favorite author or even the name of the last book you read...and if you cant answer these basic questions alsocongrats you are on the way to screwing up your interview !!! So I request you to be a little careful when you talk about your hobby.

15) HOW DO RATE YOUR PERFORMANCE IN THIS INTERVIEW? Pretty rare question but if it is asked then tell them in terms of a measure Please dont make a fool of yourself by giving a 10 on 10 and try to show that you are MR.PERFECT If the interview was not that good then rate 6-7 or even low would be fine, at least he/she would appreciate your honesty :P and who knows you might even get selected On the contrary if the interview was real good then give yourself a 9 on 10immediately the next question would be why not 10 on 10 if it was so goodthis is the point where you flatter him/her by saying that Sir/Madam I believe my interview was very good according to me but there is always a scope for improvement hence the 9 (by telling this you are indirectly scoring a 10 on 10: D )

36

16) DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS TO ASK?? If you really want to ask something then go ahead, make sure your question is related to job you are seeking. Dont ask them silly question like when the results would be out? (I did lol) or how many people are you going to select?

37

LIST OF COMPANIES WHICH VISITED OUR CAMPUS FOR THE YEAR 2011-12
*NOTE: MANY MORE COMPANIES CAME, I MENTIONED ONLY THE COMPANIES FOR WHICH MECHANICAL DEPARTMENT WAS ELIGIBLE CTC (LPA) 1. GOOGLE 2. CTS 3. INFOSYS 4. FMC TECHNOLOGIES 5. ACCENTURE 6. WIPRO 7. CAPGEMINI 8. ITC 9. L&T ECC (construction) 10.L&T IES (design) 11.PIAGGIO 12.TATA ADVANCED SYSTEMS 13.HIL 14.BEL 15.WELLS FARGO 16.FACE TECH. 17.GODREJ 18.IGATE 19.INDIAN ARMY 20.GMR 21.BANK OF AMERICA 22.HSBC 23.INTERGRAPH 24.ASIAN PAINTS 25.CADEPLOY 2.90 3.01 3.25 5.40 3.25 3.25 3.25 5.76 3.5 2.9 2.4 3.6 5.85 6.0 5.0 5.2 2.8 3.25 4.0 3.0 4.0 3.2 4.0 1.9

38

TESTING PROCEDURE OF A FEW COMPANIES

1) CTS
Testing process: Pretty easy and student friendly recruitment process, easiest of all!!! Intake: Intake is what sets apart CTS from all the other companiesit was 406 for 2011-12 batch (I heard it crossed 1000 in VIT) so you need not worry about the number Job profile: There are two sectors, business development sector and other the software sector. Depending on your profile you would be placed the suitable sector Pay: 3.01 LPA Rounds: a) Written Comprises of general aptitude and verbal (basic stuff you need not worry about this one at all because the cutoff is pretty low so almost everyone gets through this one) b) Interview There are many panels for CTS because the intake is huge. Unless you are unlucky, barely questions are asked on your computer knowledge like C and C++. So it is recommended to prepare basics of C at least. (Since you are attending a software company I guess its the minimum one could do: P) Focus is on your confidence levels, the way you speak, the way you communicate. No matter what language you speak all you need to do is be confident while doing so. Very rarely HRs ask questions related to your branch (for example if you are

39

from mechanical the questions would be pretty basic like definition of stress, strain,2stroke engine, 4 stroke engine etc)

2) INFOSYS

Testing process: Easy Intake: It was 191 for 2011-12 batch, from mechanical 25 people got placed, so one has a good chance of getting through. Job profile: The position for which you would be competing is systems engineer. Deals with computer languages etc Pay: 3.25 LPA The recruitment process has two rounds: a) Written ( Tougher than CTS, if you are through this round you have a great chance of cracking the placementconsists of general aptitude, verbal etc check out previous papers at www.freshersworld.com) b) Interview: Easy, mainly emphasis is on your confidence level, communication skills, a question regarding your mini project is sure in all the interviews so be prepared. Rarely questions are asked from C & C++, but it is suggested to prepare C basics just in case!!!

3) ITC
Testing process: lengthy, many rounds Intake: 3-4(For our batch it was 2)

40

Job profile: Its a managerial post; you enter as a GRATUATE ENGINEER TRAINEE (GET). One is supposed to manage around 100-150 workers in the factory. You would be responsible for getting work done by them, so focus is on leadership qualities, man management, adaptability to diverse environs and most important communicating with the native workers. Pay: 5.76 LPA The division that came to our college was ITC-ABD-ILTD (in short tobacco division)The recruitment process was for three days and it consisted of 5 rounds: Round1: written test (comprised of verbal, aptitude, GK.no tech questions: D) Round 2: Case study( tricky round ,need to be very careful about this one because its not like GROUP DISCUSSION, you are not supposed to take a stand and speak for or against the topic, a case is given and you are supposed to solve it in a team!!!!!!!!) Round 3: HR interview if you make it through this round then you have a good chance of getting the job. The interviewer checks on your communication skills, adaptability to different environs and man management ability. Round 4: Technical interview (taken by a senior member of the company) They said it was technical but focus was again on overall profile of the candidate. Only a few questions on thermal engineering were asked. Round 5: Final Showdown Toughest of all rounds, taken by the company VICE PRESIDENT (TECHNICAL & HR), If you are unlucky the company CEO might join them as well. Interview lasts for about 30-40 minutes. They would cover your entire life in that period starting from schooling life, parents background, likes dislikes, strengths weaknesses etc etc etc etc.

41

4) FMC Technologies

Job profile: There are three departments- design, analysis, third I dont remember the name but it also dealt with design. Intake: Usually 2(for our batch only 1) Pay: 5.4 LPA Its an amazing company for those who are looking for working in design sector. In depth technical knowledge of mechanical subjects like strength of materials, manufacturing process etc is required. The company provides technology to subsea oil drilling process across the globe. According to me this is the best company for someone who is looking forward to continue in technical side. There are 4 rounds in the recruitment process: Round1: Written (So far the best written test I have found, comprised of questions from strength of materials mainly.creativity, imagination and strong reasoning skills are tested through this test. Round 2: Group discussion, an important phase of the recruitment process where one gets a chance to project his communication skills in a group. People who are technically not that sound should make the best use of this round an try to score maximum points.( because the selection is based on overall points not jus the interview or the written) Round 3: HR Interview, Emphasis is on your flexibility to work overseas. General check on your family background, strengths, imagination/creativity etc. Stress on long term association with the company so look out for questions like higher education/future plans/goals in life etc. Round 4: Technical interview, the toughest of all rounds. People with excellent academic background fused with in depth technical knowledge and a pinch of imagination/creativity are favored (sadly) but my personal suggestion is that since

42

the selection is based on the cumulative score in all the rounds one must try to score maximum marks in GD and HR interview. The interview would start with a general overlook on your resume and your mini project/strengths/areas of interests etc. Then the question paper of the written test would be taken out and randomly asked the method you used to solve a problem( probably they want to check your scientific approach to solve a problem)Focus would be on the mistakes you committed in the paper Now comes the most interesting part of the recruitment processPowerPoint presentation A presentation would be shown consisting of pictures of various manufacturing equipments and you are supposed to find out. Then physical problems are shown and you are asked to solve them (sounds scary but not that difficult)

43

GET INSPIRED
If you are not able perform well in the interviews/GDs dont get dishearten dear its all part of the process of getting your first job. I have narrated a couple of instances of my classmates about the journey to their first jobs. These instances are not meant to demoralize you; I just wanted to make a point that one must have patience and consistency in their trials to get a job.

23
There is friend of mine who had an aggregate of 85%.He was among the top 10 in my class according to CGPA. Initially in our college placement season starts with companies like CTS, Infosys, Accenture, Wipro, Capgemini coming in for mass recruitment. Almost 70 % of the class gets placed very comfortably. People get multiple jobs as well. But this fellow couldnt get through any of these. It was a complete shocker to all of us. Companies kept coming but this guy couldnt make it through any of these. One after the other he kept getting rejected. It was almost the end of 2nd semester and the placements were coming to a close when he got placed in ASIAN PAINTS (a core company, I have to mention that he was the only one from the entire college).He was rejected 22 times and being one among the toppers of our class if something happens like this confindence/morale breaks down completely. But he kept trying and believed in himself and most importantly worked on his weaknesses.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN DESTINY ??? IF NOT THEN READ THIS ONE YOUR OPINION JUS MIGHT CHANGE..

Before I start anything let me describe this guys background, EAMCET rank 1700, aggregate of 78%, placement coordinator of our class, polyglot, enthusiast with good communication skills. With this kind of background one could easily get placed in a company to be precise a core company.

44

As I mentioned he was the placement coordinator of our class so he was the one who gave us all the info about placements/companies etc. CTS were the first of all companies which came for mass recruitment to our college. It took 39 people from our class out of 64 thats around 60 % of the class. It was a highest among all the branches and also a record. On the whole CTS recruited 410 people from our college which is huge. This fellow was confident that he would make it through coz his interview was pretty good. Names were read out, he wasnt there. There were 410 people in the hall who were celebrating and then there was him wondering what went wrong. Even though we were very happy from the inside we tried not to show any emotions and cheered him up. Next Infosys, he made it throughnothing much to talk about. He was happy but not completely satisfied. Nobody was coz pursuing engineering in mechanical stream one would look forward to work at some place related to his/her stream of engineering. Hunt for core companies had soon already begunit was FMC the very first core company which came to our collegehe flunked the written test.then ITC, gone in case study round.L&T, Piaggio, Tata advanced systems, HIL screwed them all. It was BEL (6lpa) that he went till the very end but ultimately had to face a rejection. In the meanwhile many of my classmates got placed in the above core companies. His misfortune continued, tried all the core companies but couldnt get any of them. When you face defeat so many times you start to panic. He dint panic but was worried a lot more than before. Tried GATE (M.TECH) but even that misfired. Last option left was GRE, he thought if he couldnt get though any of the core company he would start preparing for Masters in U.S. Soon we were done our final exams and dont know if it was fate, sadly he couldnt make it through any of the core company. He made up his mind that he wont join INFOSYS and left it as well. (That was real brave on his part coz that was the only company which he had where as people had two/three jobs in hand, and this fellow left that as well.I couldnt have done that!!!) Somewhere back in the past he appeared for the exam AFCAT (which is for joining into INDIAN AIR FORCE) and made it to next round. He dint bother much about it

45

then but since he was done with college now and dint have many options he thought why not give it a serious try. After all one more defeat wouldnt make much of a difference to him; hes had many of them. But one thing was sure if he messes up this one as well, he would certainly have to go to U.S for masters that too in fall that would mean a waiting period of around 6 months which isnt good. So he went to Mysore for the recruitment process. It was a five day program which included hell lot of tests (analytical, verbal, physical etc). He made it till the end. He was not just another engineer.he was recruited as the FLYING OFFICER in the INDIAN AIR FORCE. And for icing on the cake he passed the pilot battery test as well which gives him an entry into the flying branch of IAF with an annual package of 7.2 LPA ( highest in our class ) After all those rejections, sleepless nights, endless emotions and a looooong wait of 9 months he was standing tall..A PILOT in the INDIAN AIR FORCE.phewgoose bumps

### That was his destinybut the point I wanted to make from all these instances is that one should never stop trying for bettermentthe moment you stop craving for the larger picture and settle with whatever you have or whatever situation you are part of is the moment you lost your opportunity to meet your destiny ###

46

MY PERSONAL SUGESSTIONS
If you are really looking forward towards getting a particular job you must work very hard and prepare in a planned way Once done with the preparation part be very confident ( CONFIDENCE IS THE ONLY KEY ELEMENT TO CRACK A PLACEMENT ) Dont give a damn about the result ( even after working that hard if you couldnt get through dont worry at allanalyze what went wrong and work on correcting your mistakes and make sure you dont repeat them ) Dont expect in the very 1st or 2nd attempt to get selected ( if you get selected then good for you ) Dont ever let your confidence go down Whenever you talk ( GD, INTERVIEW anything) your voice must be loud and clear I know its a little difficult but try to put a smile on your face yaar!!! ( trust me makes a lot of difference ) In the interviews usually you dont get many chances to speak all that you prepared so be very cautious, even if you get a slight chance to talk something which you prepared and which you think would impress the interviewer dont hesitate at all go for it !!! Results of these campus placements are always surprisingeven after doing very well you might not get selected and sometimes when you think you havent done that great you might get selectedso dont worry about that !!! People dont take the written test seriously at all, please dont do thatit is the first step for gods sakeprepare well for that first and somehow get through it ( P.S Dont hesitate to copy in the written test ) Try to build up your profile from all the dimensionsI mean a reasonable aggregate, little of sport, social activities, cultural activities, work on your hobbies, projects etc then you will have things to talk about in the interview apart from the regular subject and hence a greater chance to get the jobmoreover a overall good profile would be very advantageous for masters or other post graduation interviews

47

All the very best for your job trials, Hope it turns out to be wonderful journey and if you have queries or doubts feel free to contact me.

Email: mounik929@gmail.com Blog: www.mounik.blogspot.in Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mounikreddy.s