Placement Guide : GD, Technical Round, HR Round

 

GD Round 

The GD panel is testing whether you know the topic well, are able to present your point of view in a logical manner, are interested in understanding what others feel about the same subject and are  able to conduct yourself with grace in a group situation. In a group discussion mostly students say things like – I studied this in my first year – as an excuse for not knowing more basic stuff related to their subject of study. The panel members study this about 20 years back – they still remember about it. So please don;t give this kind of shitty excuses. And the most important thing always do the PESTLE analysis.

Try to connect the topic with different  aspects like Politics,Environment,Social,Technology,Law & Economics or Ethics. In group discussion most of the student speak very loudly so If someone is speaking very loudly then speak with low pitch or vice versa,you will be heard for sure. And do remember you are doing a discussion not a fight. You have to behave like a manager Go with new points every time don't stuck on a single one. If someone is not speaking & ask him gracefully that would you like to speak something?Always be in time frame.Just before one minute ask your group members to conclude topic one by one. Most of the student preparing very hard on the night before GD. But the best option would be going unprepared. If you will try to read current affairs a night before GD, it will only build mental pressure and anxiety. And remember, whatever GDs you have seen on youtube most of them are fake. In reality the GDs are completely a  mesh. No one listens to others . Even the person conducting GD hardly notices the points  made by candidates. So what you have to do is to collect the points and speak in the best possible manner without fumbling. Your focus must be on the way of speaking, loudness, clarity, style, pause  and rhythm. Speaking properly can can take you to  the notice of HR. The most important tip  is when you fall short of points  you can make your points by using the points of other candidates. I have done this many times and believe me it  works. And One major problem which you would encounter during a GD is that you will not get a chance to speak. As soon as you will try to speak many people would start speaking at the same time and than you will have to stop. Solution for this problem is “do not stop once you start speaking , let others stop first”.Hope this will help you to crack you placement interview. 

Now in our next topic we will talk about “The technical round” 

The technical round 

Interviews are crucial moments in one’s career. Theoretical knowledge of interview questions isn't enough when you actually face an interview. Too often fear takes over our performance in job interviews. In technical interviews, the questions are based on your subject. Before attending the interview you  have to improve your skills to boost confidence. In interviews, the interviewer will check your skills and subject. For example The first round in Zoho is a technical aptitude round. It is not your regular maths problems but rather aptitude based on C code. Around 40 questions will be given to you and you have solve the most you can. Each question will be a snippet containing C code where you might be asked the result at the end of the iteration. It is not as tough as the regular aptitude but it can be quite difficult for someone who is familiar with C, especially pointers. You might get a few questions from dynamic memory allocation. Also be sure brush on your data structures before you take the Zoho interview. Well if we talking about zoho interview then the students who clear the written round are  called for Programming Round. You will be provided laptop and turbo C compiler. Sometimes, they don’t allow Java and C++ for second round. You can expect 6-8 programming problems in this round. To clear this round, you should be strong in data structure and algorithms. You can expect questions from Arrays and String manipulation. Not only this zoho also have Advanced Programming Round In this round you expect, advanced algorithm problems or a system design problem with database, authentication method and some basic  things like logout, send, and login modules. Example: Railway reservation system, mail server. Now the most common question. How to crack these kind of technical interview. So here are some tips:-

1. Irrespective of your technical role, be very strong in the basics of the programming language  

2.Be ready to say NO I don’t know. Interviewers are not gauging you with the correct answers that you provided. They are gauging you based on how open you are to learn new areas.

3. Be concise on the answers. Do not add extra word arts to explain the basic answer 

4. Do not beat the bush by saying irrelevant answers or asking question that does not make sense. When you do this, any interviewer will immediately put negatives in their score card.

5. Take your time to answer. Many times, our initial response would not be appropriate or may be wrong. 

Being a little bit of being sales man is fine during technical interviews but these interviews are not always about syntax of a function or whether your answers are correct. It is always about what you know and how open are you about learning new technologies and concepts and how you can contribute to the organization.This will help you to crack your technical interview. 

Next Topic HR round. 

The HR round 

There’s this simple HR round now & it should be done, Heard this before ? Most candidates have a misconception that, HR interview is a mere formality to give you an offer letter. Although in few cases, it is true, but in this current competent market scenario, it isn’t true with most recruiters.  With so many to choose from, and little separating the technical skills of freshers, HR round becomes an important differentiator to shortlist the right candidate. If an organization was a machine, the technical skills of an employee becomes the core machinery & their soft skills will be the lubrication - for a smooth run,you need both.That’s where the HR round becomes so important for a fresher recruitment. Corporates like to hire candidates who are good at their soft skills and compatible with their organization, as much as they can do a technical job. Software companies look for only two criteria in HR rounds in campus; 

The candidate should not be brilliant, and he  should not be from a financially well off  background. Reason if You are brilliant or above average, u will definitely go abroad to do MS. 

Indian companies are shit when it comes to recruiting talent. It will never ever reach global standards , as long as  they fear intelligent freshers will go abroad for MS. we only  give lip service praising sundar pitchai and others. ad he been a fresher , he too would have been begging for a job, never mind he is brilliant. Now come back to the point. how you can crack your Hr round. 

So it’s pretty common for a freshers to get intimidated by the environment and the interviewers and to feel lot of nerves. But RELAX! Understand the fact that the company wants you as much as you need them. They called you in for HR round, because they want to select  you, not reject you. So just be yourself, like you  would be at your home or college playing with your friends. Few things what shows confidence  are Sit straight and keep a comfortable posture. Do not lean or sit on edge of the seat, nor lean back too much. Keep eye contact. Don’t look into oblivion (read ceiling, curtains etc.), while answering. Keep a pleasant and smiling expression and show an interest in the proceedings. Answer with simple, clear words and loud enough for the interviewer to hear. It’s  okay to say “Don’t know”. That shows your comfort in accepting things you don’t know about. Note: Don’t overdo “Don’t know” stuff. That might turn against you.

That's All

Hope this will help you to crack your college placement.

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Placement Guide : Aptitude Test

 

There are two types of Campus Placement Program

1-On-Campus Placement Drives:

In On-Campus placement drives, companies visit colleges to select final year students and selection

depends upon a student's ability to work-hard, his technical capabilities and his focus.

2-Off-Campus / Pool Campus Placement Drives:

In Off Campus placement drives, recruitment is

conducted at a common place that may be a

particular college or a public place where

students from different colleges assemble and

take part in the various stages of the campus

placement drive. A number of these drives

are advertised as 'Job Fairs'.

So now you understand the types of campus

placement programs. And now you need to

check out what all companies do visit your college.

Ask you seniors which all companies did visit during their time and what was the  selection  procedure(including eligibility criteria as

well) because it will be almost same at you time as,so keep  good rapport with your seniors,as they

are the ones who will guide you about the companies. Get the rough estimate of companies visiting this year and in which all companies you are eligible and start preparing

according to it. 

There are basically 2 types of companies visiting every college,that is 

1)Non Dream Company(Usually Mass Recruiter) 

e.g: 

Accenture,Infosys,TCS,Capgemini etc

2)Dream Companies

e.g Google ,Facebook,microsoft etc

And this placements season is going to be a bit tighter than the previous seasons given the current economic situations and the general slowdown in

hiring. Only the best of the best will have the chance at grabbing the jobs and that means,

the ones who start preparing earlier will be ahead of the competition. So according to me the most important thing in your selection process is going to be your knowledge of engineering topics - that

you've studied over the last 2-3 years. All of your efforts will go waste if you lack the basic knowledge of the subjects. Forget mugging up

and reproducing - something that you're used

to do for the exams. Instead, revise all the

subjects 'for yourself'! The Aptitude test or the

written test. this is the first stage of campus selection and if you crack that test then you are

eligible for Group discussion. But Lot of engineering students fear the aptitude tests. But the fact is that there's nothing to worry about because it's *VERY EASY* to crack aptitude tests. All it takes it practice! Yep! You read that right. Just keep on practicing and in a month or two - you will solve all the aptitude questions like a pro. Don't expect to master the aptitude skills in just a week or two. At least 1.5-2 months is the minimum required time. And first of all, you need to know that majority of companies conduct there Aptitude test online. And 100% of them are objective type. And there are three Sections that covered under this head:- 

1. Quantitative Aptitude.

2. Logical Reasoning.

3. Verbal. 

So first start with Quantitative

Aptitude. So Always keep in mind that not all the topics within Quant are equally important. For example topics like 1- Stocks & Shares. 2. Races & Games of Skill. 3. Logarithms. 4. True Discount. 5. Banker's Discount. These are some topics which you can wholeheartedly discarded. So now you might thinking “then what are the important topics” 

1. Quantitative Aptitude.

So here are some important topic like 1- Time & Work. 

2. Number Systems.

3. Probability,Permutation & Combination (Little differences between these 2 topics).

4. Time & Distance.

5. Percentages & Ratios.

But, the questions asked vary from company to company, so don't take risk and try to cover as much as you can. Now how you can prepare for Quantitative Aptitude. There are some important topics that cover in logical reasoning like .

1-Series Completion

(Extremely important).

2. Puzzle Test (more commonly called as Seating Arrangement)

3. Blood relations.

4. Direction test.

5. Coding Decoding

2. Logical Reasoning.

Well, according to research picture based questions are not asked. Or even if they are, they are in scarce amount. But still, I don't want you to take any kind of risk.Here is some tips that you can crack this logical section very easily.

Sometimes, you may encounter a question that is swamped with information and the whole paragraph is designed to confuse you. To handle such questions, always try to put all that information in tabular format, Venn diagram, pie charts, bargraphs or any other form of data depending on the type of question. This will enable you to get a clear perspective of data is and how to proceed further with it.

Now the biggest problem that most of the student do is basically the focus on quantity not quality. So suggest you to Focus on quality not quantity.

During the exam, it’s not important to attempt every question, but it is important to get a question right. 

Assuming that most exams have negative marking and a limited time. So, instead of aiming to attempt more and more questions, focus on accuracy. Spend a little bit of more time on the question, and make sure your answer is right. At the end, your marks will matterand not your attempts. 

logical reasoning questions will generally have either 4 or 5 options, out of which 1 would be your answer.

In most cases, you can simply analyze the given options and eliminate the ones that are not relevant. This will leave the fight between 2 or 3 options, which you can further analyze critically. It will save you a lot of time, which you can devote to the questions that require more time.

3. Verbal.

Writing and speaking skills are very important for placements these days. Recruiters look for a balanced candidate, good in every aspects especially in communication but they won't compromise with professional skills. So verbal aptitude should be the area of focus too. For improving this section you can opt for various ways like reading books, newspapers etc, practicing basic grammar and even watching english movies can help you improving your speaking skills. Reading is the most effective way to improve, this will also build your vocabulary. Try extensive reading and also keep a dictionary with you if possible, mark the important words, phrases and practice them to use them effectively. Playing with words can also be helpfull, children learn language by playing with words, making mistakes and being gently corrected. We should adopt a playful attitude towards words and treat them as friends. Word games will increase your verbal intelligence.

Now you may clear with the first round of your placement. And now its time for the second round means the Group discussion round. 

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Most Common HR Question: How to crack

 

Some Other Tips to Keep in Mind for a Job Interview:

● Wear neat and modest clothing.

● Be aware of your body language.

● Speak clearly while answering the questions. Do not mumble.

● Keep your tone positive and enthusiastic.

● Maintain focus throughout the interview process.

● Bring a copy for your resume.

● Always arrive to the interview venue 10 minutes in advance.

● Always follow up with a thank you note restating your interest in the position.

Q-1 Tell me about your dream job.

The only dream job I’ve always had was a job that keeps me busy, a job wherein I get to contribute to the company’s success.

Q-2 Why did you leave your last job?

I left my previous job because I feel I want to do more, to get hold of a greater

opportunity to serve.

Q-3 What experience do you have in this field?

I have created several systems that are still in used to this day. Some of the systems I’m proud include [mention those remarkable ones]

Q-4 What do co-workers say about you?

My co-worker [name] at [company] never gets tired of telling other people how brilliant I am when it comes to [specific task].

Q-5 Why should we hire you?

Following are 5 sample answers

Sample Answer 1:

In my XXX years of experience as a manager, I have build-up a solid motivational and team-working skills. I was awarded twice as the manager-of-the-year for my excellent methodologies for motivating employees to encounter challenges and meeting deadlines. If hired, I will carry forward this ability of leadership and strategies for achieving profit gains to this position.

Sample Answer 2:

The subjects I chose while working for my degree in XXX subject have prepared me for this particular post. Also, my two-year experience working with company X has given me the platform to master the skills that I needed to deliver for this position. It seems as if I was prepared all my life to land this job.

Sample Answer 3:

For this particular job, I have the perfect combination of skills and experience that is required. I also bring the experience of strong analytical and problem-solving skills that I have gained while working with other companies. My dedication to excellent work standards will add value to the team and the company.

Sample Answer 4:

I am quite aware of the company’s mission of acquiring the largest consumer base in the area and to become the front-runner in supplier’s or provider’s community. My domain knowledge and hold over the customer base can make a big  contribution towards this. I

would really enjoy this challenge of growing this business bigger.

Sample Answer 5:

As I have said earlier, my years of experience in this field is something that can truly contribute to this company’s success. My sense of dedication in every task that I handle is definitely a big plus. I believe my skills and work attitude measures up to your company standards.

Tips

● Emphasize on your uniqueness but keep it concise

● Highlight your strength, skills, and your accomplishments

● Give an example that describes you as a quick learner

● State or provide some evidence that shows how you contributed to the growth

of the previous company in terms of revenue, goodwill, and brand

● Include your research you made on the company- for a smaller company you

can say- your company is open to new innovative ideas

What not to say

● Try to avoid saying- I need a job, money or this place is close to where I live

● Focus on what can you do for the company rather than what they can do for

you.

● NEVER DO THIS- comparing your skills to others. The natural instinct to this

question is we usually start comparing our skills to others, when this question

is put through.

Q-6 Are you a team player?

Yes, definitely. While I will deny the fact that I can work independently with minimal supervision, I’m also one companion every leader would ever wanted to be in his team.

Whatever task is assigned to me, I make sure it meets and exceeds what is expected of me. I also make it a point to reach out to teammates whenever needed.

Q-7 What is your philosophy towards work?

I have only one philosophy when it comes to work: every piece of work, regardless of size, has to be done on time and in the right manner.

Q-8 What have you learned from mistakes on the job?

I learned that without proper coordination, even the simplest task could cause problems in a project. I had this problem during my first job. From that time on, I made sure every I thing follows every detail and coordination.

Q-9 Describe your management style.

Basically, my management style comes with promptness and flexibility. To make sure goals are achieved, I religiously study and make plans down to the smallest detail. While I do implement a strict sense of being time bounded, I also add reasonable allowances and make room for contingencies.

Q-10 How would you know you were successful on this job?

Being successful means goals that are set are met. Being successful also means standards are not only reach, but also even exceeded wherever possible.

Q-11 Are you willing to work overtime? Nights? Weekends?

I understand that being asked to work for an extended number of hours comes with a good reason in the first place, so I’m ok with it. It an extra effort means something for the company, I’ll be happy to do it. 

Q-12 What will you do if you don’t get this position?

I have high hopes that I will be hired. In case it turns the other way around, I would have to move on and search for another job.

Q-13 What have you done to improve your knowledge in the last year?

I have attended in several self-improvement, time management and  personality development seminars. I have also participated in training workshops related to [industry].

Q-14 How you would be an asset to this company?

My skills in […] are outstanding. I have earned a lot of awards and certifications from my past employers. As an employee, I handle pressure with ease and can work with minimal supervision.

Q-15 How long would you expect to work for us in case you are hired?

As much as possible I would like to be in this company for a long time. For as long as management sees me as an asset, I am willing to stay.

Q-16 Describe your ability to work under pressure.

I understand the nature of this position that I am applying for quite well, along with the pressure that comes with it. Being under pressure doesn’t discourage me, it motivates me more.

Q-17 Tell me about a problem you had with a supervisor.

I’m sorry but I can’t recall any instance when I had such a problem with a  supervisor.

Q-18 Why do you think you would do well at this job?

Because, I love this job. I feel very confident of myself and my ability to delivery nothing short of quality output. My years of experience helped me develop these skills.

Q-19 What irritates you about co-workers?

I always get along fine with my co-workers. I tend to be open minded and very

considerate. 

Q-20 Do your skills match this job or another job more closely?

I feel my skills are best fit for this job.

Q-21 What has disappointed you about a job?

I once felt that I was not being given enough challenges to work on. I was a bit disappointed because I was so eager to go for more. 

Q-22 If you were hiring a person for this job, what would you look for?

I would look into two essential things: the ability to do the job right and the proper attitude to do it. Skills without the right attitude will not contribute to a productive output.

Q-23 What role do you tend to play in a team?

I tend to be versatile when it comes to being a team player. I can act as a leader, an assistant, a communicator, a secretary, whatever role that will ensure the success of the team. That’s because understanding the different roles will allow each player to take on the roll of the other in times of need.

Q-24 Why are you interested in this position?

HR professionals love this question so use it as your chance to reiterate your strengths and highlight your applicable skill set and passion for the company and the role. Speak to how your past experiences match the qualifications for the job using keywords from the job description to make the connection stronger. By clearly linking your skills to the position, you are helping the HR manager envision you in the role.

Sample Answer: Having worked within the financial services sector for five years, I have gained an appreciation for the power of client-facing roles in terms of my professional development and organizational impact. As a relationship manager in your firm, I envision bringing my ability to resourcefully optimize any given client’s portfolio as the best way I can help your company’s five-year strategic goal of retaining its client base at a 50% rate. I have done this in the past in X capacity while working for my previous employer and am confident that I can help you accelerate your current goals while growing my career.

Q-25 Describe a situation when your work was criticized.

Answer this question by simply mentioning that you take criticism as a positive thing and don’t really get depressed or feel low. Instead, you try learn from your experiences—good and bad—and improve further and work to the best of your ability and knowledge.

Q-26 May I contact your present employer for reference?

This question is generally asked to see your reaction. Stay calm and cheerful. Say with a smile, yes, absolutely. It's fine to add that your current boss is not aware of your job search and to ask them to wait until you are selected. Say that at that point they may call your boss for a reference and that you are sure they will get a positive response.

Q-27 Are you applying for other jobs as well?

You can answer this question with honesty. Say that you have applied to some of the best companies and this company is on my priority list. Avoid discussing too much on this topic and try to divert their attention to something related to the job for which you are applying.

Q-28 Describe your work ethics.

Always give your best in every job, if not, don’t do it at all.

Q-29 What was your biggest challenge with your previous boss?

My previous boss was very strict when it came to deadlines and output. It was a challenge for me to meet every expectation he made. It was also a good learning experience for me because it only made me better at what I do.

Q-30 Do you enjoy working as part of a team?

Yes, I enjoy it very much. Being part of a team means you get to contribute for the good of all, while at the same time there’s are members who can support you and share  more knowledge with you.

Note : This is a sample, Please follow the rule, and answer the question from yourself

All The Best 

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