Campus interviews play a major role in offering jobs, thereby providing good opportunities to students while they are in college.
In today’s world, corporates look for fresh minds because young people with fresh minds can adapt themselves to the environment, however challenging it may be.
Also, the pay offered to people selected in campus interviews is a little higher than those who get selected off-campus.
In some colleges, only a “single appearance” for campus selection is allowed, whereas in some others “double appearances” are allowed. In a “single appearance” process, a student who gets selected through a campus interview for one company is not allowed to take up the interview process in other companies that come next. However, in the “double appearance” process, students are allowed to appear for an additional company, if they get selected in the first. So, colleges play a major role in selecting the companies that students are going to work.
In campus interviews, generally, resumes are not asked from students (unlike off-campus interviews). Instead, a form is issued and the students have to fill it. The main details that are usually asked in it are education details, such as the 10th and 12th percentage, and details of any backlogs, if any, in exams.
Processes in the Campus Interviews:
In general, campus interviews consist of one, some, or all of the following rounds:
- Written test (which can be an aptitude test, puzzles, English vocabulary test, or questions from subjects studied in college)
- Group discussion
- Technical interview
- HR interview
The first round is usually the written test. Some companies may have only an aptitude round, although the number of questions may vary from one company to another. One company may ask for only 12 puzzles whereas another can ask for 60 questions, which could be a combination of aptitude, analytical and logical questions and also English language proficiency. Only after clearing this round can a student proceed to the next step in the campus interview.
Some companies also hold a group discussion round. In a group discussion, teams will be formed first, and 6 to 10 students would be present in a team. General topics such as ‘Is Hindi Pop against Indian culture?’, ‘Is betting in sports good or bad?’, and so on, will be given to the team. A student can talk for or against the topic.
In the technical interview round, the student will be tested for his/her knowledge in the subjects studied in college. The interviewer(s) may ask a student for his/her favorite subject, and ask questions related to that subject.
In the HR interview round, the attitude of the student is primarily tested. During this round, they see if the student has a positive attitude and has qualities that suit their company’s needs. Although it is said that the HR interview is only held as a matter of formality, there are cases when students are eliminated in this round also. If the student clears the HR interview, then the selection is over, and the student gets the job!
How to prepare:
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Written Test:
Regular or frequent practice with aptitude tests and puzzles can help students become successful in clearing this round. Books preferred in general for clearing the written test are:
- Quantitative Aptitude by R.S.Agarwal
- All the puzzle book series by Shakuntala Devi.
Apart from books, there are many websites that provide puzzles, brain teasers, etc. which can be used to develop the skills needed to clear the written test.
GRE /CAT preparation books help to considerably improve English vocabulary, and also provide answers to questions regarding English grammar and usage.
Group Discussion:
While studying in college, students can form small groups amongst themselves and discuss current trends. They can practice to talk for the topic and against it. This can be the best way to prepare for the group discussion.
The main aspects that are observed by companies during group discussion rounds are: how students convey their thoughts, how they interact with other people in the team, how they lead & coordinate with the team, etc. If a student is successful in all these aspects, then he/she is welcomed by the company.
Technical interview:
Going through technical books studied in college is enough to face the technical interview. Having good subject knowledge also helps a lot. Generally the student will be asked for his/her favorite subject, and interviewed on that subject. The interviewer may ask about any projects that the student may have done during the course of study.
HR interview:
This is a formal round of interview and the final one. The attitude of the student plays a major role here. Students are asked about personal information such as family background, parents’ occupation, etc. It is good to project oneself positively and provide answers with confidence during this round.
Best of luck!!!