Interview Pointers for Summer Placements in B-Schools

Posted by TCYonline.com on June 9, 2010

Written By Varun Reddy
Hi friends,
Over a period of two days, we had a workshop by one of our alumnus who gave us some pointers for the Summer Placements. Here are extracts from it:

Speaker: Nidhi Kapoor, HR Head, BIO-RAD Labs, IIML Batch of 2004

There are two things that should be clearly visible in your profile – 1) What is your USP i.e. Academics, Extra-curricular activities, diversity etc. and 2) What are you most passionate about?

The CV should reflect the fact that “You are my top priority company”. You should reflect the fact that “You are my dream organization. I know all about you.”

Some clear tips for an interview:

1) DO NOT BLUFF: Be clear about what you want to tell them and make your CV accordingly.
Work-Ex People: You already have a fair idea about the internal working of any company, so they will focus more on you and your achievements at the work-place. Highlight points in your CV.
Freshers: They will like to know more about your academics and extra-curricular activities. They will focus on you and your life. Highlight points as usual.

Preparation:
1) Research-Based: “Know thy company” is the main mantra here. Try and sort out 4-5 companies that you really want to target and prepare you CV accordingly. Try to learn as much as possible about your company and be serious about the preparation. Try to know what is its main business, their main strategies, their position in the industry, the duration they have been in India etc. The IIM tag helps you upto your next job change at the most. Beyond that, its you and your job that counts.

2) If you have a strong industry preference, mention it in your CV or apply for different companies with various modifications in your CV. If you do not have a strong industry preference, then try to get a fair idea of the general industrial climate of India. They look at your “Business Understanding.”.If you are already knowledgeable about what they do in the company and on how they do it, they would be more than pleased.

3) Try and capitalize on your favorite subject – it may be in Term 1 or Term 2. Prepare an answer for this one and be thorough in that subject. Also, a fresher may be grilled on his core subjects. It’s highly likely that students from Mechanical, Electrical and Civil engineering can be asked on their subjects as many of the recruiters usually come from similar backgrounds.

4) Try to find out the position that company holds in various surveys and mention it when appropriate. That holds you in good stead.

5) Know Thyself: NEVER ever tell the interviewer that you do not know yourself – that would be disastrous. You must know what your skills and strong points are. Highlight them even if they do not match with the actual requirements of the company. You must also understand your limitations. A person must have a good mix of Cap-ambition (Capability + Ambition). They are not different, but they are also not too different from each other.

Interviewing Styles:

One main interviewing style followed by HR professionals generally is called the STAR model. The model has 4 main components:

* Situation
* Trials done
* Action
* Result

They may ask you questions pertaining to a particular situation a few examples are as follows:
· Tell me about any point in your life when you were the leader of so-and-so company or team and about what you did then.
· Tell me of one time when you faced a set-back in your life and how you handled it.

No can be sure of what they may ask, but after filling up so many forms, you will have a fair idea of what to answer. As it was mentioned already – “Know Thyself”. They will like to know the situation in brief, what you tried to do, how did you take action and what was the result of that action taken.

“Tell me about yourself” may be the best ever question and is usually the one that guides the interview. It is also one of the most ill-prepared questions ever. Try to highlight your best extra-curricular activity in that – Your best point may be the win in a debate competition in 3rd grade, but surely highlight that!

Standard Questions:

Some of the standard questions are as follows:

Ø What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Students often regard this question as a trick question, but it is one of the easiest ones ever. Weaknesses are not usually asked as that is what the interviewer is trying to perceive. Try to have 3-4 points with well substantiated examples.

Ø What would you change about our company if you were the CEO of our company?

This is a question that tests your knowledge of the company, knowledge of the general trend of the successful companies of the industry and your analytical skills – all at the same time. One needs to have a fair bit of idea on what one can change about the company. Don’t be too brazen, but try and tell give general pointers.

Ø Why should I hire you?

Another trick question as perceived by many, this proves to be the toughest possible questions one can be asked. When an interviewer asks this question, it means that he still has doubts in his mind and wants you to clear them for him. You can highlight your capabilities, vision for the future and highlight them to be in tune with those of the company itself.

Ø What do you think about so-and-so issue?

Do not try to give the ready-made answers as provided by TOI and the Hindu. They want to know what you think and your analysis procedure is reflected in your answer.

Remember that there is no right or wrong answer to any of these questions. Be prepared in advance. The company should be at the back of your mind. You should know about it as much as they do.

Dos and Don’ts:

Many of the points you already know, but still to reinforce them:

Ø Think before you speak. You may take even two minutes for a trick question, but do not give an answer that will reduce your prospects completely
Ø Be presentable. This shows your interest in that company
Ø Have a hair-cut and a shave/trim before the interview
Ø Be enthusiastic at all times. Some of these interviews may take place at bizarre times in the night. So be ready to entertain him if needed
Ø Never slouch in an interview. Show them that you are the “best possible candidate” that they can hire for your company.
Ø All your clothes must be pressed in advance. Make sure have 2-3 pairs of outfits and multiple shirts
Ø Look fresh and confident at all times, no matter what the situation. Do not twiddle your thumbs, crack your knuckles, play pen-games, adjust your hair periodically. Avoid all these things as they make you look too nervous
Ø Please take some mock interviews before your actual interview so that you are ready for the real stuff
Ø Shoes are a MUST and they must be black or dark brown only
Ø Wear clothes that are formal and make you look professional and coordinated. They must just “feel-right” for you
Ø Girls can wear a business suit or a saree – no compulsions to wear a saree only. If you are planning to wear heels/stilettos, make sure they are noiseless. Jewelry must be very simple and as minimal as possible
Ø Tie and Coat are must for boys. Rings and bracelets are better avoided
Ø Learn about CARBON CREDITS. Many companies are using this as a tool to prove their “environmental friendly” status now-a-days and hence they may ask you your opinion on their usage
Ø Also try and have a fair idea of various charitable foundations like the one by Bill Gates, CRY etc.

Why summers:

What is their profit? Why do they want to hire you?

Ø They may actually have a project for you and you cost them less than what the general industry averages are for the same project when they recruit full-time professionals for it – usually industries with this motto select their trainees accordingly
Ø They believe it is a good way to hire people. They will be able to assess and evaluate you for two months. If you are hired, it would save them induction and other initiation costs – TAS hires summer trainees this way. They are usually very serious about it
Ø They may just want to keep their relationship with the college alive. Summers are better than hiring full-time employees. They may become serious about the PPO if the student is exceptional enough
Ø Not every has the money to hire full-time professionals from top B-Schools and summers are the best ways to get their work done by the cream

Structure of the interviews:

Interviews are all about your ability, your willingness to work for them and your fit in the company. Interviews are structured according to the needed competency. It can be one of the following:

Ø Cognitive competency: The interview has an analytical and structured approach to it. It will include caselets and analytical questions
Ø Task Orientation: They will test whether you have the ability to handle a task according to the deadline provided. It may be in the form of the various incidents that happened to you in your life and through rapid-fire questions
Ø People Orientation: They will test whether you are a leader, a team-player or a loner

Try to have stories around the skills mentioned. Never say that you do not have any weakness when you are asked about it. When you show them that you know yourself, half the battle is already won.

When you enter…

When you enter the room, wish all of them, starting with the lady. Shake hands only when offered. Ask them if you can sit down and then sit. Put the file on your lap (ideally). Do not encroach on the personal space of the interviewers.

Fiddling, fumbling, pulling ones ears – they are all signs of nervousness on the part of your sub-conscious even though you are trying to put a positive image in front of them. So be relaxed internally and stay focused.

It’s ok if you take time to answer the questions. This however depends on the complexity of the question asked. For instance, you should not think 2 minutes when asked about your strengths and weaknesses.

Do not GLOBE around. It gives an impression that you are trying to prove that the interviewer is an idiot and a dunce. In fact, it makes you look arrogant and hampers your chances drastically.

It’s ok to use humor but make sure you pop it at the right time. Hopefully it should not be racist and sexist.

IIM placement interviews focus more on the real world and not on your academics. You must be able to put your point across to them in a clear fashion. They see how well you articulate your thoughts. Be assertive and not aggressive.

Group Discussions:

In the GDs, they are looking more on how you are able to interact with your fellow peers in a group. Your points may/may not be valid, but they should not be inappropriate and showy. Avoid taking extreme steps like banging the table and shouting at the top of your voice. You can call them by their names if you want to. Please AVOID FISHMARKETS.

One final word of consolation: The Company you did your summers in will matter only till the point of getting selected for your final interviews. After that, everyone is on the same level. It will not get you the job if your interview is lousy.

All the very best!!!
Source: www.varunreddylive.com

Google Interview Questions Those Seems Weird To Me

Posted by TCYonline.com on

Written By Jaspal
Google is a dream company for many developers and managers and why not it should be. Everything about Google is classy and the food is great over there. But getting in Google means you have to face some competition and a very tough interview.

I have collected a bunch of questions which can bring your dream come true. So get ready for some odd and funny questions that will make you tinkle and also makes your brain sharper for future.

Don’t be surprised if these questions will make you feel stupid.

9 Questions the Google Can ask you in a Job Interview.
How many golf balls can fit in a school bus?
How much should you charge to wash all the windows in Seattle?
How many piano tuners are there in the entire world?
Why are manhole covers round?
A man pushed his car to a hotel and lost his fortune. What happened?
You have eight balls all of the same size…

…7 of them weigh the same, and one of them weighs slightly more. How can you find the ball that is heavier by using a balance and only two weighing’s ?
Explain a database in three sentences to your eight-year-old nephew.
You are shrunk to the height of a nickel…
… and your mass is proportionally reduced so as to maintain your original density. You are then thrown into an empty glass blender. The blades will start moving in 60 seconds. What do you do?
You are given 2 eggs…
…You have access to a 100-story building. Eggs can be very hard or very fragile means it may break if dropped from the first floor or may not even break if dropped from 100th floor. Both eggs are identical. You need to figure out the highest floor of a 100-story building an egg can be dropped without breaking. The question is how many drops you need to make. You are allowed to break 2 eggs in the process.

Source: www.savedelete.com

Do You Also Make These Common Mistakes in Job Interview ?

Posted by TCYonline.com on

Written By Yogesh Mankani

We all know that how hard is to get the job interview call and no job interview is flawless. We all do some mistakes in the job interview and the better practice for preparing ourselves is to learn from the other’s mistakes.

In this article, we are trying to focus on the most common mistakes anyone can made in an interview.

So here is the list of the most common mistakes, errors and blunders made in an interview. Read them closely and avoid if you are making any of these mistakes as I had done many of them in the past.

* Dressing inappropriately according to the workplace
* Arriving late for the interview
* Forgetting the name of the interviewer
* Your mouth stinks (might be you were smoking cigarette outside office premises just before interview time)
* Lack of a good preparation
* Wearing shades in the office
* Applying lots of deodorant or perfume
* Wearing a Bluetooth earpiece
* Speaking rudely to the receptionist or interviewer
* Staring regularly at receptionist
* Poor communication skills
* Lack of research of the employer in advance
* Forgetting to bring a copy of your resume
* Bringing photocopy of your resume rather than printed version
* Complaining that you are kept waiting
* Taking the seat before your interviewer
* Forgetting what you have written in the resume
* Failing to highlight your achievement
* Inappropriate body language
* Failing to listen carefully what interviewer is asking
* Not asking for clarification when you don’t understand the question
* Not being prepared with the appropriate questions to ask in the end of the interview
* Bad mouthing about your past employers
* Lying about your experience, skills and knowledge
* Talking too much or very less
* Interrupting the interviewer in between of a conversation
* Don’t tell personal stories when asked “tell me about yourself”
* Too early to ask about the salary
* Being unprofessional and non-serious while giving the interview
* Not asking about the next interviewing process
* Attending calls in an interview
* Failure to show an interest in the job
* Be honest and humble – Don’t be over-confident
* Failing to show enthusiasm
* Asking for job benefits very soon
* Not able to convince why you are the best person for this job
* Not preparing yourself to answer the regular questions
* Not able to match the communication style of your interviewer
* Yawning  and sitting in relaxed position
* Bringing your parents or friends in an interview
* Chewing gum or tobacco
* Playing with your pen, pencils or paperweight
* Bitting your nails
* Always saying “hmmm”, “you know”, “actually”, “basically”
* Sounding like you know-it-all
* Offering to shake hands first
* Shaking hands firmly or too weakly like a formality
* Not able to make eye-contact or continuously making eye-contact with the interviewer
* Becoming over defensive or angry
* Not able to hide your nervousness
* Explaining too much about why you want to left your last job
* Sounding die-hard to get the job
* Not asking the job details
* Checking the time again and again
* Forget to switch off the mobile or put it in silent mode
* Sounding like that you are rehearsed too much (copy book answers)
* Last but not the least, following up after the interview

So these are some of the most common interviews mistakes which we always do while giving an interview. So how did you do, have you committed any of these mistakes? This time try not-to-do all these mistakes if you don’t want to miss the opportunity and screw it up.

Finally, even if you were not able to make up the interview, don’t take it to heart. I think everyone in his or her life has been failed one or twice in an interview including me. So learn from your mistakes and look forward to the next opportunity.

Source: www.savedelete.com

My IIM Lucknow Interview

Posted by TCYonline.com on June 8, 2010

Written By Varun Reddy

My IIML interview:

Venue: Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Delhi.

Time: 2.00 pm

Panel No: III

The GD: The GD was a bit different from all other GDs. First, we were given a topic “Naxalism is the symptom of Indian soft-state”. We were given 10 minutes to write an essay on it on a paper provided by them (around 12 lines). Then after 10 minutes, our papers were collected and then we were asked to discuss on that topic for about 15 minutes. We were all repeating each other’s points. I managed to speak 3 new points and 2 support points. So overall, it was a good one. I noticed the moderators once or twice as we were arranged in a horseshoe shape and I was no. 7 in a group of 12. So I was at the core. But this time also there were only 2-3 freshers in my group (better than the last 2 times where I was the lone fresher).

The Interview: 2 people – A man on my left and a lady on my right. I’ll call them as this: S (Sir) and L (Lady).

Me: May I come in?

L: Sure, come right in.

Me: Thank You.

(I entered the room and approached my seat. They were talking among themselves in Hindi. I then said)

Me: Can I take the seat?

L: Sure, sit down.

(I sat down.)

L: Can I have your folder please?

Me: Sure.

L: So, you don’t look like you are from the Northern part of India. Your name is different, right? Where are you truly from?

Me: Ma’m, I am from Andhra Pradesh. I study in Kurukshetra.

S: So, you are in your final year, right?

Me: Yes Sir, I am in my final year.

L: Hmmm, I guessed so that you are from AP. So, your parents are also in AP? Where do they stay?

Me: They stay in Secunderabad.

L: So what do your parents do?

Me: My dad works in BSNL. He’s a SDE there. My mom was previously working in a bank as a clerk. She took VRS and now is at home.

L: So she is a house-wife then?

Me: Yea ma’m.

L: So what is this Nukkad Natak – Street Play you mentioned in your form? Was it at college or at school?

Me: It was at college ma’m. I took part in it because I wanted to experience the thrill of acting for once.

S: So what was it about?

Me: It was related to the aftermath of the Gujarat riots. A Hindu mob was about to attack a Muslim family, who were inside their hut, fearing for their lives. They were stopped by another Hindu, who tells them to stop this nonsense because it will only heighten the tensions already prevalent at that time. It mainly emphasized Hindu-Muslim unity.

S: Nice, that was a real good theme you talked about. What was your role about?

Me: A small role basically… I was the eldest son in the Muslim Family.

S: C’mon… no role is small in any play. All roles are equally important, right?

Me: Yes sir, they are.

L: (She was going through all my certificates while he was grilling me) So you were also into elocution, right?

Me: Yes ma’m, in my school days.

L: Can you give us elocution right now?

Me: Ye, of what duration – 2, 5 or 10 minutes?

L: Two minutes only, on the GD done.

Me: Ok ma’m.

(Then I started a summary of the GD and spoke for close to two minutes when she suddenly cut me)

L: You speak well.. Why didn’t you speak in the GD just like now?

Me: (just smiled sheepishly)

L: So you are quizzer too, right?

Me: Yes ma’m, I started quizzing in college. I felt I must be a part of some extracurricular activity and quizzing appealed to me. I felt that I could become a good quizzer, so I took up quizzing.

L: So I am going to take a rapid-fire round now? Is that okay with you? (She looked at the Sir and smiled)

Me: It’s ok ma’m. I won’t mind it at all.

L: (laughs) Ok, when was the mouse invented?

Me: I am not sure, sometime in the late seventies I think. The inventor was Douglas Engelbart.

S: Beep… Your time was up.

Me: (smiling at him)

L: Ok, let me ask you more questions, is it alright? You selection depends upon how you perform here now? If you answer them correctly, you are selected. Ok?

Me: Yes ma’m, I wouldn’t mind at all.

L: Okay, who invented the TV remote?

Me: (Giving it a bit of a thought) I don’t recall his name ma’m. I read it just a week ago in the papers.

L: Ok, when was the ink-jet printer invented?

Me: No idea ma’m.

L: When was the ___________ invented?

Me: No idea ma’m. I think it was in the early sixties.

L: Ok, no need to worry. These questions were not the basis for your selection anyways.

Me: I wouldn’t mind it even if they were ma’m.

S: So what is the difference between a normal quiz round and a Rapid-fire round?

Me: well, in the Rapid-fire, one tests your ability to hear fast – either you hear it once or you lose time. In normal questions, one can hear them vaguely once and then ask the quizmaster to repeat the question and formulate his ideas. Also, the questions in a Rapid-fire round are more fact-based – you either know them or you don’t. in the normal questions, you are supposed to deduce the answer slowly based on your knowledge about the facts given and the era being considered. For example, we were once asked a question about something shown at Broadway in the 1930’s. I asked my partner if Satyajit Ray was of that era and if he was famous then. I slowly deduced that it was “Pather Panchali”, his famous work.

L: So how many in your college actually qualified for CAT?

Me: 6 of us got calls from the IIMs.. and 6-7 others got calls from other non-IIM colleges under CAT.

L: So do you guys meet up regularly?

Me: (smiling) We met up once before in January and took some topics which we felt needed more probing into. We took up two topics each, but could not meet later due to busy schedules. I did my part though.

S: So you read magazines. Which ones?

Me: Sometimes I do.. Outlook, India Today and one/two articles in Business World.

S: And which newspapers do you read regularly?

Me: Both TOI and The Hindu.

S: So you like the last pages in TOI?

Me: Yes Sir, I actually start reading the paper from the back itself which usually has all the good news. Now-a-days, the Woolmer controversy is also there, but still, better than the headlines, which I read at the end.

S: (laughs)

L: (looking towards Sir, but asking me) Yesterday, there was this girl from your college for our interview.. What was her name?? (She was trying to recall)

Me: Mahima??

L: Yes, it was her. She was mentioning that your sessionals were going on?

Me: Yes ma’m, they are?

L: so you are missing the one today, right?

Me: Yes ma’m, I am missing two sessionals today. But as only two out of three are counted, I’ll write the third one. So it doesn’t matter if I miss one.

S: Ok, Varun. Thank you for coming. All the best for your future. You may go now.

Me: Thank You (looking at both of them)

L: And yes, send Mr. Sugam in.

Me: Ok ma’m.

My verdict: It was a pretty average interview. I never felt that it was good enough for my direct selection. Even the GD was pretty average. I made a few points… And a point which was loudly contradicted by many of the people present there. I made that point as I felt that the GD was becoming boring with the same points being repeated again and again. One of the fellows in my group – Prasoon Jain – was also selected. Also was another fellow named Manish Joshi. Prassoon was selected in IIM Calcutta and Manish got into IIM Ahmedabad. So I will miss these fellas in IIM Lucknow.

Source: www.varunreddylive.com

My IIM Bangalore Interview

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