Students’ Speak: Here’s how to prepare yourself for placement drive
Most of the B-Schools have kicked off their placement activities. So, for students preparing to appear for on-campus placement interviews it is time to prepare yourself to crack various rounds such as aptitude tests, group discussions and personal interviews.
Here’s what students can do to be well-prepared for the placement drive:
- The key component one should nurture before attending any selection process is to understand what your requirements are and apply only for those companies which you feel match your interest and profile.
- Attend workshops or form a class committee to simulate interviews and group discussions which can boost your confidence seamlessly.
- Have a solid focus on your resume and cover letter. Spend enough time and guidance while preparing a resume and make sure it is neither too long nor too short for an interviewer to feel unimpressed.
- Develop the habit of facing the crowd. Though you might feel you are good at presenting concepts in your class, you might not be so comfortable when you face a larger or unknown crowd. Therefore, it is important to communicate with more unknown personals whom you see around and build your communication skills.
- Don’t try to imitate or copy or replicate somebody else’s views and perceptions in your answers whether it is personal interview or GD, it is always better to device your own opinions and answers.
The backbone of such activities is the placement cell like one in our college (Manipal Institute of Management). They generally act as a bridge between the company and the campus. The responsibility of the placement cell is to not only bring good companies to campus but also to train and build confidence among students to attend the placement drive.
The placement cell of MIM is headed by three faculties and overlooked by the director of the institute. One of the initiatives that our students had taken this academic year was to form a student-driven placement cell which resulted in forming a team of 17 members comprising three faculties and 14 students from different classes/specialisations.
The placement cell of MIM organised a week-long workshop for all final year students at the beginning of the academic year in order to understand and learn the requirements that a student needs to build while attending any interview or any selection process. The workshop had given valuable insights on aspects like an elevator pitch, group discussion, presentation skills, team-building skills, leadership skills and communication skills. A simulated selection process was also part of the workshop to gain confidence among all the students to face various campus recruitment activities soon.
Other one day workshops such as resume writing, group discussions were also conducted by various resource persons to enhance the possibility of a student to get placed in the campus drive.
The prime responsibility of the student members in the cell is to circulate the information and collect the various information from students who are interested to attend the placement for each company visiting the college. It is also the responsibility of student members to ensure the smooth functioning of the placement interviews when a company arrives on the campus.
About the Author:
Arun S., an MBA - Healthcare Management student at Manipal Institute of Management, interested in Marketing & Business Strategy predominantly in Healthcare sector.
