The great beyond seems nearer if you’re one of those students with less than a year left behind in your college experience. For future 2018 graduates, the question to options for fresher jobs is dependent on how well and seriously they work towards this session. And if you’re one of them – don’t worry, this is the cliff notes version that you were waiting for.
Understanding Campus Placements
Though we had taken up this question in detail in one of our earlier blogs the quick answer here is this:
one-stage association connecting Students with companies for open positions with them, through (or facilitated by) their individual college campuses.
Campus Placement drives are conducted by most colleges through their placement cells, trying to ensure openings for all students and fresher jobs for as many as possible, before they turn graduates and enter the stream of job aspirants outside the college environs.
Steps in a Campus Placement Drive:
Broadly, all campus placement drives cover the following four steps:
- Skill Assessment / Aptitude Test (Normally written)
- Group Discussion / Panel Interview
- Technical Interview
- HR Interview
1. Skill Assessment:
Generally conducted on the college campus, either directly by the company or through an assessment partner (like the AMCAT Test), this is a written evaluation – though more likely to be a computer-based test, than a pen and paper exercise. These tests are usually the first elimination round of the complete process so it’s important to prepare well and clear the first round comfortably.
Candidates face standardised questions, checking their skills on three parameters – Communication skills (in English), Logical Reasoning Ability and Quantitative ability (grasp on numbers and understanding in basic maths concepts). A specific domain-oriented assessment may or may not be present as the next step. If you’re looking to practice for your aptitude test, these AMCAT sample papers should come in handy
What does the skill assessment test?
- Logical ability
- Domain knowledge
- Quantitative aptitude
- English competency
- Suitability towards specific skill-sets
2. Group Discussions:
Group Discussions or Panel Interviews are a relatively easier way in which companies can understand and sift through multiple candidates to come down to a select few.
Brought together either formally or through an informal discussion format, the Group Discussion or GD checks students on confidence, original presentation of ideas, flow of thought and conduct in a group.
A few companies on campus choose to do a panel interview, instead of a group discussion. Different from a group discussion, the panel interview is a more formal exercise.
While the group discussion has interviewer(s) observing the actions of the candidate in a group, the panel interview has several of them, connecting with the candidate either individually or in groups. Though the HR round is somewhat similar, the difference lies in the stage at which the panel is introduced to the candidate.
Why a group discussion?
The group discussion and panel interview check the following:
- Flow of thought
- Presentation skills (in a group, individually)
- Stress management / ability to handle ‘spotlight’
- Reaction to contrasting thoughts and opinions
3. Technical Interview:
The Technical interview is an engagement which is domain and role-specific in nature, aimed at checking whether the candidate can be considered a right ‘fit’ for the position that the recruitment exercise is being held for.
While most HR practitioners agree that freshers taken from campus placements may not be absolute role fits, there are certain parameters that should be spot on.
What does the technical interview assess?
- Grasp on domain – programming knowledge, core skills
- Ability to mold to role
- Practical Application of Knowledge to Real world situations
- Clarity in thought and articulation
4. HR Interview:
Nearly there. The HR Interview checks candidates for being organisational fits or not. Apart from classic checks (originality of the candidature), they check for willingness to move for work, any debilitating conditions and behavioral traits to ascertain how good or bad the candidate would be with them.
What does the HR interview check?
- Passion to work for the company and the role
- Skills (Core and Soft Skills)
- Learn ability
- Possible red flags with candidate
Keen on pursuing more material around campus placements? We would encourage you to look into our new section on campus placement tips for the same.
