How to crack placements while at business school

Getting campus placements while at business school can be a competitive, challenging and anxious process. But with the right preparation, approach and positive mindset you can enhance your success rate. Here are a few guidelines to help you in the campus placement process.

1. Start early
Always start early for your placement preparations; take those mock group discussions and PI training sessions seriously. Do not place the training sessions in the “not important” category; instead, label them “high importance”.

2. Build a strong and compelling résumé
Highlight your academic achievements, internships, projects, extracurricular activities, leadership roles, any competitions won and any other achievements or activities in a concise manner.

However, do not clutter your résumé with activities or projects that aren’t that relevant to the job or internship you are applying for. Tailor your résumé to keep it aligned with the job requirements.

Look at your CV from a third person’s perspective, and check that it makes sense to someone who might not know you.

3. Self-assessment
Be aware of your strengths, weaknesses and long-term career goals. Self-assessment will help you to narrow down which job profiles and roles are best suitable for you.

4. Don’t be rigid
Be flexible in your approach and the roles you apply for. Always have plan B if plan A doesn’t work out well. Consider different job roles, locations and industries if the situation demands.

5. Power of people
Do not underestimate power of networking events, guest speaker sessions at your university and careers fairs. Each person you speak to can take you one step closer to your career goals. Take that one step by attending various networking events.

6. Research companies
Always research the hiring organisation, leadership teams, market share and product/service range of the company you are applying to. Familiarise yourself with the company’s vision, mission and value statement. See if it has featured in the news recently. This information gathering will always take you one step closer to your dream job.

7. Develop your skill set
Enhance your skills in areas such as problem-solving, decision-making, public speaking and communication. My piece of advice here is to make the most of various clubs and committees in your college that that might help you develop these skill sets, such as quiz teams or student government groups.

8. Maintain a strong CGPA
While CGPA (cumulative grade point average) is not the only criterion, it’s an important factor in many placements. Strive to maintain a strong academic record. Many recruiting organisations use CGPA as filtering criteria, so try to maintain that in the first place.

9. Use campus resources
Make the most of your business school’s career services office. They can provide valuable guidance, job listings and access to company recruiters.

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10. Body language
Always attend an interview with a positive body language, and try not to get nervous if you can’t contribute or articulate your thoughts properly during the interview process.

Take a deep breath instead, and ask the interviewer to repeat the question while you think and compose your reply.

Approach the interview with a positive attitude and confidence.

11. Be persistent
Understand that not every attempt will be successful. Persist and keep improving. Keep realistic expectations because not everyone is expected to land a job at Google, Microsoft or Apple. Do not feel dejected if you aren’t successful in your first interviews, and try to move on to the next one.

12. Learn from rejections
Rejections are part of life, and placements and job interviews are no exception to this rule. Always use rejections from job interview as a learning experience, stay motivated, stay resilient and keep pushing forward. Ask for feedback from the interviewer on what you could improve on, and take that into your next interview.

13. Time management
Always manage your time effectively, and try to balance your studies, job search and extracurricular activities. Use tools such as calendars, daily planners and timetables to ensure that you’re always on top of your schedule.

14. Negotiation
Do not be afraid to negotiate on certain aspects of the role that matter to you, such as compensation, but do ensure that your requirements are not too rigid and that you can be flexible in some aspects.

15. Mental and physical health
Take care of your mental and physical well-being. A healthy lifestyle will help you perform at your best during interviews. Do not underestimate the power of good sleep, diet, exercise and positive thoughts. This will help you to keep your calm during the toughest days of campus placement.

Remember that success in any campus placement requires dedication, hard work and persistent efforts. Keep your long-term career goals in mind, and use your time at business school to build a strong foundation for your professional journey. Business school campus placements are not just about getting a job but finding the right fit for your long-term career goals. Tailor your approach to your specific goals and the opportunities available to you.