Jobhunting Experience

It's easy for Jobhunters to get depressed during their Jobsearch.

The steady stream of rejection letters from prospective Employers leaves Jobhunters with the feeling that we are worthless. In economic terms, your net worth is your assets minus your liabilities. This tidy sum never reflects your intrinsic worth as a friend or human being.

The same thing happens during the process of selling yourself to Hiring Managers - it feels like you have no value because no one's buying at the moment. But you are more than a commodity in the Labour market, and it is necessary to focus on the many skills you have to offer Employers in addition to the hundreds of good qualities you have that make you a valuable person.

My experience with Jobhunting is not that great but I would like to share it with all of you out there.

The first company which I attended was NSE IT (National Stock Exchange IT) which is in Bandra Kurla Complex. This was an On-Campus placement from my college DMCOE. I was eligible to sit in the Aptitude test and myself with 2 other students from Computer branch were selected for next round which was Technical Interview. I was very confident of getting through the test because all the Aptitude questions were asked from a book called R. S. Agarwal and had prepared that book before appearing that test fortunately. Regarding technical test it was not that tough. Than came the most important phase, that is Interview. Firstly they asked about myself and about my ongoing final year project. I said everything which was relevant according to me. Then they asked me about some technical questions. Everything was going well unless I made a mess. I answered a question that "I knew the answer but I am not able to recollect it now.". The Interviewer was smart enough to question me next about the topic which was the answer of previous question which I messed. And this point was enough for them to discard me from the next round of interview which is basically HR interview.

From this I learnt that how important is Interview and also the preparation which should be done thoroughly. Jobs are won or lost at the gut level, during the Interview.
Its face to face contact that really matters to recuiters, hiring managers and employers. Employers won't be "wowed" by the mere fact that you found them on the web. What will impress them is your effort to gain knowledge about the industry they are in, their relative place in that industry and the position itself. So, half of your time Jobhunting should be devoted to researching and practising you face to face interview style.

Not getting interviewed is depressing, but even more depressing is getting rejected frequently at the interview stage. This is where lack of research really shows. And I came to know about this fact when I was not able to qualify the aptitude test itself for Cape and Gemini which was also an On-Campus placement. The reasons were lack of preparation and also we were having Preliminary exams at that time, so I didn't paid much attention to it.

The final year exams were finished and I was still doing Jobhunting. I applied in Amdocs which was new in India. I got the call for Aptitude and Technical tests. The test was for a long duration, but this time I had prepared myself from the day when my final year exams were finished which helped me a lot feeling better about myself. I got a call for clearing the tests and they gave me the dates of Interview too. This time I didn't missed the oppurtunity to research about the industry in which I am going to be interviewed.

My interview went for one long hour and initially they stressed on my final year project. They actually wanted to know whether I knew every aspect of my project or not. So, always prepare yourself thoroughly according to your project. They also asked many technical questions which were not that tough...basically on C, C++, SQL,... which is commonly asked in all industry. So, prepare well in these sections. Don't leave a single simple fact because you get only one chance. Then they asked about myself...in all the trick is in getting the Hiring Manager how your values will fit into their company in a way that is mutually beneficial.

The Interiew was over but I was not that confident that I would be selected. After a week I got a call that I have been selected. My joy was beyond imagination. Mean while in between Amdocs selection procedure I also got the oppurtunity to sit into the Aptitude test of MBT (Mahindra British Telecom). This was the first Aptitude test which were having negative marks. The best approach to this type of test is to attempt only those questions which you are sure that you know the answer. Don't ever try to answer those questions which you know 50-50. Let it be that you attempt less but those will be correct and your score will be higher than others definitely and you will qualify. Because in such tests most of the candidates do not qualify because of many attempts which goes wrong and in other case the time limit is also less so you won't be able to attempt full also. So, attempt only those whose answer you know accurately.

I was selected for the Interview stage for MBT though my score was less and you know why. By the time Interview date came I got selected in Amdocs. So, my enthusiasm for this company was lost because package of Amdocs was much better than MBT. So, I was not selected in MBT, though I went for the interview for an experience. But, MBT more emphasizes on personality, the way you talk, are you aware of current affairs, the way you dress, etc...So, prepare yourself accordingly.

In the end, I would like to recommend list of same basics:
1. Pratice Makes Perfect
Spend some time before your interview reviewing possible questions with a friend. You will be more confident of your answers.
2. Dress for Success
Be conservative. Dress for interview, not the job. Remember, you only get one chance to make a good first impression.
3. Prep
Be well rested and comfortable before you go to interview. Eat a good meal.
4. Be Confident
When the interviewer tells you about the position, relate your skills and experience to thier needs. Let them know that you can do this job.

That's all from my side. Hope this will help you to some extent.
Good Luck!!! The more you interview, the better you get.