Interview Tips: Top Interview Tips for College Grads

Every year, lakhs of fresh graduates join the workforce. While a handful few freshers take time off to relax, travel and reflect on their academic accomplishments, majority of these youngsters hit the ground immediately. This is due to the fever of first post-college job search, which sets in not after but during the final year of graduation in India. Luckily, some fresh jobseekers crack their placement interviews successfully in a go.

Receiving an invitation to attend a placement interview drive is exciting in itself. For any fresh jobseeker, the moment this excitement wears off, interview jitters start setting in. After all, there is a lot to do while preparing for an entry-level job interview. Despite the lack of experience, freshers can actually beat ‘interview anxiety’ with the right preparation strategy in place. Here are some top interview tips for college grads to ace their campus placement drives like a boss.

1.      Research about the company

 
After polishing and submitting a resume, the first post-college interview invitation has finally arrived. Threat it as a golden opportunity to start a career and its enough reason to celebrate! But the work has just begun. Conduct research on the company, what industry it is in and its founders. Figure out if it is a publicly traded or privately held firm. Check out the website and also read employee reviews published on associated websites. The idea is to show up for the interview with basic information about the company and appear well prepared.

2.      Practice Answers to Common HR Interview Questions

 
Confidence comes from experience, and experience comes from practice! Practice makes every interviewee perfect and the more one practices answers aloud, the more confident he or she sounds. It’s that simple. As a fresher, try to practice answers to commonly asked HR interview questions and answers. Learning common questions beforehand will help in presenting better answers quickly as one wouldn’t have to think much. Practice questions like ‘Tell me about yourself’, ‘What are your salary expectations’, ‘Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ and ‘Why should we hire you?’. Afterall, sounding convincing at all times will fetch bonus points for sure.

3.      Appear confident at all times

 
No what a resume looks like or what the CGPA is, if an interviewee does not interview successfully, they will not get the job. A key insight to a successful interview and an assured job offer is confidence. In order to appear confident, show enthusiasm. It is an open secret that hiring managers prefer confident candidates over the rest. In order to do so, keep steady eye contact while listening and while speaking. Maintain a power stance by sitting in an open position.

4.      Understand the Level of Formality

 
During the research, this company might seem like a cool place to work in. Even then, be formal during the interview. Keep all mobile phones on silent mode and stay engaged through the interview process. If the interviewer is from a different generation, avoid slang terms, sarcastic humor, or informal ways of speaking. Address the interview as Mr. X or Ms. X. The idea is to maintain a professional decorum while conversing with the interviewer.

5.      Ask questions to the interviewer

Preparing answers to commonly asked interview questions is highly advisable. In addition to that, prepare a handful few interview questions to ask the interviewer. Ask open-ended questions like “What are the biggest challenges in this job role?” or “What would success in this role look like?” Asking questions to demonstrate interest in company plans and challenges are always a plus. Such questions display a fresher’s interest in day-to-day realities and responsibilities.

Hence, every fresher has potential, and they have already worked hard through college. So, one mustn’t let lack of preparation stand in the way of a first career. Researching first interview tips will surely help college grads ace in today’s competitive fresher job market. The aforementioned tips will act as guiding lights in the sea to help fresh jobseekers ace their next placement interview. These tried and tested strategies will also ensure smooth sailing from college to first job. Do remember that missing some interviews and job offers is definitely not the end of the world! Keep coming back to Firstnaukri.com to access a sea of job openings for freshers. All the best.

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