There are several things to consider when preparing for placements interviews. This article has been broken into sections for ease of reading and comprehension.

There is a lot of ambiguity and misunderstanding regarding the placement preparation curriculum among sophomore and junior college students. They are short on placement assets, which causes anxiety and stress. If you're one of them and want to make sure you're prepared for your placement, this post is for you.

This blog is especially for IT students who are pursuing B.Tech in CSE OR IT or students pursuing BCA/MCA and etc…

INTRODUCTION

Before you begin your preparation, you must know the answers to these questions:

1. Which industries and what kind of companies are you looking for?
2. What are the eligibility criteria?
3. What are the stages of the recruitment process?
4. What should you study in order to ace the test and future rounds of interviews?

Because you are a complete novice on this path with no prior instruction, we are attempting to address the above concerns in the next sections, covering all of the details.

Courses that must be completed for any college placement-

• Programming / Competitive programming.
• Algorithms and Data Structures.
• Academics (OS/DBMS/CN).
• System Design/Open-ended problems.
• Puzzles.
• MCQs based on Programming/Academics.
• Aptitude/Logical Reasoning/Data Interpretation.

To crush your interview and get the job, you need to:

• Understand what you need to know
• Do desk research to get informed
• Interview people who’ve done and hired the role you want
• Learn and demonstrate the skills you need to get hired
• Practice the art of interviewing
• Nail your interview logistics

Tips and things to keep in mind:-

• Maintain a decent CGPA
• Before attempting to answer the question, be sure you understand it completely.
• Don't try to be a smartass in front of the interviewer. Don't try to get away by giving a wrong answer.
• Interviewers aren't your adversaries; they're not here to turn you down.
• Never leap to the best/most efficient answer to an issue right away.
• Code your answer on paper from time to time when developing Algorithms & Data Structures. A well-coded solution is always advantageous.
• Begin studying Interview Experiences on GeeksforGeeks as placement season approaches (about 2 months before start).
• Thorough your resume as detailed as possible. — Examine the work you've completed.
• Never fake your resume.

But first, here's a rundown of the full procedure of recruitment process of few companies:-

Now, Let's discuss the above-mentioned steps in detail:

1) Programming / Competitive Programming:-

-> If you're a beginner, sites like HackerRank or GeeksForGeeks are good places to start. Here, you should strive to solve as many problems as possible at an elementary and basic level so that you can gain a strong understanding of coding and acquire confidence.

-> If you are a strong programmer, you should use services like Code Chef or Code Force to prepare. There are no tricks available here, therefore you'll need to put in a lot of practice time completing all types of tasks to solidify your understanding.

You can start your journey into the realm of Competitive Programming in a variety of ways using these websites:-

• CareerCup
• CodeChef
• CodeForces
• HackerRank
• HackerEarth
• InterviewBit
• LeetCode
• SPOJ
• Topcoder

Let's get competitive in the programming journey!! Participate in CodeChef competitions, Leetcode weekly challenges, and other similar events. You can also include your coding profile on your resumes if you receive a decent rating. Participate in code hackathons on sites like HackerEarth, Hackerrank, and Dare2Compete. It'll be an excellent addition to your list of accomplishments!

2) Algorithm and Data Structures:- Data Structures and Algorithms are the foundation of all computer programming, thus you should be well-versed in them. These are the two most crucial topics to study for any job interview.

Overall important DSA topics are-

• Stacks, Queues, Linked Lists
• Tree- Traversals, Binary Tree, all related algorithms
• Graph- Traversals, algorithms
• Sorting- Bubble, Selection, Merge, Insertion, Quick
• Searching- Linear, Binary (ordered, unordered)
• Time and space complexity- Big O Notation
• Recursion, Backtracking
• Dynamic programming

3) Academics (OS/DBMS):-

Operating System: This is a fundamental subject that must be studied since it elucidates how a program connects with the system and how things function in the processing stage between input and output.

Database Management System (DBMS): In today's world, data is always flowing. Its storage and organizing efficiency is critical. This is when knowing how to use a database management system comes in handy. As a result, assessing a candidate's DBMS skills becomes critical during a technical interview.

These topics' queries will not only be theoretical but will also cover practical applications. In contrast, they will place a greater emphasis on the practical side of things.

You may be questioned what multi-threading is, but the question is more likely to be reframed to determine how thoroughly you have examined it, as follows: Is it possible for two processes/threads to share one address space? or, what do two processes or threads have in common?

4) System Design/Open-ended problems:-

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to open-ended challenges. In most cases, the interviewee and the interviewer work together to solve such issues. What exactly do I mean? The applicant explains his strategy and how he arrived at it, and the interviewers point out potential flaws and optimizations in the candidate's approach, which the candidate then tries to incorporate to come up with a better answer. The solution to such difficulties is an iterative process that requires clarity of thought. Passing this round necessitates the capacity to communicate your thoughts.

Few points to remember-

• Assemble the necessary requirements (what all features do the interviewer wants in his system).
• Begin with a high-level or class-level design. (Make a list of all the classes your system will contain.)
• Then, precisely, design the components you've chosen.
• Identify bottlenecks and work to eliminate them.
• Use as many Block Diagrams and Flow Charts as possible to represent your strategy; not only will this help you think more clearly, but it will also assist the agreed to take part you better.

6) Puzzles:- In most interviews, you'll be asked to solve a puzzle or two to test your logical reasoning skills. Bowing to stress, it is now very likely that one will be unable to solve a new puzzle in an interview. However, the goal of puzzles is to see how the applicant thinks about, begins, and attempts to solve the challenge. It is not necessary to always give the exact/correct answer, but it is necessary to have a consistent mental process.

7) MCQs based on Programming/Academics:-

MCQs from CS courses areas such as Fundamentals of Programming, Data Structures, Algorithms, Data Base Management System, Operating Systems, and Computer Networks are included in this round.

MCQs based on programming: This part includes tasks such as finding the output, locating the error in the code snippet, finding the execution order, and so on. The code snippet is usually written in the C programming language. So, regardless of which programming language you use, you'll need to know a little C to get this section right.

8) Aptitude/Logical Reasoning/Data Interpretation:-

Aptitude tests are used as a screening tool in most recruitment processes to identify individuals who are qualified to participate in the technical interview round. Aptitude examinations are commonly administered online in today's world. In an online mode, this necessitates an even better approach and practice.

Here are some pointers for passing an aptitude test:

• First, take the English component of the test. It allows you to get more points in less time.
• Practice as many previous year's aptitude exams as possible for the company you're applying for.
• It's also a good idea to practice in an online setting.
• Learn how to complete complex calculations in less time by using mathematical methods.
• It is critical to practice Computer Science disciplines.

Build Projects

Your projects are another essential factor that will impact your success in campus placements. In the final rounds of your technical interview, you will always have an in-depth discussion of your projects.

Interviewers typically ask questions based on projects, internships, and publications. However, if there is a unique round on resumes, they may inquire about a specific talent listed on your CV or questions pertaining to courses you have stated. If you mention that you utilized a particular framework or language someplace, you might expect an inquiry about it.

How to apply for off-campus placements?

• Keep your LinkedIn profile up to date. With a few Google searches, you'll be able to create the perfect profile. Your LinkedIn profile reflects all of your accomplishments, education, interests, and objectives, among other things.
• You must have an outstanding résumé. Remember that hundreds, if not thousands, of people may be applying for the same job. As a result, having a flawless resume is essential. This is why I recommended using LaTeX to design your CV; it provides you an advantage over the competition.
• Generate a checklist of all the companies you'd like to contact. Do not be afraid to apply to the so-called "big guns." Because your chances of receiving a response are minimal owing to a variety of circumstances (companies receive hundreds or thousands of applications), make sure you apply to as many organizations as possible.
• Use LinkedIn to look up the profiles of their respective recruiters. This is a simple task. LinkedIn allows you to search for people based on their profession and company. Make use of it. You can also conduct a Google search.
• These companies' recruitment email addresses can be found here. This can be seen on their website. Send your résumé to both the recruiter and the careers email address. Write a nice and straightforward message that expresses your intention.

Happy Interviewing!!

Dream big and all the best!