Conquering Campus Placements: Harshita’s Mentorship Journey

"Final-year placements are super important, and I've been going to on-campus drives, but unfortunately, I was not able to secure any offers. Some companies didn't even shortlist me, and for the ones that did, I couldn't crack the interview rounds. I was not sure what I was missing or where I needed to improve." - Harshita

The final-year placements are like the gateway to your dream career. 

That's exactly where Harshita found herself - eager to kickstart her journey into the industry of her dreams.

But life had some unexpected challenges in store for her. 

Despite attending on-campus drives with enthusiasm, Harshita faced disappointment after disappointment. 😥

No offers were coming her way, and some companies didn't even shortlist her. 

It felt like a never-ending struggle, and she couldn't figure out what was holding her back. Doubts crept in, and her confidence took a hit.

It's tough, isn't it? 

You pour your heart and soul into your studies, hoping to land that perfect job, only to face roadblocks that seem insurmountable. 

But let me tell you, every great success story has its ups and downs, and Harshita's journey was no exception.

That’s when she discovered personalised mentorship. 

It felt like a light at the end of the tunnel, a chance to turn things around.

She improved her interview skills with mentor led preparation and was able to secure a great offer! 🏆

Let's delve into her story.

What is your background?

I have done my B.Tech in Computer Science.

What problems were you facing in the interviews?

Final-year placements are super important, and I had been going to on-campus drives, but unfortunately, I wasn’t able to secure any offers. 

Some companies didn't even shortlist me, and for the ones that did, I couldn't crack the interview rounds. 

I was not sure what I was missing or where I needed to improve.

How did you discover Preplaced and why did you decide to go ahead with it?

I discovered Preplaced through one of my relatives.

Initially, I tried looking for tips on YouTube to help me with the interviews, but those videos couldn't address my specific needs. 

I needed more personalised guidance.

So, they suggested I try mock interviews with experts and recommended Preplaced. 

When I checked out Preplaced, I realised that YouTube tips couldn't replace the value of real interview simulations and mentorship. The idea of getting real-time feedback motivated me to give it a shot. 

With Preplaced, I had the chance to practise with professionals who helped me structure my answers better and improve my communication with recruiters. 

I was hoping this would boost my confidence and land me the job I really wanted.

Can you walk us through your entire mentorship process at Preplaced?

I had two mentors, Tanishq Mittal, SDE-2 at Amazon and Shubham Soni, Frontend Engineer at Amazon.

Both of these mentors played a pivotal role in helping me prepare for my interviews.

During my first session with Tanishq, we focused on understanding my pain points and expectations. 

He assessed my skills and pointed out areas where I needed improvement.

One thing they both noticed was that I had trouble organising my answers and didn't interact much with the recruiters. 

I would stay quiet for too long when working on questions. 

Tanishq stressed the importance of keeping the conversation going during interviews, so the interviewers knew what I was thinking. 

He gave me great tips on how to handle questions when I knew the answer and even when I wasn't sure.

To improve my interviewing skills, I had several one-on-one practice sessions.

These sessions made a huge difference!

What was the duration of your preparation?

I prepared for around 3 months. 

It was a bit challenging to schedule our meet-ups because I had ongoing exams at that time, making it tough to find a suitable time. 

But I'm really grateful for the understanding and flexibility of my mentors who accommodated my busy schedule. 

Their support meant a lot to me, and it made the preparation process smoother.

What were some of the key/eureka moments in your mentorship?

Well, you know, there's a difference between knowing the answer and actually presenting it in interviews. 

Body language plays a huge role in how you come across during those interviews. 

I realised that I tend to be quite reserved and not very interactive during interviews through the mock interviews.

Also, Tanishq gave me three different interview scenarios. 

He helped me understand how to handle each one and how to answer confidently. 

It made a big difference and boosted my confidence in a major way. 

I felt more connected and engaged during interviews, and it showed in my performance.

What was your interview like after taking mentorship?

After receiving mentorship, my interview experience was really positive! 😇

I felt confident in presenting my solutions to the recruiters and had a great interaction with them. 

I had two interviews, and I'm thrilled to share that I received an offer from OpenText, one of the companies I interviewed with!

How were you feeling after the offer?

I felt really happy! 😄

You know, I had been through so many on-campus interviews, but I couldn't crack any of them. 

It was quite disheartening. 

However, this time, mentorship made all the difference!

I finally cracked the interviews, and that made me really happy and relieved

How would you summarise your mentorship journey?

Amazing, Helpful, and Highly Recommended.

What advice would you like to offer to aspiring candidates like you?

First and foremost, identify the reasons why you might be facing difficulties in getting through interviews.

Maybe you need to work on some skills, or you're feeling nervous.

Once you pinpoint the areas that need improvement, you can work on them effectively.

Also, it's normal to find certain skills more challenging to learn than others. 

So, I highly recommend attending mock interviews before going for the actual ones.

These practice sessions can be incredibly helpful in building your confidence and honing your interview skills.

To sum it up

So, there you have it - the incredible journey of Harshita.

We witnessed her facing tough times during her final-year placements, feeling lost and uncertain about her future.

It's something we all can relate to - the fear of not knowing where we stand or what we need to improve.

To all the dream-chasers reading this, remember that you, too, can achieve greatness. 

Take the help of mentors and face your challenges head-on. 💪

Here's to chasing dreams, overcoming obstacles, and finding your own success story, just like Harshitha did.

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