When it comes to preparation, practising the regular interview questions or reading for Group discussion is just the tip of the iceberg. The preparation has to be much more comprehensive than that, after all, you only get placed once. This article is an attempt to highlight ways of doing the same.
Research yourself: Very few people know who they really are, and even fewer know that their personality holds the key to a prosperous and satisfying career. A simple personality test can give you a freakishly accurate description of who you are and why you do things the way you do. It not only lists out the strengths and weaknesses but can also help in understanding a person's core values, likes, dislikes, friendships, workplace habits, all of which are essential for appropriate career planning. Some of the popular personality tests include
Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and
Holland Occupational Themes (RIASEC).
Research the job: Recruitment (for an employer) and Placement (for a student) is just the start of what could possibly be a very rewarding or a bitter experience for both the parties few years down the line. It is always about finding the right match from a recruiters perspective, and even more so important for a candidate to land up in the right place. Irrespective of the specialization you decide to pursue during your MBA course, it is important to research the job well before you decide to apply. You need clarity of thought before you sit for it, which will be reflected at one or another stage of the selection process. You should know about the profile offered, role and responsibilities, the requirement in terms of skills and abilities. To properly understanding a job description, spot the keywords (such as SAP, CRM, R, Python), take help from google (simply search the profile), reach out to an alumni (they are the most authentic source for this kind of information), and finally map your strengths and skills in order to make an informed decision.
Research the company: This is more of a hygiene factor. Every interviewer expects that the candidate should have basic knowledge about the company, which generally includes its business model, size in terms of sales or operation, domains in which company operates, products & services, geographical presence, any significant recent news.
(The question could be as peculiar as, Have you ever seen our company's balance sheet, what are your observations? Well! This was for a finance profile.)
Research the industry: In a true sense, a candidate is suitable to work in at most 5-6 industries. This stems out from an aggregation of his prior work experience, internship, any significant research project, and subject specialization during MBA. After you have done a good homework to find out what those industries are in your case, the next step is to do an industry analysis. If company analysis in the previous step was a hygiene factor, the industry analysis could well be a potential differentiator. You can show the interviewer that you are serious about the job, and have a good understanding of the industry dynamics. Industry analysis generally includes the market size, growth rates, major players, porters five forces analysis, trend analysis (past and future), issues and challenges facing the industry.
(Be proactive, and start researching, as soon as the company is announced to visit for campus placement.)
Below are some of the useful links to assist you with the preparations:
Job profiles after MBA in Marketing
Industry Analysis
The above steps are to help you prepare comprehensively, and thereby increase your chances significantly. The setup and placement process may vary across colleges (Tier I, II, III, etc.), however, the basics remain the same.
Hope this article helps you in your attempts to secure a good placement. Best Wishes!