Interview Preparation Guidelines for Freshers

Some resume writing tips

• The first important thing is your resume should not have any grammatical or spelling mistakes. We see many resumes without any proper alignment of the text. Use a good font and size.
  
• For a fresher it is always must to mention their percentages in the resume. Some people mention only for their highest degree and not for all. This is not acceptable in most of the companies. Try to keep your highest degree as the first in the table.
  
• Your e-mail and phone number should be visible at first sight. Please do not expect HR to search and find your mail-id in the resume. Some people keep their mail-id in the header of the doc. Try to avoid this practice. Double check your mail-id and phone number before sending your resume.
  
• Save the mail in your sent items whenever you apply to a company.
  
• Do not apply to multiple companies in one mail. If you cannot avoid it at least use "BCC" instead of "To"
  
• Do not keep your passport number in the resume, nobody will ask for that.
  
• Do not keep more than three pages in your resume.
  
• Make sure that your resume contains at least two very good projects but do not keep more than three. Generally two are enough. The more the projects you keep the more the questions you face.
  

Preparation

You must be familiar with C, C++ and basic JAVA concepts

Following is the descending order of number questions from each subject interviewer will ask.

• Data Structures (Very important) - Try to exercise simple programs on all types of data structures
  
• Operating systems - Should be familiar with all basic concepts and definitions, try to learn some OS algorithms
  
• Computer Networks (TCP/IP, ISO-OSI, Congestion, etc...)


• DBMS (Basic definitions, Normalization with examples)

Software Engineering (s/w paradigms, types of testing and its definition and SDLC)

Apart from the above you should exercise RS Agarwal Objective Aptitude, Sukunthala Devi Puzzles and some math and English in old GRE book.

For a fresher no one will ask for J2EE, .NET and some other software in the market. Once you are selected they will train you according to their requirement. Please remove it from your resume unless if you get a call based on those software.

Interview

The most important thing is CONFIDENCE. Just attend the interview that you will get the job.

• Be clear in your answers

• Ask twice if you are unable to understand the question

• Use paper if you are unable to explain. It is always easy explaining using a paper
  If you do not know something, say frankly. But the answer should not be "NO" to basic questions.
  
• Try to know about the company before attending the interview.
  
• If a company is working on networking concentrate more on Computer networks and Data structures. You should plan your preparation according to the area of working.
  
• You should be very familiar with your projects. Please do not keep some application projects in your resume if you are an engineer. This is ok for MCAs.
  
• Please keep in mind that interviewer does not know anything about your projects, he will ask questions only from your explanation. Be well prepared about your projects.
  
• I have personally seen many resumes got rejected in my company even after they cleared the written test because of bad resume and projects.

• For management and HR rounds you should expose yourself that taking you into their company will be a big asset to them

• Try to know about the company history, their area of working, no.of people, number of countries they work, CEO of the company and etc... Everything is available in their web site.
  
  
  
  Do not keep hopes on trying on a fake experience; many companies started doing background verification...
  
  You can work hard if you can just imagine software life, money and comforts you are going to get...Interviews are always simple it just depends on how confident you are...
  
  BE CONFIDENT and TOMORROW WILL BE YOURS
  

Interview Etiquette

First impressions can make or break an interview. Your clothes, hairstyle, gestures, and anything else an interviewer sees before you open your mouth make your first impression. Some estimates are that the first 30 seconds determine success or failure. Recruiters do not expect you to have a large career wardrobe. Buy a suit that looks good, fits well, is made well, and that will not bore you if you wear it every day for a week during recruiting season. However, there is more to "suiting up" for an interview than just wearing a suit.

Your Hair:

A hairstyle that looks great with "college casual" may not work with a suit. Trim those ragged edges! Tame those tresses! Get that hair out of your eyes and off your collar! Women: if you need a big barrette for a pulled-back style, chose a simple one. Men: melt down those spikes!

Your Shoes:

Shine 'em! Men: if you are buying a new pair, wing tips with laces are more professional than slip-ons or loafers. Women: If you are not accustomed to walking in heels, scuff the soles with an emery board so that you do not slip. Then, wear your sneakers to class and change right before the interview.

Your Fragrance:

Wearing any type of fragrance to an interview is not recommended. However, if you insist on being aromatic, do not wallow in it! Too many people are both allergic to or turned off by one scent or another, and your interviewer is sure to be one of those people.

Your Accessories:

Nothing that jangles, clangs, dazzles, shimmers, or attracts more attention than you do.

Your Glasses:

Eye contact is important during an interview, so make sure your glasses are clean.

Your Pen:

Buy a fresh new pen for the interview. A nice pen will make a better impression than your chewed up BIC.

Should a man wear an earring?

Perhaps. But if you do, understand that most recruiters will think that an earring does not fit the company's image. You will have to be a very dynamic candidate to get past the "earring thing". It is probably best to interview without it.

Should a woman wear her engagement ring?

Sure. Questions about a candidate's marital status are almost certainly illegal. If the subject comes up, you can get the interview back on course by asking if marital status is one of the qualifications for the job. However if you do not want your wedding ring to be an issue at all, leave it at home.

So start dressing......up for the interview..... :-)