Lessons From My Placement Journey: Do’s and Don’ts
A combination of groundwork, temper, and relentless pursuit is the recipe for landing a job. Upon graduation, I commenced my job search with a lot of enthusiasm; however, things took a different turn than what I had imagined. Things haven’t been easy, but from my difficult journey, I hope that you may be able to follow the strategies that I found effective and learned from the challenges that I went through.
I am pleased to share a compilation which is a blend of compact tips based on my practices which I hope will add value to your search.
? DO's
1. BE AHEAD OF ALL
The start of every new experience or step comes with nerves running wild. Be prepared at least 3 to 6 months ahead of time before placement season starts. It is essential to work on your exercises and have a well set-out schedule along with ample cv aid. One reason why I struggled was time mismanagement. It’s never too late to practice interviews and polish your skills, create your cv, etc.
Pro tip: Seek out a college prep group or placement club. They go a long way in keeping you prepped up.
2. AVOID SENDING THE SAME CV
The tailored approach always works, therefore I recommend preparing a separate tailored CV for each job. No one goes to different dinner parties clad in the same attire, so why should resumes be any different? Find a way to stick out from the rest. The replenishing tasks are limited to focus your resume on skills and projects directly related to the target role.
3. HAVE MOCK INTERVIEWS SESSIONS
I did not believe how stressful an interview could be. Practicing with friends or even in front of a mirror helped me maintain my confidence and calm demeanour.
It helps to record yourself and critique your answers to questions such as ‘Tell me about yourself.’
4. BASIC SKILLS GIVE YOU THE ABILITY TO LEARN WITHOUT TRAINING AND USE LOGICAL REASONING
Even companies in design fields have a use for aptitude tests as a filtering system. Make sure you keep up with this — I did, and it saved me!
Helpful sites include YouTube, IndiaBix, and PrepInsta.
5. FOLLOWING UP THE MEETING/INTERVIEW
If you think the interview went well, feel free to follow up with a polite email. It displays professionalism and interest on your part.
? DON’Ts
1. COMPARING YOUR JOURNEY WITH OTHERS
Easier said than done. The harsh reality is that comparison has its ups and down, especially when it comes to friends getting employment and you’re still searching. But, in the grand scheme of things, focus on where you are in your life, not the hurdles.
2. FALSIFYING YOUR RESUME
The chances that any of your documents will hold truth are very slim. Falsifying documents is risky, especially when one round of technical questioning could ruin your chances or reputation.3. Overconfidence Isn’t Always Good
Sometimes, overconfidence leads to negative outcomes. The worst case of this for me was showing up to an interview thinking that I was prepared for everything. Behavioural questions were ask and I failed.
As always, make sure to stay humble and hungry to prepare for every round.
4. IGNORING SOFT SKILLS
Not only technological facets, but domain knowledge is important as well. HR has a different view and soft skills like communication, teamwork, and attitude also become critical as the rounds go.
5. NEVER GIVE UP
I myself went through 7 rejections before managing to get my first offer. While it was truly difficult to get through emotionally, these rejections gave me better improve my skills. The best thing to do is to keep learning, applying, and showing up.
CONCLUSION
Finding placement is a journey and the focus isn’t in just landing the job. Instead learning the proper methods to market yourself, adjust, and improve is crucial. Everyone makes errors and it’s fine. What is important is to learn from the mistakes.
Do keep in mind that staying focused, real, and as the best version of yourself will ensure every ‘no’ pushes you closer to the ‘yes’ you’ve been truly seeking.