Wondering why you tanked in your last campus interview? Here’s why…

2 months ago, Kiran was at the tad end of his academic year and would steal a quick glance at his college notice board each time he walked past it. The campus interview dates had been announced in advance, and he had intended to prepare well for it. He kept telling himself, “I’ll need to start soon.” – A thought he subconsciously knew was nothing more than wishful thinking.

Peer pressure disguised as chill

His friends on the other hand seemed to be really casual about the campus placement drive. They sounded like they had it all figured out and that it wasn’t as daunting as it seemed. Their “arre chill yaar, ChatGPT hai na. Hum prepare kar lenge aaraam se,” easily rubbed off on him and it was comforting to think they were right.

Kiran still managed to put in a few hours looking up the most likely questions that will be asked during the campus interviews, how he’ll frame his answers, and also some basic DOs and DON’Ts that he needed to remember. After all, the rest of the subjects took up a lot more of his time and this was the best he could do.

But in the back of his mind, Kiran knew that he hadn’t considered an interview prep routine, there had been no structured practice, no mock interview sessions and absolutely no self-assessment or peer group review whatsoever. He had no idea about his own presentation skills.

The pressure to do well in academics was high already: There were 11 subjects to be studied, 8 projects to be submitted, 29 assignments to be done, 4 lab exams to prepare for, and dreaded vivas to be conquered. There was no way he could set aside more time towards campus interview prep. Right?

Laughed off, left behind

Kiran once tried bringing it up with a group of friends. “Don’t worry, Raju Rastogi,” they had joked.“Teri placement ho jayegi.” A few others had said, “We need good marks first. So let’s pay attention to studies first.” And that ended whatever little aim he had about cracking campus interviews.

So Kiran went about wrapping up his academic year, clearing his exams, and securing good marks in all his subjects. 2 months went by in a jiffy.

Was his preparation really sufficient?

Snap back to present day reality and Kiran is now standing in the college corridor. He has just exited the interview room after the last round of his campus interview, wondering what just transpired between him and his interviewers. He had entered the room confidently, dressed his best, and with a warm smile on his face. He had done fairly well in his exams and was satisfied with how well he had managed his study time. The interview questions weren’t even difficult. The interviewers seemed friendly. He had ample time to prepare. And yet, he had tanked miserably in the campus interview.

How did all that confidence get washed out by cold sweat, fumbling for words, and shaky hands? Why wasn’t he able to speak like he had intended to? What made him become tongue-tied in the interview instead of seamlessly delivering his pitch?

Kiran stood there with heaps of regret. He thought he knew all the answers to all the questions ever asked in campus interviews. He had heard those things several times over from various sources. He had researched well about the interviewing companies and knew how to answer all the technical questions. Then why did he falter? If only he had structured his interview prep. If only he had set a routine, if only he had crafted his pitch and practised it long enough. If only he had a mentor to handhold him through the nuances of corporate communication. If only…

Can you relate?

If you can relate to Kiran’s situation, then you do understand that simply setting aside a few hours for campus placements will not prepare you entirely. It’s not something that can be rote-learned a few days in advance. And it definitely won’t be easy navigating campus placements without a coach who can streamline your interview preparation efforts.

Are you a college student who just tanked a campus placement interview? You can still salvage the situation if you take immediate steps to improve before the next interview lines up. Visit Sell Like Mercury for an array of videos that will give you an advantage over other candidates.

Are you a college student who needs to prepare for campus placement interviews this year? Then don’t wait to plan your pitch and presentation. Get help while the time is still ripe and while you still have several months to prepare. It’s never too late until you realise it.

Unsure where to start? Head over to Sell Like Mercury for upcoming courses designed specifically to help college students make the most of campus placements.