🎓 On-Campus Placements: The Ultimate Survival Guide¶

On-campus placement is often the most straightforward path to securing your first job. Companies visit your college specifically to hire students, meaning you are competing against your peers rather than the entire national talent pool.

🏢 The Recruitment Funnel¶

Most on-campus drives follow a standard 4-step process:

1. PPT (Pre-Placement Talk): The company introduces itself, the role, and the CTC (Cost to Company). Pay attention here—they often drop hints about what they value!
2. Online Assessment (OA): The filtering round. Usually consists of:
   • Aptitude: Core logic, math, and verbal ability.
   • Technical MCQs: CS fundamentals (OS, DBMS, Networking).
   • Coding: 1-3 problems of varying difficulty (DSA).
3. Technical Interview(s): Deep dive into your projects, DSA, and technical knowledge.
4. HR Interview: Assessment of your cultural fit, communication, and long-term goals.

🔥 Key Strategies for Success¶

1. Master the Aptitude Early¶

Don't wait until the company arrives. Spend 30 minutes daily on sites like IndiaBix or GeeksforGeeks to sharpen your logical and quantitative skills. Many students fail here despite being great coders.

2. The "Resume-First" Approach¶

Your resume is your gatekeeper. For a deep-dive on structure and ATS optimization, check out our Resume Building Guide. * Keep it to 1 page. * Impact over responsibilities: Instead of "Worked on a React app," write "Built a React-based dashboard that improved data visualization speed by 40%." * Standard templates: Use Overleaf (LaTeX) or clean Google Docs templates.

3. The Power of Mock Interviews¶

Practice speaking your thoughts out loud. Use platforms like Pramp or simply grab a friend. Explaining a solution is as important as finding it.

⚠️ Common Pitfalls to Avoid¶

• Neglecting Fundamentals: Companies love asking about Indexing in DBMS or Paging in OS. Don't just focus on coding.
• Lying on the Resume: If you don't know a technology, don't list it. Interviewers can smell a bluff from a mile away.
• Poor Communication: Even if you are a 5-star coder, if you can't explain your logic, you're unlikely to get hired in a team-centric role.

[!TIP] Pro Tip: Always have 2-3 thoughtful questions ready for the interviewer when they ask, "Do you have any questions for us?" It shows genuine interest.

📅 Timeline Guide¶