Before I start talking on my preparation, I will talk about a few traits which helps me grow in every aspect of life: openness to learn, open to criticism, to go beyond what is needed, highly optimistic, strong character and personality. The journey began with trying to understand my personal strengths and the advantages I have over the other candidates. With these two aspects I understood how I could differentiate myself and make use of past instances to have the best self-introduction focusing on my skills which will complement the role for which the organisation is hiring. Though the resume for every student is the same the content was tailored in a manner best suited for the job description of the organisation I wanted to get into.

The next step was the pre-placement talk, which was a major driver in preparation as it introduced me to the company culture, their pain areas, their future-plans and what annoys the company officials. The pre-placement talk set the tone for the kind of candidate they were looking for as they had given an idea on the persona of the ideal candidate.

With the self-introduction designed to meet the company needs, I started dissecting the website by understanding the services and products being offered by the organisation. To further assist my overall chances, I started digging deeper by trying to understand the minute components which made up the product. Since the organisation was looking for a candidate with 360 degree business exposure I went a step further by identifying and listing the best suppliers for crucial components which showcased my prowess in procurement. Supply chain and chip shortage was an issue plaguing the organisation and I ended up designing a strategy to tackle the same with assistance from our college faculty.

With the operational challenges and technical side taken care of I started focusing on Macro economics factor as I needed to design a go to market strategy into the continents they wish to expand as trade policies play a major role in market expansion. To further develop the go to market strategy I created a customer persona considering the buying behaviour of individuals belonging to different nations. Next up was suggestions to improve the product line based on research and study of rival organisations as well as alternatives to the services.

Bar preparing on the company it is also important to be in a good mindset as a positive mood will help you stay calm, focused & energetic till the interview is over. Exercises will also help you stay fresh and pumped for the battle ahead.

Please do ask yourself these questions before the interview as it will help you gain confidence:

Who is the buyer and what is the product they are interested in purchasing?
– Buyer – Company; Product – Candidate
Who is most knowledgeable about the candidate?
– The candidate
Who can best represent the product to the buyer (In short who is the best person to sell the candidate)?
– The candidate

SANTOSH NAIR
MANAGEMENT TRAINEE, LIONSBOT
ALUMNUS 2023 BATCH