IIT-M Students experience

1. Tell me about yourself??

  1. Work & Study:                                                         
  2. Leisure & Home Activities
  3. Strengths

I am from Guj.. bus.. family… ……Coonoor….Schooling..topper….one of the first ones to get  In iit.. 3rd in class…major and minor courses…Internships… project… AAS.. Cordships

Hobbies…

Strengths.

 I am from a Gujarati Business Family. I did my schooling in a small place Coonoor, which is close to Ooty. I was always a topper at school. I was one of the first persons to make it to the IIT from Coonoor.

  At IIT my major is Civil Engineering and minor is Financial Management. I am 3rd in my class. My Final year project involves demand modeling of vehicles. I am currently the Institute Alumni Affairs Secretary. I have also organized many events at Shaastra the technical festival of IIT. I was the publicity co-ordinator, lectures co-ordinator, demonstrations co-ordinator. I have done my internships with PricewaterhouseCoopers Business Solutions Group and J.Walter Thompson a world class marketing firm.

     My hobbies are trekking, designing advertisement collaterals, taking long walks and listening to music.

     My strengths are strong analytical skills, also capability to work hard, consistency and enthusiasm. Strive for the best, never give up, communication with different kinds of people, and plan things well.

STRENGTHS:

                      I have strong analytical skills which have been reinforced with my education at IIT, I stand 3rd in class. I have strong people skills, I have interacted with top people like Mahesh murthy, hafeez contractor during lec-dems, interacted with alumni, also approached jwt and pwc for internships without any external help. If I want something I just get it.. I wanted to pursue internships at jwt and pwc for which I approached myself without any help. Creative and innovative – I worked for the publicity of our technical festival. Having stayed in a lot of places like Coonoor, Ahmednagar and Chennai I can adapt to situations. Having been secretary and co-ordinator I believe I can work in teams and can get along with people. I have good planning and organizational skills. And most importantly I have a never say die attitude… I being one of the first to make it to the iit from Coonoor.

                                               

2. What r your future plans?? Apping??

What are my long term goals or my future plans?

My long term goals are:

Use my skills and strengths to solve practical problems.

I know what my strengths are, they are:

When compared to all people (not necessarily IITians) : Analytical Skills

Also capability to work hard, consistency and enthusiasm.

Strive for the best, never give up, communication with different kinds of people, plan things well.

Weakness:

Want everything that too to perfection.

Don't let go of things easily.

Quite a senti person, sometimes go out of the way to help a person.

How I plan to achieve these:

I look at the BA programme as a practical management programme where I would be working on practical problems and the best part is that I would be paid for it. So it is a paid management training programme.

Work in a consultancy company where I would be working on problems from diverse areas so that I figure out what I really want to do. But the basic idea still would remain the same i.e. to use my skills to solve practical problems. Once I have figured out what I want to do I would like to pursue higher studies, specializing in that area. Later I would like to become a specialist in that area, something like if anybody has a problem in that area the first that comes to their mind is me.

If I don't end up getting a job in a consultancy firm I would try my best to get into IIM and do well in my first year so that by the end of the 1st year I get a fair idea of what area interests me. I would still like to become a specialist but I think this would happen only when I join an organization.

If even these don't work out then I would do my MS. in transportation eng. with focus on demand modeling. This is what interests me as of now. My B.Tech project is on similar lines.

I believe that working at Cap-One will give me a deep understanding on how business works as it will give me an exposure to finance, marketing as well as operations. It will ..perspectives…

With the diversity of people that Cap-One possesses I believe that I will learn a lot from interacting with all the people.

  At Cap-One my objective is to sell financial services. Since I am selling I am directly involved in marketing. Since I am selling financial services I need to understand finance and operations.

What is your greatest weakness?

Why do you want to work in Cap One?

I believe that it offers me a corporate wide casual atmosphere allows me to focus on how to do a better job than how to beat the deadlines. Cap-One will give me an opppurtnity to vb independent and creative in my work.providin me an instant feedback and personal satisfaction that I have accomplished something.It also gives me an oppurtunity to develop and utilize a great balance of technical, analytical and interpersonal skills.
 
What is the one thing that strikes you abt Cap One?

Cap-One has used technology and information to its advantage and in the process has tailor-made products for its customers. Thus Cap-One has helped customers to use their money more efficiently thus adding value and in turn has grown its business at a breathtaking pace.

 
Its ability to rise within a short time from a local bank card user to one of the top most credit card Providers in the USA. I think that demonstrates a fast pacin entreneurial environment which I am interested in.

What do you know about CAP ONE?

•Capital One®, established in 1995, quickly rose from a local bank card issuer to the top of the U.S. credit card industry

•Current global customer base of 47.4 million and managed loans totaling $59.7 billion.

•Prime position to lead the financial services marketplace through this century.

•Technology for customer acquisition and customer retention.

•Through our proprietary Information-Based Strategy (IBS), we tailor our products to the individual needs of each customer and then service their accounts efficiently.

•We continue to find ways to apply our innovative IBS to capitalize on promising markets, including auto finance and patient financing.

Capital One® Financial Corporation is a publicly held holding company based in McLean, Virginia. Its principal subsidiaries, Capital One Bank and Capital One, F.S.B., offer consumer lending products and are among the largest providers of MasterCard and Visa credit cards in the world.
 
What does your job require you to do?

Conducting research and performing basic analysis of products & business lines.

 Performing ad hoc analysis of business situations, issues and problems.

 Analyzing marketing channels and exploring new business opportunities.

 Creating fact-based strategic business plans.

Why should we hire you?

With my creative bent of mind, Adaptability to new ideas and good level of problem Solving Skills and conceptual thinking abilities coupled with my communication and Interpersonal Skills, and my firm belief in a "Can DO" Attitude,

I believe that I have the ability to work in a fast paced and Entrepreneurial Environment.

What will it take to attain your goals, and what steps have you taken toward attaining them?

I have strong analytical skills which have been reinforced with my education at IIT, I stand 3rd in class. I have strong people skills, I have interacted with top people like Mahesh murthy, hafeez contractor during lec-dems, interacted with alumni, also approached jwt and pwc for internships without any external help. If I want something I just get it.. I wanted to pursue internships at jwt and pwc for which I approached myself without any help. Creative and innovative – I worked for the publicity of our technical festival. Having stayed in a lot of places like Coonoor, Ahmednagar and Chennai I can adapt to situations. Having been secretary and co-ordinator I believe I can work in teams and can get along with people. I have good planning and organizational skills. And most importantly I have a never say die attitude… I being one of the first to make it to the iit from Coonoor.

Tell me about a difficult situation when it was desirable for you to keep a positive attitude. What did you do?

i had caught viral fever near the end semsters and through the semster iwas just managing to be near the average .one of my projects was asked for a revision,  I  really needed to keep a positive attitude,  and get goin and with my beilef in a "CAN DO " attitude i finishe dthe semester with a much above average grades.

Give me a specific example of something you did that helped build enthusiasm in others?

IT WAS FOR WORKING  on a hostel nite, every hostel has ghot a festival where you bid farewll to the senior students. adn a lot of prep goes on for thye nite, we have a them ethere are a lot arrangements for the garden , for chief gust, etc. at year we had teh hostel nite, but the people were very lazy and nopbody cam out ot work. So , i erected a huge cloth screen on the ground durin dinner time 7days befor eth hostel bte and played a video whihc was shot when students were workin for a hostel nite the previous year. It had a lot music in the back ground. i no time i gt the help of almost half the hostel. and the work started to go on.

Sponsorship team, we were very dejected abt the work that was goin  on , since we couldn tget any spon goin, so I took all of them to a nearby college where a fest was goin on and toldthem tat if they could do it, even we could.

Describe a situation that required you to do a number of things at the same time. How did you handle it? What was the result?

I had to sumit 3 assignments, hold a meeting with the publicity team for Saarang. I first prioritise by usually tweo criteria, deadline date and toughness of work. I finsh of the easy work first, since it takes a minimum time. and then I go on with the tougher works. If the deadlines are a criteria, i finsh the work havin an earlier deadlionme first.

I use a daily Mapper in my diary and Calender.I ensure that i set reminder times and dates in my orgainser for the projects. . I track my progress on a daily basis by checkin the amount of work and time left. I ensure that i Dont involve the same date clashing or the same time , this way i ensure that i stay focussed about each project.

HR

Question 1: So, tell us all about yourself?

Where do you start? Do you give an autobiographical rendition? Why didn't they narrow the question down for you?

Some interviewers believe this is an excellent question with which to begin. It supposedly gives you the opportunity to relax because you should be talking about something that you have in-depth knowledge about - YOU. Instead it usually sends most interviewees into mental contortions.

It is a good idea to break the question down into:

  • Work & Study
  • Leisure & Home Activities.

Work & Study:

It is best to concentrate on how the skills you have picked up from your work experience and your studies relate to the position. If you are a mature aged student you could concentrate on the most recent positions you have held and explain how your studies have enhanced your knowledge or current practices in the field.


  • Leisure & Home Activities:

    I play social basketball on a regular basis and really enjoy being with people who are competitive but also like having fun. I also like...

    Through this question, employers ask you to reveal more about the real you, your values and attitudes. With a more formal question you probably would not have revealed so much. If you are aware of the companie's selection criteria, try to target your skills and experiences which best meet these criteria.

Horror Question No. 2

Even though in Australia we have tight anti-discrimination and equal employment opportunity legislation, some interviewers can ask questions that could be regarded as sexist, racist or generally discriminatory.

I suppose in a couple of years time, you'll be wanting to
- get married and have a family?
- join the family business?

Some interviewers don't realise what they are asking and the impression they are making as they see the question relating to long and short term goals. So, DON'T OVERREACT. Read between the lines. What is it really that the employer wants to know. A possible response is:

If what you're asking is - would I have a commitment to the firm for some years, all I can say is that I have just spent 4 years of my life and a lot of money studying to reach my goal of working in this industry/profession. My short term plan over the next 2-5 years is to build a strong foundation for my career with an employer who will provide a solid professional environment and training.

Horror Question No. 3

Do you know how to operate a Macintosh computer/PC using ...... program?

A possible answer:

I have used a Macintosh at university to type assignments and am sure with some training I would find no problem with using a PC and the particular program.

This shows the interviewer that you are actively doing something yourself ie. using your initiative rather than saying No, I don't which translates to: Well, take me as I am. I don't care.

 

Horror Question No. 4 - What is your greatest weakness?

I'm not as organised as I'd like to be, so what I do now is use checklists. I've found this a great help.

This applicant has shown that they realise they have this failing and have successfully used a strategy to improve their weakness. It can make the handling of the weakness a strength in the interviewer's eyes.

Horror Question No. 5 - Could you explain about these failed subjects?

(If straight from school to Uni)

I didn't realise what a change it was going to be from school and didn't cope very well in the beginning. However as you can see after that year, I passed all my subjects.

(If returning to study after a long break)

I found it difficult to cope with all my work/family and study commitments. In second semester I was able to reorganise myself so that there was a lot less pressure and my results reflect this.

Remember, end on a positive note if you can. If you have continued with your studies and finished your degree in a reasonable time frame, you have shown you are persistent and goal oriented.

So, be positive! You do have something important to offer a potential employer even if you have had some setbacks in the past. Good Luck!!

Tell me about a difficult situation when it was desirable for you to keep a positive attitude. What did you do?

i had caught viral fever near the end semsters and through the semster iwas just managing to be near the average .one of my projects was asked for a revision,  I  really needed to keep a positive attitude,  and get goin and with my beilef in a "CAN DO " attitude i finishe dthe semester with a much above average grades.

Give me a specific example of something you did that helped build enthusiasm in others? 

 
IT WAS FOR WORKING  on a hostel nite, every hostel has ghot a festival where you bid farewll to the senior students. adn a lot of prep goes on for thye nite, we have a them ethere are a lot arrangements for the garden , for chief gust, etc. at year we had teh hostel nite, but the people were very lazy and nopbody cam out ot work. So , i erected a huge cloth screen on the ground durin dinner time 7days befor eth hostel bte and played a video whihc was shot when students were workin for a hostel nite the previous year. It had a lot music in the back ground. i no time i gt the help of almost half the hostel. and the work started to go on.

Sponsorship team, we were very dejected abt the work that was goin  on , since we couldn tget any spon goin, so I took all of them to a nearby college where a fest was goin on and toldthem tat if they could do it, even we could.

Describe a situation that required you to do a number of things at the same time. How did you handle it? What was the result?

I had to sumit 3 assignments, hold a meeting with the publicity team for Saarang. I first prioritise by usually tweo criteria, deadline date and toughness of work. I finsh of the easy work first, since it takes a minimum time. and then I go on with the tougher works. If the deadlines are a criteria, i finsh the work havin an earlier deadlionme first.

I use a daily Mapper in my diary and Calender.I ensure that i set reminder times and dates in my orgainser for the projects. . I track my progress on a daily basis by checkin the amount of work and time left. I ensure that i Dont involve the same date clashing or the same time , this way i ensure that i stay focussed about each project.

 
When You Don't Know the Answer

Behavior-based interviewers can be like bulldogs. They won't give up until they get the information they want. But you don't have to answer a question just because it was asked. At times, you really won't have the answer. Much as it may hurt to say, "I'm sorry but nothing comes to mind," that may be the most honest answer. Rather than lie, you're better off being honest about what you have and haven't done.

You also can ask for clarification. If you don't understand what the employer is looking for, ask him or her to be more specific. Most employers will appreciate your interest and thoroughness.

That said, don't ever provide information that will hurt your prospects. When faced with negative questions, look for the positive spin. This could mean taking the initiative to rephrase the questions.

For example, if asked to describe a time when you failed, you might reply, "I need you to help me out here. Since I tend to view most events as opportunities to learn, I'm not sure I know what you mean by the term 'failure.' If you learn something from an experience, it can never be a failure. And I try to learn from everything I do. Would you like me to share a learning experience with you?"

If you're asked to describe a time when you lost your temper, you might say, "I get angry at times but I almost never lose my temper."

If the tone or content of a question throws you off-balance, don't be afraid to buy time to regain your composure and collect your thoughts. In those cases, you might say to the interviewer, "Do you mind if I take a minute to collect my thoughts?"

Although silences can be uncomfortable, they also can be productive. Rather than rush into an ill-advised statement, make sure that you're in control of your response. If this takes more time, the interviewer will need to wait. Most interviewers will appreciate your thoughtfulness


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