I have done my undergrad from IIT, unarguably the best Engineering institute in India. Post that I have done my Masters from Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), the oldest statistical institution in the world. Also, I was All India Rank - 7 in the merit list for ISI's entrance exam.
None of the above has ever helped me in cracking/preparing for interviews.
So, what really helps in interviews? Having appeared for interviews at Bulge Bracket Banks, Google, Big 4 Consulting firms, etc. and also being part of the interview panel, I have some valuable pointers.
I agree, having some form of spike, like undergrad from top institutions, or work experience in McKinsey helps you get yourself into the proverbial door, the interview!
Beyond that, you are on your own mantle.
Let's start with the basics. There are some very common interview questions, which you are always expected to prepare.
The expectation is that it must come naturally to you. You need to sound genuine and prepared. Not memorise every word as if you are a parrot, rather talk like you honestly knew this could be asked in the interview and you have a reasonable idea about what to speak.
This is the first barrier, not every interviewer is kind enough to ignore your follies at this stage. The interviewer could very well decide not to move ahead with your candidature if they aren't satisfied at this stage. Assuming you somehow, make to the next stage.
The next stage is the main course of the interview. You need to satiate interviewer's hunger in this stage.
You could be asked about your projects, internships, certifications or any technical/soft skill relevant to the job you have applied for. So, prepare a 2-5 minute answer for every bullet point in your CV/Resume.
Always have 2/3 versions of project-walkthroughs. So, that you could choose the one, dependent upon the interview vibe and interviewers' interest.
Now, once you are past the above two stages, you need to answer any spontaneous non-technical question related to your hobbies or personality, like you are serving dessert. Just try to put cherry on top!
In this piece obviously, I have just given you the essence of interview preparation, it doesn't detail any of the steps mentioned above. I might expound on them, sometime later!
Book Recommendation :
Not related to job interviews but my College friend from IIT, J. Sai Deepak has come up with a book on India (Part 2 of India Trilogy) : You can order it from here - India, Bharat and Pakistan : The Constitutional Journey of Sandwiched Civilisation
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