Placement interview is an important life event in the life of every graduate. Employers today expect more than just a strong academic background from graduates. Apart from the technical skills required for a job role, graduates must possess soft skills and other workplace skills to survive in the competitive job markets. Recruiters prefer hiring candidates with technical skills and personal attributes to be able to perform well on the job. This is often referred to as industry readiness.  

Industry readiness means having the right skillset to become job ready. Industry readiness not only improves the employability quotient of a candidate, but also helps one stay productive in current industries.  

What do students learn through Online Manipal’s Industry readiness sessions?

Learners pursuing their online degrees from top universities through Online Manipal are well trained and prepared to appear for their placement interviews. Online Manipal’s placement cell aims to uplift the employability quotient of learners interested in finding career opportunities after the completion of their programs. We take special effort in examining the initial and preliminary skills that are needed for every job seeker to be successful while attending interviews. We impart the required training so that learners perform well in their interviews and become job ready.  

Right from the beginning of the pre-final semester, a series of webinars are hosted by experts to help students acquire the right training and knowledge to appear for placement interviews. From business communication to time management, interpersonal skills to cultural fluency, we help learners hone skills that help them interact effectively and thrive at the workplace. The following skillsets and training sessions held for learners.  

• Communication
• Self-development & confidence building
• Critical thinking & problem-solving
• Leasersip
• Professionalism
• Teamwork & collaboration
• Cultural fluency
• Technology

All these aspects are important to keep in mind while attending placement interviews. Possessing these skills helps build confidence in the recruiter to hire a candidate. It helps the candidate demand a higher pay scale and gives a competitive edge over other candidates.  

Also read: The impact of placement training on employability skills

See what the learners have to say about Online Manipal’s industry readiness sessions

Hear from our learners who have benefitted from Online Manipal’s industry readiness webinars and are confident of acing their placement interviews.  

Sandeep Raj, online MCA 

“The industry-readiness webinars conducted by Online Manipal were relevant for today’s market trends. The subject matter experts who delivered the webinars were experienced professionals and gave us daily insights into the key areas we must focus on.” 

Ningappa Nayak, online MBA 

“Online Manipal has taken special effort in preparing learners ahead of the placement drive. From resume building, interview skills and group discussion skills, they have played a key role in guiding students and preparing them for interviews. The webinars held by industry experts were knowledgeable and insightful.” 

Shreya Thomas, online MBA 

“I attended the industry-readiness webinars conducted by Online Manipal and I’m now confident about appearing for placements. The sessions focused on building an effective LinkedIn profile and optimizing my resume. I also learnt a few digital marketing skills and the webinars kept me updated on industry trends.”  

Jyothi Jithesh Kumar, online MBA 

“The webinars were extremely useful in preparing for placements. Knowledge wise, we got to learn several skills and it gave us an opportunity to analyze market trends through diverse perspectives. The experts who delivered the sessions were knowledgeable. Online Manipal also gave us an opportunity for peer discussions, that helped us a lot.” 

Bhaskar Bhate, online MBA 

“The webinars helped me acquire important skills required to become a future-ready professional. From communication skills, time management skills and interpersonal skills, the sessions were very insightful. The experts briefed us about the essential qualities of a professional- like emotional intelligence and positive behavior. Overall, they have helped me prepare well for my placement interview.” 

Check out: From virtual classrooms to real-world success: Landing a job with your online degree

Online Manipal also organizes virtual placement drives to connect and showcase the job-ready learners to reputed organizations and help them secure jobs of their liking.  

In today’s job market, you often need to demonstrate more than just the necessary attributes to get noticed and hired. There are some specific traits that almost every employer looks for in candidates during the recruiting process, irrespective of the firm, job role, or pay range. The most desired employee qualities are frequently ubiquitous, even if certain vocations require an infinite variety of skills. 

There is a lot of competition in today’s job market, and recruiters are looking for the best talent to hire for their organization. Technical abilities will make you stand out immediately, but hiring managers are aware of the significant implications soft skills have on the ethos and efficiency of the business. But what do recruiters look for in prospective employees? What qualities and abilities are they looking for in new hires? Read on to discover some of the abilities that stand out to recruiters in candidates.

Check out: How Online Manipal has helped learners become industry ready 

Attributes that recruiters look for in prospective employees

Here are some attributes and qualities that hiring managers are looking for in a candidate which can help you stand out during the hiring process:

• Willingness to learn 

Employers want to hire individuals who can consistently contribute to their organization, whether it’s by rising to senior roles or by bringing in fresh skill sets and expertise. Taking online classes is one way to illustrate to recruiters that you are planning for the future, contemplating your upcoming role or the in-demand skills your industry may demand in the coming years. Your willingness to learn and progress will come across in your attitude, and your interviewing skills may also get a boost.

• Ability to adapt to the evolving job market

Employees must be prepared to adapt as skills evolve in today’s job landscape. Additionally, with the advent of hybrid job categories, it’s vital to efficiently acquire and blend diverse skills. The ability to tweak the challenges of the job market can be exhibited by studying a discipline that doesn’t correspond to your existing background. Equip yourself for hybrid careers in developing sectors by mastering in-demand skill sets like data analytics and digital marketing to stand out to organizations.

• Effective communication 

Individuals should be intellectual and adept at using a combination of both verbal and nonverbal channels, including social media, email, telephone, in-person interactions, and others. This trait facilitates the development of strong commercial ties and interactions with different organizational departments. Effective communication helps a candidate stay connected with the business for potential prospects in the future, even if they are spurned in the interview.

Also read: Investing in your future: The importance of skill development for career success

• Leadership traits

Technical expertise and an impressive resume are undoubtedly important attributes in a job application, but they aren’t always sufficient to set you apart. Employers are especially interested in whether or not you possess the leadership skills required for managing and executive positions. You’ll be better able to motivate others to join you in working toward your team’s goals by mastering soft skills like cooperation and collaboration.

• Passion for work

The passion a candidate has for their profession is among the most crucial traits a recruiter looks for. Recruiters seek candidates who are enthusiastic about their work, the business they work for, and the cause they are supporting. All of the employee characteristics are undoubtedly significant, but work passion is extremely considerable. While unenthusiastic employees may accomplish their tasks for a while, if they lack passion for the work, they are missing the essential component for sustainable, long-term performance in the business.

• High emotional quotient (EQ)

Applicants with low emotional quotient tend to undermine the workplace since they demoralize both themselves and their coworkers. The management then has to invest a lot of time in making the workplace positive and zealous. The straightforward qualities that enable emotionally intelligent individuals to stand out and grab the notice of both current and potential employers include:

1. The skill to motivate and convince others.
2. Inspiration to advance in all fields.
3. Having the competence to manage leadership challenges.

• Cultural fit

Cultural fit is a crucial consideration for the majority of professions when it comes to recruiting. You’ll probably be asked queries during an interview to ascertain whether or not you suit the corporate culture. Being genuine and being who you are is the best approach to disseminating your ideals. Additionally, it’s a smart option to do some preliminary study on the company’s culture and provide instances of how you’d fit in. 

• Teamwork

Teamwork is crucial for all businesses, from startups to large multinational enterprises, as a company is never run by one individual. No business wants to recruit a candidate who struggles to work well in a team environment and produces deliverables more quickly and efficiently. The applicant should provide optimism to the workplace and be a team player.

Also read: Top 10 fastest growing digital skills 2023

Wrapping up 

It’s a wise move to be aware of what recruiters are looking for in candidates when preparing your portfolio and getting ready for interviews. As recruiters look to hire the best applicant available for the position, the characteristics discussed above will help you stand out from the crowd and gain an advantage over your contemporaries. You’ll be a step closer to getting your dream job if you show the abilities and experience hiring managers would like to see. 

Today, most colleges and universities, both online and on-campus, are preparing their students to stand out in the job market by providing the necessary placement training besides providing them with academic knowledge. Online Manipal is one such e-learning platform of Manipal University Jaipur(MUJ) that offers UGC-entitled online degrees with industry-relevant curriculum and placement assistance. Students who want to get a degree from a safe environment and working professionals who want to upskill themselves without quitting their jobs can opt for online degrees offered by MUJ.

Check out: Hear from Online Manipal learners on how they have been trained to face placements 

As you prepare for your interview, you may consider preparing for the questions an employer will most likely ask you. While there’s no way to know for sure what topics they cover, you can expect commonly asked interview questions.

While having a prefabricated response for every interview question is not recommended, it is highly valuable to become acquainted with what you could be asked. You’ll also get to know what hiring managers are truly looking for in your response and what is necessary to prove that you’re the ideal person for the position.

Each interviewer is unique, and their questions may differ. You may generate interesting talking points for your next job interview by preparing responses to these frequent interview questions.

Also read: The different types of interviews & how to handle them

Commonly Asked Interview Questions

The following set of questions is some of the most popular questions in job interviews. Having a grasp of these answers will help you ensure that you always come prepared to answer the common interview questions and seem confident.

Following are the answers to the mentioned questions:

Q. Tell me about yourself.

Since this question appears straightforward, many individuals neglect to prepare for it, yet it is critical. Instead of giving your whole professional (or personal) history, deliver a pitch that’s concise, captivating, and demonstrates why you’re the best match for the position. It is advised to utilize a present, past, and future formula. 

Q. In what ways can you contribute to the organization?

Talk about your present job, including the scope and potentially one major accomplishment, and then provide some history on how you got there and related experience. Finally, explain why you desire and are qualified for this position. 

If you are a fresher, highlight your skills you acquired and your accomplishments during your degree program. You can also speak about some interesting project ideas or pitches. 

Q. What are the key issues in your field/industry today?

Interviewers who pose this query are not merely trying to find out about your history. They want to know that you are aware of the issues and challenges facing the organization or field, as well as how you will fit in with the current structure. To understand whatever problems you are being hired to solve, attentively review the job description, research the company, and pay attention in your initial rounds of interviews. Therefore, the idea is to tie your talents and experiences to what the organization requires and offer an example of how you’ve done similar or transferrable work in the past.

Check out: Commonly asked behavioural interview questions and how to answer them

Q. Why should we hire you?

This interview question appears straightforward, if not daunting! But if you’re asked this, you’re in luck! There is no greater opportunity to pitch yourself and your abilities to the hiring manager. The trick here is to come up with an answer that convinces the interviewer of the following: 

• That you are able to do the task and produce quality results
• That you’ll get along with the group and the culture well
• That compared to the other applicants, you would make a better hiring choice

Q. What in your opinion are your strengths and weaknesses?

When employers ask this question, they test whether you are aware of your positive traits and how you will use them in your workplace. Be confident when you’re mentioning your strengths as it reflects your honesty. Evaluate your strengths and see how you can connect it with the job role you are applying for. Employers also want to know your weaknesses and evaluate how you will work on them eventually. 

Q. How do you manage to work under pressure?

You could feel the impulse to dodge this question to demonstrate that you are the ideal candidate and capable of handling everything. But it’s crucial to avoid passing this off, so refrain from saying things like, “I simply put my attention down and push through everything” or “I don’t get stressed out.” 

Instead, discuss your tried-and-true methods for coping with stress, such as 10 minutes of daily meditation, running, keeping an extremely-detailed to-do list, effective communication, and other proactive measures. The cherry on the cake would be if you could provide a specific example of a challenging scenario you overcame.

Q. Tell me about a difficult situation you faced with a colleague.

It is important to give an honest answer when this question arises. The employer basically wants to know how you overcome a challenging situation. Consider talking about how you handled the situation positively without hurting the sentiments of your co-worker. The answer you give tests your communication skills, integrity, negotiation skills and ability to react to unexpected situations. In case you haven’t had a tough situation with a colleague, you can speak about a personal instance and explain how you dealt with it. 

Q. What are your short-term/long-term goals?

The interviewer asks this question with a curiosity to understand whether your goals have a realistic future. This helps them evaluate whether you will be able to achieve the company’s goals. Give a clear answer and as to how your goals align with your job role. Your answer must convince the employer that your goals also help you grow professionally and personally. Also, don’t promise unrealistic goals; try to give a realistic framework.

Q. Where do you see yourself five years from now?

This is one of the most commonly asked questions in interviews. Understand your job description and analyze how you would want to improve your skills and knowledge in order to move to a senior position in the coming years. For instance, you can say, “I’m excited to take up this job role and I see myself as an expert in this domain after five years.” You could also speak about leading a team since you will have relevant experience five years into your job role.

Q. Do you have any questions for me?

Most candidates’ answer for this question is a no. Many don’t realize that they have lost an opportunity to find out about the organization you are going to work in. Try asking questions about the role, the scope of the role in future and the kind of skills you need to work on to ace the role.

Check out: Negotiating salary and benefits during job offers

Things to consider before appearing for an interview

Here are some things to keep in mind before you appear for an interview

• Research about the company: An essential step in the process of job searching is researching potential employers. Knowing a company well may help you decide whether a job opportunity fits your career aspirations, allow you to customize your application and CV, and help you stand out from the competition, particularly during an interview.

• Review the job description: The tasks and obligations of a given position are clearly understood when one is sufficiently familiar with the job description. An employee’s required education, training, and abilities are often listed in a job description, providing candidates with a general idea of their self-evaluation and preparedness.

• Practice introducing yourself: What you do, who you are, and why others should care about you are all explained in a self-introduction. Include information about yourself, such as your name, preferred occupation, and significant facts. You can provide a brief self-introduction during a job interview to assist the interviewer in getting to know you better and gauging your confidence level and presentation. Therefore, the more practice you have with it, the more you will get from the interview question about yourself.

• Have positivity in body language: A prominent example of non-verbal communication is body language, which puts us in a state of comfort, likeability, and respect. Also referred to as open body language, it helps us get comfortable during conversations and is thus an important attribute in cracking a job interview.

• Strike the right tone:  A confident tone is necessary for a candidate to make a good impression during the interview, and speaking clearly will help indicate effective communication. They must also watch out for becoming too casual or intimate.

• Highlight your skills based on the job roles: The best way to show off your abilities and skill set is by using illustrations. By demonstrating how your skills have been put to use, you could persuade the hiring manager that you are a suitable fit for the job. Instead of bragging about how well you utilized your skills, explain how they align with the company’s requirements.

Also read: The role of placement support services in bridging the job readiness gap

Be interview-ready with Online Manipal placement assistance services

To make sure that all students pursuing various online courses through Online Manipal secure jobs right after completion of their courses, Online Manipal provides placement assistance services which include resume building, interview preparation tips, skill assessment & advancement, industry-readiness sessions, and placement drives. By participating in these placement training activities, students can improve their chances of getting a job.

Conclusion 

While the mentioned common interview questions will greatly help you, do not entirely rely on them, as interviewers always try to bring unique parameters to the interview of a potential candidate.

There are a few more aspects that might benefit you in a job interview, and you must ensure to go through them, such as preparing your responses to the scenario interview questions. For example, a gap in your job history, the reason for your termination, etc. All the best for your upcoming interview!

The coronavirus pandemic has changed our lives drastically and has also changed the way we do things. One such change that the pandemic has brought about is the shift to virtual hiring. The process of hiring is changing drastically. Virtual hiring is on the rise, and most interviews now take place through video calls. According to reports, 60% of recruiters use videoconferencing for candidate interviews.

So, what is virtual hiring? Virtual hiring is a type of recruitment process that is conducted entirely online through virtual placement drives. Many companies are using this process to hire new employees, which has recently gained traction. 

For example, e-commerce giant Amazon introduced its Virtual Recruiter, an Alexa-enabled project available only on Android, to assist candidates in accessing all pertinent details about the company to prepare for the screening process and use training materials. Virtual hiring technology played a crucial role in the recruiting process at Tredence, a Data Science and Artificial Intelligence engineering company, which has tripled its staff to more than 1,200 employees since the COVID pandemic.

You can also read, Are recruiters in favor of hiring candidates with online degrees?

What is the process of virtual hiring?

The process of virtual hiring is fairly simple. It starts with a job posting, where the company outlines the job requirements and details for the position. Interested candidates submit their resumes and applications online. The company then reviews the applications and shortlists the best candidates. 

After shortlisting, the company contacts the candidates and sets up a virtual interview. During the interview, the interviewer gets to know the candidate and their skills and abilities better. Once the interview is over, the company reviews the feedback and makes a final decision.

How to host a virtual hiring event?

To create a successful virtual hiring event, you should ensure that the platform you are using is secure and user-friendly, provide job seekers with detailed information about the job, and get feedback from both interviewers and job seekers.

You can learn more about preparing for the post-Covid-19 world.

Advantages of virtual hiring

The advantages of virtual hiring are huge for both employers and candidates. For employers, the cost-effectiveness and time-saving of virtual hiring are unparalleled. Employers no longer need to spend time and money on in-person interviews or travel to the candidate’s location. Furthermore, recruitment paperwork is reduced drastically. From the candidate’s point of view, virtual hiring provides the opportunity to apply for more jobs without the hassle of traveling. Candidates can also use the virtual interview platform to demonstrate their skills more effectively. All in all, the numerous advantages of virtual hiring are undeniable and can help employers and candidates alike to benefit from the process.

Key differences between virtual hiring and traditional hiring

Below are the key differences between virtual and traditional hiring that you must know.

Check out: Interview follow-up and post-interview etiquette

Online Manipal prepares students for Virtual Interviews

With the shift to virtual hiring, job seekers must be prepared for virtual job interviews. Online Manipal, the e-learning platform of Manipal University Jaipur which provides a wide range of online UG and PG degrees also assists students in preparing for virtual job interviews through resume building and Interview preparation tips. It provides students with the tools and resources needed to make a successful job interview and land their dream job.

Also read: Hear from OM learners on how they have been trained to face placements 

Conclusion

Virtual hiring has become an increasingly popular recruitment method as it is cost-effective, time-saving, and efficient. It also eliminates the need for job seekers to travel for interviews and allows them to apply for more positions. With appropriate preparation and guidance, job seekers can ace their virtual interviews and secure their desired job. Additionally, you should also ensure that the virtual hiring process is organized and structured to maximize efficiency.