How I Prepared for My First Campus Interview

# A Student’s Honest Guide to Getting Hired (Without Feeling Lost) If you’re a student reading this, I know the feeling. You apply everywhere and still hear nothing back. Sometimes you even doubt yourself — “Am I not good enough?” Here’s what I learned the hard way: > **It’s not only about applying more — it’s about applying smarter.** This is a practical checklist you can follow even if you’re starting from zero. --- ## 1) Stop “Mass Applying” — Start Targeted Applying Applying to 50 jobs in one day feels productive, but usually it’s the worst strategy. ### Try this instead: - Pick 10 roles you genuinely want (e.g., Frontend Intern, Business Analyst, Sales Intern) - Read 10 job descriptions carefully - Note the top 5 repeated skills - Update your resume and learning plan based on those skills Targeted applying consistently works better than random applying. --- ## 2) Your Resume Must Pass the 7-Second Test Recruiters scan. They don’t read. Your resume should answer in 7 seconds: - Who are you? (student + domain) - What skills do you have? - What projects prove it? - Why should the company care? ### A simple format that works: - 2–3 line summary at the top - Skills (only relevant) - 2–3 strongest projects - Internship or volunteering (if any) - Education - Links (GitHub, portfolio, LinkedIn) Tip: Keep it one page unless you have strong experience. --- ## 3) Projects Beat Certificates (Almost Always) Certificates are useful, but projects build trust. Instead of saying “I know React”, show this: - Built a dashboard with login and role-based access - Integrated APIs with pagination and search - Deployed the project and fixed real bugs A project becomes powerful when: - It is complete - It is hosted - It has a clear README - It solves one real problem --- ## 4) LinkedIn Is Your Online Resume Your LinkedIn profile should not look incomplete. Make sure you have: - A clear headline (e.g., “Final Year Student | Aspiring Full-Stack Developer”) - A short, focused About section - Projects with links - Skills filled properly - A professional photo and banner Consistency matters. If your resume and LinkedIn tell different stories, trust drops. --- ## 5) Verified Platforms Matter More Than We Think As students, we mostly focus on skills. Recruiters focus on trust. They ask: - Is this student real? - Is this institution real? - Are the details genuine? Platforms that verify institutions and students help everyone: - Students face fewer fake opportunities - Companies save time - Hiring becomes cleaner and faster When trust is built into the system, genuine profiles get more visibility. --- ## 6) The Interview Confidence Trick Nobody Tells You Confidence comes from repeatable preparation. A simple daily routine: - 30 minutes revising basics - 30 minutes speaking answers out loud - 30 minutes explaining projects and practicing interview questions Within 7–10 days, confidence improves noticeably. --- ## 7) A Weekly Plan You Can Actually Follow **Monday to Wednesday** - Skill building and project work **Thursday** - Resume and LinkedIn improvements **Friday** - Apply to 10 targeted roles **Saturday** - Mock interviews and revision **Sunday** - Review progress and fix mistakes Consistency matters more than motivation. --- ## Final Words You don’t need to be perfect to start. You just need a clear process. Build proof through projects, apply smartly, improve weekly, and use trusted platforms where your profile gets the visibility it deserves. If this helped even a little, share it with a friend who is also preparing — because most students don’t need more pressure, they need a better plan.