PLACEMENT

GUIDE

Service Based
Companies

IT Sector
Product Based
Companies

Anupriya Nishad
updated on 09/08/2021
 INDEX
Title Page No.

About this Guide 3

Possible Paths 4

Do’s & Don’ts 5

Placement & IT companies 6-9

Preparation 10-21

Service-Based vs Product-Based 22

On-Campus vs Off-Campus 23

Interview Preparation Tips 24

How to know about opportunities? 25

How to apply? 26

Job application process 27

 About this Guide
► This guide can be followed by any student irrespective of their
branch and year of study.
► It is created with the purpose of providing guidance to the blooming
minds.
► I would suggest, take help from this guide and do not follow it
blindly.
► The content is based on my own personal experiences and research.

► Created by:
Anupriya Nishad (ECE, MMMUT 2021 Batch)

Some of the Interview Experiences:

https://github.com/Anupriya1729/InterviewExperiences
For doubts contact on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anupriya__0905/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anupriyanishad/
 POSSIBLE PATHS

Student

Other
Placement Civil
Gate CAT GRE Government Startup Others
(core/ IT sector) Services
Exams

Off- On-
Campus Campus

In this guide, we will be discussing “How to get a job in the IT sector?”.

Students from CSE, IT, ECE, EE branches can easily target this.
While ME, CE, CHE, and other branch students can face some problems as some companies
allow only CS and circuit branches to apply. Still they have many options to apply.
 Do’s and Don’ts
► LinkedIn: Every student should have an account on LinkedIn. LinkedIn not only helps you get
connected with people but also allows you to showcase your skills and work to experienced people
& recruiters.
Understand the power of right networking.
► Resume: Create a Resume if you don’t have one. At this point, you might not have many things to
put in your resume, but your resume will be now fill in the blanks thing for you. It will give you a
clear view of what things to do so that your resume looks good.
► Create a group of people. People with a common interest will help you in your journey.
Always do healthy competition with them.
► COMMUNICATION SKILLS:
Effective communication is very important for cracking the interviews.
► Practice whatever you learn.
► Do not waste the first two years of college.
► Explore various things in the first 2 semesters. Grab any opportunity to speak in public. Participate
in events.
► Don’t get too much involved in college societies. Maintain a balance.
► Don’t run after certificates, gain skills.
► Be open to learning new things and be aware about the opportunities around you.
 PLACEMENTS

Placement

On-Campus Off-Campus

Service Product Service Product

Based Based Based Based

I have not mentioned startups separately. Startups can also be service based or
product based so it will be covered in the given 2 headings.
 PRODUCT BASED COMPANIES
1. Google 26. Xilinx 51. Cisco 76. American Express
2. Apple 27. GitHub 52. Hotstar 77. Juniper Networks
3. Tower Research 28. Nutanix 53. Hike messenger 78. BrowserStack
4. Uber 29. InMobia 54. Ola 79. Citrix
5. Directi (Media.net, Zeta) 30. NortonLifeLock 55. MakeMyTrip 80. RedHat
6. LinkedIn 31. Codenation 56. Samsung 81. Ixigo
7. Microsoft 32. Cure.Fit 57. Times Internet 82. Grofers
8. Amazon 33. Intel 58. Zomato 83. Snapdeal
9. Adobe 34. Atlassian 59. BYJU’S 84. ClearTax
10. Cloudera 35. Qualcomm 60. Dream11 85. BankBazar
11. Twitter 36. Visa 61. Seimens (Mentor Graphics ) 86. Livspace
12. Flipkart 37. eBay 62. Junglee Games 87. 1mg
13. Yahoo 38. BNY Mellon 63. Dunzo 88. Master Card
14. Rubrik 39. Expedia 64. Rivigo 89. BigBasket
15. Salesforce 40. Paytm 65. Arista Networks 90. PayU
16. Slack 41. Swiggy 66. Airtel 91. Sirion Labs
17. Oracle 42. Grab 67. NetApp 92. AJio
18. MindTickle 43. Morgan Stanley 68. SAP 93. Practo
19. Paypal 44. VMware 69. Synopsys 94. Info Edge
20. Rippling 45. NVIDIA 70. GreyOrange 95. J.P. Morgan
21. Goldman Sachs 46. DropBox 71. Unacademy 96. Mobikwik
22. Intuit 47. HackerRank 72. Myntra 97. Proptiger
23. De Shaw (Arcesium ) 48. Urban Company 73. ThoughtWorks 98. Akamai
24. Walmart 49. Citicorp 74. Cadence 99. ClearTrip
25. ServiceNow 50. OYO 75. [24]7.ai 100.Dell
PRODUCT BASED STARTUPS
1. Postman
2. Gojek
3. Cure.fit
4. Cars24
5. Razorpay
6. Dunzo
7. Udaan
8. Urban Company
9. Zerodha
10. CRED
and more…………

Most of the product based startups hire in the same was as product based companies do.
But for many of them the process is variable. Sometimes they also focus on your development skills.
So the hiring process completely depends on the startup you are applying for.
SERVICE BASED COMPANIES

TCS
Infosys
Wipro
Cognizant
Accenture
HCL
Capgemini.
IBM
DXC Technology
NTT DATA

I’ve tried to list major service-based and product-based companies. However, there
are more companies than the ones listed above. You may explore them on Google or
LinkedIn.
 PREPARATION
Steps to follow:
► Master one programming language
► Data Structure & Algorithms
► CSE Core subjects
► Skills in a particular domain (at least 1) –
some popular ones are: Web Development/Android/Machine Learning. I’ve discussed only about
web development here. You may explore the other options on YouTube, Udemy, Coursera, etc.
► Minimum 2-3 decent projects
► Internships ( at least 1 )
► Achievements (They are not mandatory but to make your resume stand out you should have
some achievements in your Resume)
► Aptitude & Reasoning – It is important for on-campus placements, TCS NQT, E-litmus, Amcat,
Hiring test by Goldman Sachs, and so on.

Meanwhile, try to maintain your CGPA.

Many companies have CGPA cutoffs. Mostly it is around 7 or 7.5 but for companies like Cisco, it
can be as high as 8.5 cgpa. Try to give your best but don’t get over-burdened by the academics.

Roadmap Link: http://bit.ly/roadmapTUF

Programming Languages:
C++/Java/Python are the most popular languages.

Pick any one and get command over it. Students are often confused about the fact that which
language to select, which is the best language etc.
There is no as such best language. It totally depends on what you want to do.
If you want to do coding then I would suggest you to go with C++.

C++ is my preferred language for coding and a large number of people prefer it for coding
due to many reasons.
- It is both object oriented & functional
- Short crisp syntax
- Large community support
Practice the language for at least 10 days on:
https://www.hackerrank.com/

Book:

https://books.google.co.in/books?id=tVc6VQoxhqkC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_su
mmary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

Other resources for learning C++ :

Free C++ Tutorial
Beginning C++ Programming - From Beginner to Beyond
GFG 20 day curriculum
C++ STL in 45 minutes
 Data Structures :
Data Structures

Non-
Primitive Linear
Linear

Tree Graph Table Set

Array Linked List Stack Queue

Advanced Data Structure are not listed here, they are required only in case of competitive coding.
Study DS from GEEKS FOR GEEKS: https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/
Take help from YouTube or you can also enroll in any course if you want. If you are getting a structured
course then it is worth spending some money on your skills.
Sites for Practice:
HackerRank: https://www.hackerrank.com/ (For Beginners)
Leetcode: https://leetcode.com/
(Do at least 10 easy questions related to each concept first then move to medium then to hard)
Try to solve more number of medium questions once you are done with the basics.
Algorithms
► Analysis of Algorithms
► Searching and Sorting
► Greedy Algorithms
► Dynamic Programming
► Pattern Searching
► Other String Algorithms
► Backtracking
► Divide and Conquer
► Geometric Algorithms
► Mathematical Algorithms
► Bit Algorithms
► Graph Algorithms
► Randomized Algorithms
► Branch and Bound
► Quizzes on Algorithms
► Misc
Important DSA out of the ones listed above:
Arrays
Searching and Sorting
Binary Search and it’s modifications
Two Pointers
Strings
Linked Lists
Stacks
Queues
Recursion and Backtracking
Hash maps and Sets
Bitwise Manipulation
Trees
Heaps
Greedy
Dynamic Programming
Graphs and Topological Sorting
Union Find
Tries
 Resources
DSA: https://cp-algorithms.com/
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/data-structures/ https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/fundamentals-of-algorithms/
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FMdN_OCfOI0iAeDlqswCiC2DZzD4nPsb/view
https://leetcode.com/ https://cses.fi/book/book.pdf https://atcoder.jp/
DP: https://leetcode.com/discuss/general-discussion/458695/dynamic-programming-patterns
Backtracking: https://leetcode.com/discuss/interview-question/1098081/Famous-Backtracking-Problems

Competitive Coding:

CP(Competitive coding) SHEET: https://bit.ly/tuf_CPList

https://www.codechef.com/ https://codeforces.com/
https://a2oj.com/

Interview Questions:

https://www.interviewbit.com/  InterviewBit

SDE SHEET ( interview questions) : https://bit.ly/takeUforward_SDE

For Coding Interview Practice : https://www.pramp.com/

YouTube Channels:
take U forward
TECH DOSE
Code Ncode
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJqx8MM4gDPDy8TqVVlPyLw  Arsh Goyal

NOTE: Competitive Programming is good to have but not necessary for placements. But being in touch with CP is highly
advisable as it helps a lot in coding tests.
✅ CP SHEET: https://bit.ly/tuf_CPList
✅ SDE SHEET: https://bit.ly/takeUforward_SDE
✅ Placement Series: http://bit.ly/placementSeries

CSE CORE SUBJECTS:

1. Object oriented programming (OOP) concepts
2. Database Management System (DBMS)
3. Operating System (OS)
4. Software Engineering
5. Computer Networks (depends on the company you are interviewing for)
6. System Design (depends on the company you are interviewing for)

Resources:
► Geeks for Geeks
► https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA6yfpYhy5sWMjRGOT-OAIQ
► https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=gate+smasher
► https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/mobile/folders/1v1Vu91TQuzASmK7pQ_QrSOrpW4LC6w1V
► https://practice.geeksforgeeks.org/courses/SDE-theory
Web Development:
Start by reading about :
How does the internet works? How does the website work? What is HTTP? What is a server? What is DNS?
(Search on YouTube or read articles on medium.com)
Article: https://academind.com/tutorials/how-the-web-works/
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJHvdBlSxug

Front-end: includes the portion of the website which the user can see
Back-end: consists of all the business logic and the background functioning.
Basics that everyone should know:
HTML, CSS, Basics of Java Script
Resource: https://www.w3schools.com/ , https://www.freecodecamp.org/
Frontend Frameworks: React, Angular, Vuejs, etc
Backend : NodeJs, Django, Flask, Spring boot, etc
A full-stack web developer is also required to know about databases and database integration.
https://www.udemy.com/topic/web-development/free/
Paid Course:
https://www.udemy.com/course/the-complete-web-development-bootcamp/
https://www.udemy.com/course/python-and-django-full-stack-web-developer-bootcamp/

Roadmap:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLk7-imcjiI

Code Editors
• VS Code (https://code.visualstudio.com/download)
• Brackets (http://brackets.io/)
• Atom (https://atom.io/)
• Sublime Text (https://www.sublimetext.com/3)
 PROJECT

► https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SI5ISZa0IL0&t=516s
► https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6AA3aGxuxk&t=238s

Projects can be in any domain. Whatever technology you opt,

make sure you have a good understanding of it.
Know the ins and outs of your project.
 Internship
You should plan your preparation such that at the end of your 2nd year or 3rd year you should have at least
one internship in your hand.
Also try to get a 6 months intern in your 8th semester if your college allows it.
In this covid time you can also go for off-season internship as colleges are closed.

Start applying and doing research about the companies as early as possible.
Internships are potential chances of getting you a PPO (Pre-placement offer) from your dream company.

You can apply though:

1. Careers page of a company

2. LinkedIn
3. Ask for a Referral on LinkedIn or any direct contacts
4. Internshala
5. Cold mailing

Try to do an internship in the Software development or related domain. Doing an

content writing intern or campus ambassador intern won’t help.
 Achievements
 Good ranks in coding contests on Codeforces, Codechef, Leetcode weekly and biweekly.
 Coding contests by big brands like Google – Hash Code, Code Jam, Kick Start etc.
 Securing decent position in hackathons –
https://www.hackerearth.com/challenges/ , https://devfolio.co/hackathons
 Getting selected for Open Source Contribution programs
Google Summer of Code (GSoC) :
https://medium.com/mobile-development-group/a-complete-guide-for-gsoc-a1fa9a3aff76
HacktoberFest, Outreachy, MLH Fellowship.
 Smart India Hackathon
 Offline competitions
 Teaching (Example: Taught web development to 20 students)
 Doing research work under any professor in IIT, NIT etc.
•
 RESUME
► Ideally should be of 1 page
► Should not contain a photograph
► Should have a proper layout
► A good resume is not only about how it looks but more about the content it has.
► Must have sections in a resume:
Education, Skills, Internships, Projects, Achievements
Optional: Position of Responsibility, Extra-curricular
► Writing about certificates of participation does not add any value.
1. Writing about completed ‘abc’ course from ‘xyz’ website does not add any value.
Take courses to gain knowledge, not to add it to the resume.

To create a proper resume:

1. https://novoresume.com/
2. https://www.overleaf.com/latex/templates/
3. You can also create a simple formal resume on Microsoft Word.
4. You can get the resume template I used to apply for all the jobs from TNP Cell, MMMUT.

You can search for more sites if you do not find the above ones useful.
 Service-Based vs Product-Based
► For someone who is preparing for placements, it is important to understand the
difference between the hiring process of the two types of companies.
► Service-based companies like TCS, Infosys, etc hire fresher mostly through the tests/contests that they
organize on yearly basis.
The level of the test is descent and one can crack it with moderate preparation.
Some of the exams like TCS NQT contain more questions on aptitude (but also have a coding section).
The Programming section is common in all the tests but if you are targeting these companies then make
sure you focus on Aptitude also.
► The interview process of Service Based companies mostly consists of 1-2 Rounds.
The interviewers focus more on the basic concepts and Resume (For lower packages 3.5lpa)
But for higher-paid roles offered by these companies, they test the candidates properly so you need to have
a good understanding of whatever you gave mentioned in your resume and basics of CSE core subjects.
► Product Based & Fin tech companies hire mostly through Hiring Contest or Resume based selection for the
interview process to begin.
► Hiring Contests are majorly focused on Problem Solving but companies like Goldman Sachs also ask
Aptitude, Numerical Reasoning, Abstract Reasoning, etc in their hiring test.
► The number of interviews can vary anywhere between 1-6 rounds.
► The interviews are majorly focused on problem-solving skills, CSE core concepts, and topics listed in your
resume.
► Various rounds can be: Technical Round, Code pair interviews, Bar raiser round, HR round
 On-campus vs Off-campus
On-campus Off-campus
More Chances of getting hired as
Getting hired is a bit harder.
competition is less.

The number of rounds is generally The number of rounds depends totally

lesser. on the company.

You can get placed with minimal

coding in companies like cognizant.
You need to be well prepared.
They test majorly on Aptitude and ask
basic questions in the interviews.

CTC has a wide range. How much you

can grab depends purely on your
CTC range is narrow for most of the preparation.
colleges (Except IITs, NITs, BITS etc) TCS offers 3.5 min in off-campus
While SDE1 salaries at Amazon can be
around 35 lpa.
Interview Preparation Tips:
► Know your resume: Prepare well about all the projects, internships, skills, etc that you have
mentioned in your resume.
► Read interview questions for each topic that you are preparing from geeks for geeks,
interviewbit, javatpoint, https://www.interviewbit.com/oops-interview-questions/ , or similar
websites.
► Give at least 10 mock interviews on pramp.com before the actual interview.
► Do company-specific preparation when interviews are near.
► Read at least 10-15 interview experiences on geeks for geeks or similar websites.
► For code pair interviews:
1. Explain your approach instead of directly jumping to the code section
2. Start from brute force
3. Talk about your assumptions if any
4. Do clear conversation and speak while you code
5. Give proper names to the variables and try writing clean code
6. Writing comments is always a plus point
7. Talk about Space and Time Complexity of your code
8. Optimize the brute force solution
9. Talk about Space and Time Complexity of your code & the tradeoffs
10. Always ask the interviewer whether he/she is satisfied with your approach or more
optimization is needed.
► Wear formals. Make sure you have a proper internet connection and phone on silent mode in
case of a virtual interview.
► Prepare few HR questions and do some research about the company.
► https://www.linkedin.com/in/arshgoyal/
https://www.youtube.com/user/ARSHG1998
https://t.me/goyalarsh
► Visit career page of companies

► Be active on LinkedIn.
► Apply directly for the job on careers page (depends a lot on your resume)
► Job opportunities through coding contests and hackathons
► Take referral to ensure that you get the test link.
Approach the right person on LinkedIn or in your contacts with you resume and
job id/link
► Cold mailing the recruiters with a short message and resume.

Note: If you want to take referral then take it before applying to the job opening.
You will receive a referral link, then apply using that link.
This is the general process followed by most of the companies if your are
applying to any job opening:
1. Application stage : Apply through any of the process mentioned in the
above slide.
2. Resume short listing stage
3. Test : Test link will be received. The test can contain coding questions,
CSE core mcq , Aptitude questions or a mix of any of the things
mentioned before.
4. Various Interview rounds can be- Technical Round, Code pair interviews,
Bar raiser round, HR round. (Depends on the company)
All the best