Pre-Placement Preparation, Citibank
Profile at a Glance:
Mumbai Suburban Railways Project: Optimization of crew schedules, Master’s Thesis. Proposed the project to Western Railways, got covered in Times of India Edelweiss Financial Services Summer Internship: Worked as an algorithmic trader
Indian Army Project: Analysis of signals from radar to detect non-metallic buried landmines
Entrepreneurial Venture: SaaS platform for complete chatbot management, Won competitions (including Top 5 in Eureka’17, 2nd in Crusade’17), received mentorship from IIT alumni and industry experts
Technical Projects: Machine learning app for non-coders, Ethereum app, IoT Irrigation System, 360° sound generation tool, rating horror movies on heart rate readings
Extracurricular: Teaching Assistant, National Social Services Associate, Hostel Secretary, Anchored multiple events, performed plays, fluent Spanish
Pre-Placement Preparation
Work on your speaking skills
I believe that this is the most important aspect that can get you a job swiftly. Learning to communicate your thoughts efficiently will help you in all spheres of your life.
Learn to sell yourself
Remember that the interviewers are humans too. Naturally, they are drawn to stories. If possible, tell the interviewers why you took on a particular project and why is the problem interesting. I believe that this is specifically important for non-core profiles. Interviewers would be more drawn towards your narrations. This paints a picture that you make informed choices and shows you can propose and execute on initiatives.
Resume Preparation
Be thorough with every point you mention in the resume. Keep in mind that whatever you write in your resume can be cross-questioned. Be well prepared for questions that the interviewer might throw at you. Ask your friends to go through your resume and make them ask you questions. It is highly probable
whatever doubts come up in your friend’s minds might come in the minds of the interviewers.
Citibank
Citibank’s Global Consumer Bank program selects individuals who could work in different verticals of their business. They were looking for strategic thinkers, people with creative ideas and good communication skills.
Round 1: Group Discussion
We were clubbed in groups of 8 and were evaluated by a panellist of 2. There were 2 GDs, each of 10 minutes duration. The topics of the group discussion were:
- Structure follows strategy
The first topic is abstract and loose enough to be discussed from various angles. I would recommend not open/close such topics for the vast amount of discussion scope possible. Discuss the topic with examples. Mention a bit about your experiences or background to support your arguments. - Section 377 in corporate Sector
Section 377 was in the news, a month before the placements. Being an avid news reader, I had some facts in mind. Highlight the points to be discussed. Relate the topic to other similar events/policies to back up your points.
Make sure you are being heard. Maintain an eye-to-eye contact with other participants and the panelists. Whenever given the chance to speak, put forth your views completely and at least present 3-4 sentences. Interrupting with a single sentence to add a little point may sometimes seem unnecessary to the panelist. Respect your peers and listen patiently when others speak. Sit in a confident body position.
Round 2: Personal Interview
There were again 2 people taking the interview. The interview was a discussion on the following:
- Academic life at IIT, little about personal interests
- Dual degree project
- Start-up experience
- Microsoft Hackathon that I had participated in
Be cheerful, attentive and confident during the interview. Always be clear with whatever you’re trying to convey. Avoid using technical jargon which the interviewer might not understand. Asking a question at the end of the interview is a good way to show interest.
Be-Prepared 