Company: Capgemini
Profile: Analyst
Salary: 3.25 LPA
Place: Hyderabad
Number of Rounds: 3
Result: Selected
Application process
I applied for the placement interview for an Analyst’s position with Capgemini India, through my college. My college is registered on Firstnaukri.com and Capgemini came in contact with the placement cell of my college via Firstnaukri.com itself.
In this campus recruitment drive, I got selected. Later, I attended another placement drive conducted by Accenture in my college. I cracked that one too and at present I have both the offers in hand. I would like to share my placement experience with Capgemini India in detail in this article.
Capgemini conducted an on-campus drive at my college, in Hyderabad city. Me and my batchmates attended the same and some of us returned home with spot offers on the same day itself.
The company had set a minimum qualification criterion for all the applicants. Only those candidates who met these standards were allowed to attend the placement drive. The eligibility criteria for qualification was as follows:
The student should be a full-time B. Tech, B. E. or MCA candidate, bearing first class marks (i.e. at least 60% aggregate percentage or a CGPA of 6 out of 10).
• The student should have secured a minimum of 60% in both 10th and 12th Science board exams.
• The student should be a regular full-time student with no gaps in career.
• The student should not have any backlogs in the graduation/PG tenure.
• The student should have secured a minimum of 60% in both 10th and 12th Science board exams.
• The student should be a regular full-time student with no gaps in career.
• The student should not have any backlogs in the graduation/PG tenure.
Interview rounds
Following rounds were conducted in my Capgemini placement drive.
Aptitude test – The first stage of any campus interview process is an online exam i.e. a written test. The pattern may vary from one company to another. Some placement papers will have a cut-off score on the total or a sectional cut-off mark range, while others may include negative marking. Only when this criterion is met, a candidate will move onto the remaining rounds.
Some placement papers have an English written test in which one has to write an email or a story. Others may conduct a mixed bag test where the questions cover everything from quantitative aptitude and logical reasoning, to English language and coding in C language. My Capgemini paper was a mixed bag test.
The aptitude section covered topics spanning through percentage problems, profit and loss puzzles and more. I struggled in this section as it took me a more than a minute to solve every problem and come up with the right answers. Fortunately, I finished the paper just in time. Had I practiced properly, the solutions would have come easily to me.
Technical Interview(s) – This one was a purely technical round and my skills in C, C++, Java etc. were tested in this one. If you have mentioned data structures and arrays in your resume, you must be thorough in them, otherwise you will be in a soup.
In this round, the interviewer covered questions from C language. Questions from my B. Tech syllabus concepts were also asked and the interviewer also inquired about all my projects and internships. I tried to be as truthful and honest as possible. I did not bluff because I was scared he would catch me.
HR round – I was asked to speak about myself, my education and hobbies, my family background and future goals. This round lasted for about 30 minutes.
This round is not as tough as the previous technical round. I was already feeling confident from within as I had cleared the previous rounds successfully, hence I was able to answer all the questions of the interviewer calmly. He asked some very common interview questions and I tackled them smartly with my business English and good communication skills.
He also asked me about my strengths and how I will put them into use for Capgemini. Then he asked if I have a preferred location in my mind and if I was comfortable with rotational shifts and overseas travel. I answered affirmatively.
They also checked all my certificates, marksheets and accolades. The HR was particularly impressed with my athletics awards (I am a marathon runner). I was asked if I loved running so much, why I did not become a professional athlete. I said, “Running will always remain a part of my life’s journey. I will keep participating in marathons as long as my health will permit, just like I will keep coding as long as my intellect will permit it. Both together hold a special place in my heart and I cannot do away with either.” The interviewer seemed very impressed with my answer. Probably this response secured a job for me in Capgemini!
Interview questions I faced in the HR round and how I answered them
I was asked to introduce myself and this is how I started my answer. “I am Rekkala Akhila from G. Pulla Reddy Engineering College. I have completed my B. Tech in 2017. I am a sprinter and have won several medals at national level marathons for my college and school.”
My learnings from this placement interview experience
The thing is Capgemini HR will try to cover as many topics from your curriculum as possible. Don’t forget to work on your communications skills. Avoid stammering as it is a sign of nervousness.
My learnings from the written test – Practice all types of aptitude questions in advance so that you can solve the problems in the written test within the allocated time slot.
My learnings from the technical round – You should be well versed in all the topics and skills mentioned in the resume. For instance, if you know OOPs with Java well and are still weak in Unix, do not mention Unix anywhere on your resume.
My learnings from the personal interview – During the HR interview, when you will be asked to tell about yourself, do not get into too many details. Avoid revealing all about your parents’ education, families, professions, financial conditions back home etc. Just reveal their names, your family size, native place and occupation(s) of parent(s). Do mention your hobbies and interests, while constantly maintaining a positive tone. Immediately the interviewer will switch gears onto technical questions, and you will have to answer questions concerning your final year project, internship experiences, B. Tech. curriculum pertaining to your branch etc. So, arrive well prepared on the placement day.
A quick tip: Please read about Capgemini’s products and services, revenue bottom-line, office locations, latest breakthrough projects and other relevant information easily available on Google. Your interviewer might ask any of these to gauge your interest in Capgemini. In case you do not know, please don’t bluff. Politely pass the question saying, “Sorry Sir, I do not know the answer to this question.” Or “I would like to pass the question please.”
Prepare standard answers to common HR interview questions like ‘Tell me about yourself’, ‘Why should I hire you?’ and ‘Why do you want to join Capgemini?’ Make sure your responses are relevant to your background and understanding.
Some Capgemini interviewers are programmers themselves. I got to know from my super seniors that they are very adept at screening good talent. These professionals interview hundreds of candidates across multiple Engineering colleges every year. So, please be prepared as they will not leave a stone unturned to test your skills.
Hopefully my Capgemini placement experience-cum-interview story inspired you. I am sure it will help freshers across colleges in India crack both on-campus and off-campus placement drives in the near future.
All the best!
