HMSHost Management Trainee Interview Questions and Answers for Freshers

Interview preparation tips for other job seekers - Be confident in the GD, having humility is more important than being right, but don't preen or push your opinion

Round: Resume Shortlist
Experience: This is the most important part of the placement procedure. All your shortlists are based on how well you can portray what you’ve done in insti and before. Start writing your resume as soon as possible, the first deadline is typically somewhere in October and a resume generally needs 8-10 revisions.
Tips: 1. Start every line with an action verb.
2. Keep the no. of words to a minimum.
3. Remove all the unnecessary words you can. Nobody likes reading stories.
4. Each point should show impact. More than what you’ve done, you should tell them how differently you’ve done it and how it made a difference to the organization and team you worked for. (Common misconception is that impact is only in terms of numbers, this is not the case). I agree this can get very difficult but this is what differentiates and ordinary resume from an extra-ordinary one. So think!
5. Finally, keep the technical part as simple and coherent as possible. Remember an HR is going to be reading your resume.
6. Exaggeration is fine. Say you increased the number of events from 3 to 6. It is okay to write that you brought about a 100% increase in the number of events. But at the same time NEVER write anything in your resume which you cannot explain or substantiate with examples. This gives a very bad impression to the company.

Round: Group Discussion
Experience: This is a normal round with a given topic.

Round: HR Interview
Experience: This is a must round in every company.
Tips: An excellent way of preparing this is writing everything down as experiences. Begin from your school days and think about any activity you’ve been part of or anything you’ve mentioned in your resume. Write down three points about what you did as part of the team or project and three points about what you learnt from it. This really helps. Especially the writing down part, since you can’t remember everything you thought about. This becomes a ready reference just a day or two before your interviews. Do not make the mistake of not preparing enough for HR.
This is as important as any other preparation you have to do for placements. And WRITE stuff down!"

Round: Other Interview
Experience: This was a phone interview. Two people on a conference with me. One guy was asking me only core questions randomly from all subjects ranging from IC engines to fluid mechanics. The other guy was asking me about my previous internship and about how my work affected the factory. They also asked me to give examples from personal life, where I exhibited leadership skills etc. This interview went on for about 45 minutes.

College Name: IIT Madras

Round: Resume Shortlist
Experience: The initial shortlist was done on the basis of resume, CGPA and Branch.

Round: Group Discussion
Experience: It was a case study based GD. Three minutes time was given to read the case which was about a plane which had crashed and the whole scenario was explained. There were 7 survivors and one had to choose an appropriate leader among them who would lead them either out of the jungle to nearest occupied area or help them survive to wait for reinforcements.
It is always good to read the case early and look to initiate the discussion. But be careful to let others read as well. I did the same. Next after putting your points try to steer the discussion in the right direction. People were getting very emotional and excited and were looking to speak without bothering that rest of the participants were listening to them. There was a time in the GD when 5 people out of 8 were speaking at once leading to chaos. I opted to keep quiet and tried to listen as much as I could, appreciating good points put up by few of them. Finally, I interrupted to tell them to speak one by one and passed the discussion to one of them, who was making some valid points. At the end, look to conclude while taking into consideration valid points put up by others (this demonstrates you are an active listener) and add your own creative/innovative points. There were two observers both of whom took my final HR interview.

Round: Technical Interview
Experience: In technical round they were three interviewers one was an electrical engineering alumni of IITR who asked me technical questions and rest were mostly observing. Firstly, I was asked Tell me about yourself? I explained about my life at IIT Roorkee, about my participation in Cognizance, about my hobbies like squash and then about my family. I went on speaking for about 15-20 minutes, I was hoping they would interrupt me at some point. Finally, I was left with nothing to say as I had told them everything. They were like Phew!!  As if I was telling them a story. Next, they asked about my internship. What did I do? How as an electrical engineer I gave my inputs to the internship?
Next, they asked about my B.Tech. project? My guides name? What I was doing in the project? I explained it all on a sheet of paper. I don’t think he was able to understand what I was telling, so he interrupted.
Then he asked about my favorite subject in electrical engineering and my grades in that subject. He also inquired about my department rank.
Next he asked me some technical questions: What is floating point neutral? What is earth résistance and some others. I was able to answer most of them and rest which I didn’t know I told him after some deliberation straight away that I didn’t know the right answer. One important thing that helped me here is that I spoke put my thinking process and the interviewer also helped me to reach the final answer. Finally he asked me to tell something interesting about myself? That ended the interview.

Round: HR Interview
Experience: For the next round, there were two interviewers; they asked me why my SGPA had fallen in last semester? I told them as it was a tough semester in EE nd hence my SGPA had dropped. Next they asked me about how I manage conflicting priorities in life. I answered to them in reference to the previous question that after scoring less SGPA in the last semester I was disappointed and in some part of my mind I was blaming my participation in Cognizance as the reason for it. This semester I had to choose to be the convener of the festival. It was an important decision as it would affect my studies. I told them as studies were my top priority in IITR as it always has been. Rather than giving up on the team which I was to lead, I told them I decided to take this as a challenge and correct my mistakes. And now my aim is to score an SGPA over 9 this semester while conducting the festival successfully. They looked impressed and this ended the interview.
Tips: Study your resume well especially internship. Don’t add any internship (2nd year) where you haven’t done anything.Prepare your technical/core subjects practical/application based. Last but not the least, be yourself.

College Name: IIT KANPUR

Round: Resume Shortlist
Experience: There was a resume based selection in which they were looking for guys with overall good personality with a little bit of technical background. There was no written test.

Round: HR Interview
Experience: In the interview they were not concerned about my technical knowledge. I had prepared for technical questions related to my internship and my final year thesis project but I was asked no questions from the same.

They inquired about other aspects of my internship and grilled me on the same. So my advice for all those appearing for Nestle is that they should prepare for the internship properly. They also asked me general HR questions like what are my strengths and weaknesses. They were interested in knowing about my long term and short term goals and where do I see myself after 5-10 years.

They also tested me on my knowledge about the company. They asked me what do I know about Nestle and what all Nestle products have I used. They also asked me questions about Nestle’s competitors and their products.

College Name: IIT ROORKEE

Round: Group Discussion
Experience: It was a tricky problem. I gave five minutes to thinking that what I would have done if I would have had been there and kind of broke down the problem using the consultancy approach I had studied. I focussed over the maximum profitability of company on production and quality and tried to compromise a little bit on Human resources.
As I opened and concluded the discussion myself with major inputs, it went pretty well for me
Tips: - Be practical in approach
- Dont just give points for the sake of talking - it goes in negative side
- HUL focusses a lot on GD - more than interviews - as the problems are real life cases - so be really prepared (if you didn't have any supply chain experience - sit with someone who had it earlier and discuss problems as mentioned)

Round: HR Interview
Experience: - Hobbies were asked
- I enjoyed every minute of it
Tips: - Keep calm
-Be who you are!!

Round: Technical Interview
Experience: Grilled me on every basics of mechanical engineering
Tips: Keep your basics strong!

General Tips: Again, Be yourself! Be prepared well and dont just rush everywhere with the herd! please! 
Do analyse every company and realise your future goals - does it match with your company?
Belive me, you don't need money and fat packages now, you just need to work for your dreams!
I was lucky that i got the work with a good package - but anybody can make money - there are very few who really realise their passion! you will get what you deserve - No less no more! :)
Skill Tips: HUL demands really good leadership skill experience. Mechanical Engineering books helped :p ( I didn't study for it , though this was my first priority - p&g intern helped).
Be prepared about their vision - try to incline them with yours! It impresses them like anything - worked for me at least!
Skills: Technical , Leadership, Teamwork
College Name: IIT BOMBAY
Motivation: Its sustainability causes! check out their investment on sustainaibility designing of future retail! Mindphack!
It has the biggest CSR investment and its pay is high too, money with your dreams - who doesnt need that, huh!? :D
Funny Moments: Interviewer 1 : So, on which brand were you exactly working at p&g?
Me: Sir I guess I am not allowed to say that provided I have signed a confidentiality agreement with p&g
Interviewer 1 : They are not hiring anyone this time, it doesn't matter now, right? 
Me : Sir, lets take a condition replacing p&g with HUL and vice versa in this condition - would you have liked me leaking your data? It wouldn't have mattered me even then :D
Interviewer 1 : -_-
Interviewer 2 : Haha :D :D

Round: Resume Shortlist
Experience: Resume submission was around 20th September
Tips: Be prepared before 20th November

Round: HR Interview
Experience: Most of the questions were about internship and projects. There were direct questions on favourite courses. One page form will be given to fill personal details
Tips: You should be thorough with the points in your resume . Attached justified proofs. One page resume should be there.

College Name: IIT MADRAS
Motivation: The company needed a socially good person who had a ability to learn new things

Round: Resume Shortlist
Experience: The company expects all aspirants to fill out a form provided by them. This contains questions that ask aspirants to mention the Tech­ oriented Projects done and scholarships/ awards won. HR questions include questions like Events that influenced the candidate the most.
Tips: ​Put co­curricular achievements that showcase leadership. Highlight all Tech related activities. Be completely confident about the projects that are on the resume. Highlight internship details that are related to the activities of HUL. An FMCG internship adds brownie points.

Round: Group Discussion
Experience: 1­2 days before interview the GD is conducted. The attendees of GD will include BTechs, Mtechs, PhDs of Chemical and Mechanical engineering. Candidates are expected to go in formals. Topics of GD include situation based topics like factory’s case study.

Round: Technical Interview
Experience: First stage: Usually lasts 30 minutes. This interview is majorly Technical. The candidate is asked to specify a topic of interest on which further questions will be asked. Extensive and intrusive questions about the internship done will also be asked.
Tips: Do not choose topics that you are not entirely thorough with. Also,even if the interviewer asks about the previous company's personal details, beyond a stage, do not divulge. They wouldn’t want you doing the same with their company.

Round: HR Interview
Experience: Lasts for around 45 mins to 1 hours. It is usually telephonic. Standard HR questions will be asked.The company expects the students to have great capability of handling human relationships as they will be working with factory workers on a day to day basis.
Tips: ​prepare for a focussed set of companies. Aiming efforts at multiple companies will prove hazardous. Have a clear priority sorted out.

General Tips: Do not panic. Good companies come after day 5 also.Keep your calm and focus your efforts and thoughts.
Skills: analytical skills
College Name: IIT MADRAS