Nirma Graduate Engineer Interview Questions and Answers for Freshers

Topics to prepare for Hindustan Unilever Graduate Apprentice Trainee interview:

• According to your graduation

Interview preparation tips for other job seekers - Practices well and be confident during the interview and presented to own self with a positive attitude

Round: Test
Experience: The test wasn't too difficult but needed presence of mind. No extraordinary formulae or tricks needed.
Tips: Manage your time carefully. Many students failed to do well because they could not attempt all sections to their best.
Trust your instincts.
Duration: 45 minutes
Total Questions: 40

Round: Group Discussion
Experience: The discussion period seemed a bit too long and the whole group(8 people) was running out of ideas to keep the GD going. So everyone tried to iteratively speak on the same aspects of the topic. The people who explored different dimensions of the topic and were able to present it adequately made it through.
Tips: Try being a leader and sway the GD on your whims.
Keep exploring the current topics so that you are not left hapless on hearing the topic. This is just a preventive measure.
Try exploring new dimensions of the given topic and prevent the discussion from becoming monotonous.
Duration: 20 minutes

Round: Technical Interview
Experience: The interview was a little longer than expected. The interviewer was really polite and supportive and the questions were not meant to undermine you. They wanted to check the logical and practical knowledge.
Tips: Stay confident.
Do not try to beat around the bush. Be blunt if you do not know something.

Round: HR Interview
Experience: This interview basically extracted everything about me and being conducted through Skype, it was something of a new experience.
Tips: Stay confident at all times (which I apparently lost a couple of times and was pointed out).

Skill Tips: Have perfect preparation with at least two subjects of the core domain.
Skills: Fluid Mechanics, Heat Transfer, Mass Transfer
College Name: NIT Jalandhar
Motivation: I always wanted to be a part of a core company due to my interest in technical field which mostly developed after I took up Chemical Engineering.
Funny Moments: After the second round(cross panelling) of technical interview (which I hadn't expected because I thought the interview didn't have a second round), I realized I had spoken way more than required in the interview and maybe sounded way too nervous in the interview. Thats when the interviewers talked amongst themselves and one of them went on to saying" Yaar ye ladka bhot bolta hai"( This guy speaks a lot). Thats when I became a little conscious that I had even interrupted the interviewer a couple of times. Not too funny but yeah one of the few lighter moments.

Round: Test
Experience: The first round was a pen and paper-based test. There were no specific problems that bothered me in the written test. I found the questions to be fairly decent and somewhat challenging. The questions in the 'quantitative ability' section were a bit on the tougher side, while the 'logical reasoning' and 'verbal ability' questions were quite easy. However, some questions were phrased slightly ambiguously and led to some confusion during the test.
Tips: For getting through the written aptitude tests, be sure to practice a lot of questions of different kinds and within a certain time limit. The earlier you start, the better it is. Calculation speeds matter a lot in this regard. Personally, I had just solved 15-20 questions in total, each question of a different kind, before the written test. You need to assess your specific strengths and strike the right balance between speed and accuracy.
Duration: 60 minutes
Total Questions: 45

Round: Group Discussion
Experience: I didn't resort to any elaborate preparation to get through the GD round. To start off, I was a bit nervous about this particular round. So, I focused on speaking at least twice during the GD round and concentrated on accumulating the views of other people and then putting forth my opinion. I avoided getting into a direct conflict with any of my group members and tried putting my point across while maintaining the harmony of the group. In the end, a majority of my group got selected for the subsequent rounds.
Tips: For the GD rounds, try to be in touch with day-to-day matters and have a basic idea about how different topics are shaping up all around the world. Focus on making valid and reasonable points in the GD and don't just blabber for the sake of speaking. Try to be a part of the group and the solution making process. The groups that have better understanding and consistency in the GD rounds are more likely to experience less eliminations.
Duration: 20 minutes

Round: HR Interview
Experience: The third and fourth rounds were personal interviews (PI) and both were elimination rounds. These rounds consisted of both technical and HR questions. For the HR questions, I ploughed ITC's official website and gathered information related to the work that they do and determined how my interests and abilities best suited their purpose. I focused on giving clear answers and avoided inconsistencies and confusions. The HR questions were quite straightforward and the interviewers were very friendly. I was asked about my hobbies and the co-curricular and extra-curricular activities that I was involved in. They also sought to know if I had been involved in any leadership positions before and how I had managed my team. Lastly, they wanted to know my motivation behind applying for the company and asked me what role I wanted to take up if I was selected for the job.
Tips: For the HR interview, try to have a clear idea as to why you are applying for the given company and avoid inconsistencies in your statements. Make a rough sketch about the person you are, including your strengths and weaknesses and be presentable. In fewer words, stay simple and know yourself.

Round: Technical Interview
Experience: The third and fourth rounds were personal interviews (PI) and both were elimination rounds. These rounds consisted of both technical and HR questions. For countering the technical questions, I went through the major subjects and focused on the concepts that were most likely to be asked in an interview. I had done two summer research internships in my second year and third year (one in IIT Kharagpur and another in IIT-BHU). So, I went through the details of the work that I had done during those two internships and prepared myself for possible questions in that regard. I did a similar kind of preparation regarding the projects that I had been a part of within the institute. I was asked very detailed questions related to my internships and my other project works. They wanted to determine whether I was aware of the practical applications and the minute details of the projects that I had worked on. Apart from that, I was asked numerous technical questions related to 'Mass Transfer', 'Heat Transfer', 'Thermodynamics', 'Nanotechnology', etc. Overall, the technical interviews were quite extensive and rigorous.
Tips: Emphasize on conceptual clarity and applications rather than memorizing definitions or formulae. Go through the topics you have worked on during your internships and institute-level projects and have a thorough idea about the theory behind them and their importance and applicability on an industrial scale. Also, try to identify the core subjects that you are strong in and prepare accordingly, because they may ask you to select a subject of your choice and you would be asked the majority of questions from that part.

Round: Behavioural Interview
Experience: This was the fifth and the final round of the overall process and consisted of a 'Skype' interview with two Chief Technical Officers (CTOs) of ITC-PCPB. This was a 15-20 minutes long affair and was basically a 'fit interview'. However, this also turned out to be an elimination round and only two out of four candidates were eventually selected. I was asked a variety of questions related to my daily life and the points that I had mentioned in my CV. I was also asked what my expectations were if I was selected for the job and where I see myself 4-5 years down the line after I join the company. Their reactions didn't seem very assuring or pleasing and I was quite apprehensive; however, things eventually went my way!
Tips: Be confident and know how to defend yourself without being aggressive or rude. You will be put under stress during the interview and the interviewers would try to get under your skin and seem to disagree with you on many points. Therefore, try to stay calm and stick to your point regardless of their disagreements. However, take care not to be rude or go overboard with your body language. Basically, your stress-handling capacity and your response under such situations are evaluated.

General Tips: Assess yourself and determine which sector your abilities are best suited for and what kind of a job you would be interested in and satisfied with. Thereafter, try to gather as much information as possible about the sector that you would be opting for, including the job profiles and growth opportunities that are available. On the day of company visit, dress up crisply and look smart. Also, try to maintain a smiling face throughout and look energetic; no interviewer wants to see drooping shoulders and slacking expressions.
Skill Tips: Think clearly and present your views confidently and efficiently. Improve your communication skills and your technical knowledge, because the latter matters a lot. Lastly, try to convince the interviewers about your leadership skills and your ability to manage a team, while being under stress. In a nutshell, have a very clear idea about what you are getting into and try to show your best side and highlight your strengths.
Skills: Behavioural Skills, Clarity Of Concepts, Ability To Work In A Team, Leadership Skills, Knowledge Of Projects Undertaken, Internship Experience, Knowledge Gained Through Recent Research Project, Ability To Cope Up With Stress, Technical Understanding, Clarity In Arguments, Verbal Communication Skills, Group Discussion Skills, Verbal Ability, Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude
College Name: NIT Rourkela
Motivation: ITC is a pretty well-known brand and has been in existence for over a century now. Moreover, it's a core company and fits well with my interests. I am interested in doing research in an industrial environment and I am hopeful of getting a chance to work in the R&D division of the company in the future. To top it off, the compensation is pretty good too! Hence, ITC seemed to be the perfect option for me.