Schlumberger Interview Questions, Process, and Tips for Freshers

Interview preparation tips for other job seekers - 2D n isometric drawing prepared

Interview preparation tips for other job seekers - Had a fun time giving 5 rounds back to back

Round: Resume Shortlist
Experience: Resume based shortlisting

Round: Group Discussion
Experience: "Change the topic" was the topic of the GD. All the GD topics were random like this one. Another topic I can remember is "Hakuna Matata".About 8 members were part of the GD.Speak something sensible about the topic and you'll clear the GD. I think for Schlum it is more an elimination round than a selection round. Most of them cleared GD in my group.
Tips: Only one guy who was silent was left out. So, use the opportunity and speak!
Duration: 10-15 minutes

Round: Group Activity
Experience: We were divided into groups of 4 and were given a few building blocks to build something stable and that can move (4 groups per each group activity round). They then exchange the group models and ask them to sell it to the other groups, as in, you try to sell another group's model. Other groups can ask you two questions each.

Round: HR Interview
Experience: Interview started on points outside my resume. They tried to make it a stress interview initially. Then moved on to questions on my institute life and what I would have done differently, if given another chance. A few questions were also based on my resume.
Tips: Interviews are not orthodox. Expect some weird questions and maintain your cool while answering. Prepare a good answer for convincing them that you're not going to do an MBA anytime soon. They are looking for people who'll stay in the company for more than 2 years at least. So, make your answers sound like that . Didn't specifically prepare for this. Know your resume well and more importantly know yourself well.

General Tips: Yes. I started preparing for fin companies after getting shortlisted for DB and Credit Suisse.Read the business parts in the news paper and Economic Times, went through some basics in fin and economics from the books available on lan , did some puzzles, CAT prep to some extent. It might have been the right way of going but it wasn't enough. It didn't work out
well in the end.Brushed up all my internship project works. Being thorough with them is very important.Went through the basics of few related courses. Take good care on what courses you put on resume, because you need to be thorough with them.
Skill Tips: I was confident and my answers were to the point. Knew my resume well. Was able to justify all the questions based on my resume and personality.Started working on my resume earlier though (September may be). Yes, starting earlier would have helped.Resume, courses, project works, little prep for CAT, interview prep - HR answers towards the end. Group prep helps (Wing GDs, mock interviews)
Skills: Puzzels, Team playing, Leadership skills.
College Name: IIT Madras

Round: Group Discussion
Experience: I chipped in 3-4 times. My points were accepted by the group in general. Also I expressed my support and extended a point mentioned by another person in the group. It was a decent discussion with very little arguments or chaos.
Tips: Be patient. Listen to what others have to say. Make sure that whatever you say is relevant and adds value to the
discussion, no matter how fewer words you speak.

Round: Group Activity
Experience: A group of 7 students were given 3 minutes to choose a design for a toy car. 7 minutes to implement it from memory and another 5 minutes to sell it to the invigilators.

Round: HR Interview
Experience: It started with tell me something about yourself. In my answer I mentioned that I want to do a field job from where the next series of questions came. Why a field job? Why not an office job? Why not higher studies? Why not MBA? How long do you plan to stay in the field? How do you think you will be able to do it after say 3 years when you plan to settle down? What has been your involvement in campus? Tell in brief 3 initiatives you took as the president of the hostel. Are you afraid of water? Do you swim? Do you have any relatives in the oil field? What companies did you interview with? I answered the questions honestly. After 2-3 rounds of cross questioning, every time I was able to give them a reason for a particular choice I made.

General Tips: I was sure that I do not want to go for higher studies just after IIT, but still gave GRE thinking that after 2 years I may apply. Because of the same reason, I ruled out the option for CAT and GMAT and chose to do a job. Now looking at the list I have mentioned in the companies I interviewed with, it becomes apparent that I did not decide which sector to go for. But it was not like that. I realized that it was not possible for me to try my hand at every option I had. So, I decided to prepare for core and consulting. Consulting because what I learnt from seniors I thought I would enjoy it and core because it was one area I thought I had a good grip on and was easier to prepare. For core, you can revise some of the basics of courses like EE 370, EE 610, C/C++, VHDL/Verilog (try to do it a little bit early as during the placement semester a lot of other things will take up your time). Also you should be thorough with your internship and thesis. You can easily impress the interviewer in these areas if you have a good hold on them. To prepare for consulting, I read a few cases by myself (a whole bunch of consulting guides are available on the SPO placement portal). Then attended the mock sessions organized by the consulting club. Also formed groups of three to practice more case studies. Because of inadequate reading I think I lacked a basic practical approach as compared to my peers. I was bad at guess estimates in particular and prayed till the last day that I may not face one. Resume is also a very important aspect in your preparation. Prepare it well in advance, take feedback from a couple of seniors working in that particular sector and do incorporate those changes which you think will help improve its impact on the recruiter. Practice is the only way out to crack GD’s and tests. Don’t do too much of it either. First and foremost try to find out what kind of a job you would want to do by gathering information by reading about it yourself, talking to people working in that industry, matching it with your priorities and your long term goals. It sounds difficult but trust me it’s better to do some thinking now then to regret later.

Prepare your resume well. Even if it is a small point in your resume be prepared to speak at least 2-3
meaningful sentences about it.


No matter however trivial it seems, please do not rush with whatever you are saying. First think and develop a strong argument to support your statement. Also please try to avoid any preconceived notions you might have formed during preparation time to interfere with your attitude on the final day. Stay focused to answer the question asked to you then.


No matter what do not speak until you are sure, but once you are don't change your answer until and unless the interviewer points out the flaw in your assumption.

Be genuine and sound convincing. Once you take a stand, be firm on it no matter whatever extreme situations the interviewer throws on you. Start reading about whatever sector interests you. It’s never too early to start. Prior knowledge will count a lot not only in your preparations but will also help you in making better decisions about what you want. As it will happen, some interviews will go good some bad, don't get disheartened because no good will come out of it. Moreover, you will spoil the next interviews. Go with a smile in every interview and be yourself. Just think about doing well in this interview and nothing else. Hope you make the most out of the time and resources you have and enjoy as well.
College Name: IIT KANPUR

Round: Test
Experience: I was also shortlisted for Schlumberger but could not make it through the interviews. But, was finally placed in Coca-Cola.
Tips: If you are preparing for a core job then make sure you revise your core courses either in the summers or before because you might not get sufficient time during the semester and do it thoroughly as they would be highly beneficial for the technical interview.

General Tips: From the beginning itself I was involved a lot in extracurricular activities:
1. I was involved in Roboclub,
2. Coordinated Robogames in Techkriti,
3. Was a part of Boeing Abhyast Phase 2 and 3,
4. Did 2 summer projects under roboclub, also organized robotics workshop in schools as a representative of a startup in robotics.
I did an internship in Nokia Research Centre, University of California Berkeley.
College Name: IIT KANPUR