Depression, Stress and Hype: Surviving The Pressure Of The Placement Process

“I promise you nothing is as chaotic as it seems. Nothing is worth diminishing your health. Nothing is worth poisoning yourself into stress, anxiety, and fear.” ― Steve Maraboli.

The last few months at college are the most crucial and gruelling. You’re required to pack your belongings, wind your project work, leave college and your friends behind. And just when you think that you’ll learn to deal with whatever comes your way, the placement season creeps into the picture. Where handling the pressure of everything else was on the verge of exploding you, adding one more to the plate was not even the last thing you’d have expected. But now that you’ve faced the reality and have read its non-negotiable terms, you’ll have to survive the pressure of the placement process.

That doesn’t mean you’re stuck in the middle of the ocean with no way out! We are here to pull you out of your unintended pool of mess. So, we’ve listed below a few survival hacks that’ll help you breathe during your placement process.

1. Find your confidante

Your very step towards dealing with stress should be to talk to somebody. Be it your friend or a family member, find the one who can hear you out and help you calm your nerves. Talk about the intricacies that disturb you, the weak points that refrain you from facing the interviewer. Instead of looking for ways to divert your mind and attention, find the one person you can confide in. When in pressure cause of the placement process, even random conversations will help in stabilizing yourself.

2. Organize yourself, Prioritize things

Very often, stress hinders your thought process when you have a lot of things on your plate to deal with. This is when you need to figure things out and prioritize the tasks at hand. Don’t panic, everything will work out at its own pace. You don’t have to handle everything all at once, pick one, finish it first, then move on to the next. Break larger tasks into smaller sections and consider each of them as individual pieces, work on them bit by bit, piece by piece. 

3. Prepare yourself to face different kinds of interviewers

A common fact which you need to engrave in your system before sitting for an interview is: “Not all interviewers will be sympathetic”. Some might be friendly and some might not respond at all, holding a blank expression at all times. You’ll have to prepare yourself to face people of all kinds, knowing how to answer in each scenario. Don’t be scared, the interviewer is just another person who is here to test your skills, a lot like the viva exams you must have sat for during your college days. And you don’t necessarily have to nail your first interview. Try staying confident and don’t let the interviewer intimidate you.

4. Focus on the underlying issues

In order to handle the pressure and stress of the placement process, you need to identify the weak points. You might have not gotten through the top IT companies which would have added to your despair. Moreover, constant parental pressure to land a high-paying job might be another reason topping your list for distress. Instead of avoiding these underlying causes, work on them. If you haven’t been able to get through a top company, apply for the others. If you’re dedicated enough, you’ll land a good opportunity soon. Also, look for other feasible options like going for higher education. Having a plan B in mind will keep you tension-free.

5. Work on your communication skills

One primary reason why most students fear the placement season is because of their poor communication skills. Added to this, they aren’t confident about themselves and thus are scared of facing the interviewer. Top companies often look for candidates who can communicate well and can connect on an individual level with their teammates. With this being one of the primary requirements, you must work on developing your skills in communication. Talk to your peers about it and seek help from your mentors. If you stammer in stressful situations, try meditating before sitting for an interview.

Even though stress is inevitable, do not let it overpower the better part of you. Nothing is impossible if you have the zeal to make it to the top. When your years of hard work are supposed to bear results finally, do not let ‘stress’ be the obstruction in your path.

Breathe, you’ve got this!