Student placed at Microsoft with 50 LPA shares how he aced his job interview

Siddhivinayak Dubey, a B.Tech. CSE Graphics & Gaming (2018-22) student, who got placed at Microsoft, reveals the keys to answering questions during placement interviews, and how participating in performing arts proved beneficial in landing the coveted job

Every year, thousands of students graduate with degrees in different fields, aspiring to build their careers at the world’s best companies. They are aware that the competition is fierce, hence they must put their best foot forward during placements, when the campus is pulsating with recruiters from industry behemoths.

During his placement, B.Tech. student Siddhivinayak Dubey leveraged his strengths and used competition as a motivating force to give his best. “Frankly speaking, placements are highly competitive. Every student with different gifts tries their best to outperform everyone. However, this competitiveness became a source of motivation to push myself harder and achieve something I could never have thought of, had I settled already,” he recalls.

It was the industry-aligned academic training at UPES that equipped Siddhivinayak for the world of work, and he landed an INR 50 LPA offer from Microsoft. “The essence of practical learning where I could visualise what I learned theoretically prepared me for the workplace. It helped me portray my skills and understanding of the subjects in front of industry experts. The strong industry exposure at UPES enables us to learn more about the companies and provides excellent ways to explore different company cultures and ways of working,” he says.

Siddhivinayak specialises in Graphics and Gaming, a branch focusing on the creative visual element of tech science such as Game Development, 3D and 2D Animation, Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality. Though what he liked the most about his education were the experiences which came along with it. “Learning is a never-ending process. Therefore, enjoying the journey is much more important than merely working towards completing a degree,” he says.

Elaborating on the questions asked during the interview, Siddhivinayak says that his participation in performing arts proved beneficial in landing the coveted job. “I had four interviews in total, and apart from technical questions, what I got asked about the most was my co-curricular activities. I was the President of Lazarus Performing Arts, the cultural society of UPES. I led a team full of creative individuals, which helped me to grow as a team player while pushing my limits to the full extent. Joining clubs and attending events can help you meet people from different backgrounds, explore diverse perspectives, and expand your worldview,” he informs.  

What skills does he hope to gain working in this job? “I hope to enhance my knowledge and understanding of the beauty of tech science, so I can solve problems and empower people’s lives,” Siddhivinayak signs off.