Fresher stories / Swejal Chaturvedi

Fresher story

From repeated rejections to a career in testing and compliance

Swejal Chaturvedi
Mechanical Engineering, Bundelkhand University, Jhansi (2019 to 2023)
Testing and compliance

Listen (16 min)Download PDF

The journey at a glance

1. Starting point
   B.Tech Mechanical Engineering, Bundelkhand University, Jhansi, 2019 to 2023. In third year I wanted to learn AutoCAD and CATIA but kept postponing, and I was unsure which career path to choose
2. Campus placements
   Rejected at JBM after a written test of 80 questions in 30 minutes, and then at Dyson for a maintenance-engineer-type role
3. The search
   Kept appearing for interviews and found my mistakes: the same resume everywhere, weak fundamentals, an unprepared favourite subject and no clear career path
4. The decision
   Selected for a marketing job at about Rs. 6 LPA, but said no because it involved fieldwork
5. Turning point
   A paid internship, then a better position offered inside the same company because of my performance
6. Today
   Working remotely in testing and compliance, with a better package and a clearer direction

Five lessons I want every engineering student to learn

1. Start learning practical skills early. Don't spend years thinking about AutoCAD, CATIA, SolidWorks or other tools. Pick one based on your interests and learn consistently.
2. Research the company before every interview: its products, the job description, the relevant technical concepts and the responsibilities of the position.
3. Never underestimate your engineering fundamentals. Revise Fluid Mechanics, Material Science, Thermodynamics, Manufacturing Processes and the subjects relevant to your target role.
4. Prepare your resume for the job. A carefully targeted resume is more useful than the same generic profile sent everywhere.
5. Treat internships as opportunities to learn and show your potential. Keep building your skills and judge opportunities by your long-term goals.

The full story

The beginning: dreams, confusion and missed opportunities

When I was in my third year of Mechanical Engineering, I started thinking about learning additional technical skills such as AutoCAD, CATIA and other design software. I knew these skills could improve my career opportunities, but I kept postponing the decision.

I wanted to learn something useful, but I wasn't sure which career path I wanted to pursue. Should I go into design, manufacturing, production, quality or something else?

Like many engineering students, I had heard about these career options, but I didn't have a clear understanding of what each role involved or which one would suit me best.

Before I knew it, I had entered my final year without developing a specialised skill beyond my regular engineering curriculum. I had tried exploring different options, including design software, but my confusion about choosing the right direction made it difficult to commit to one.

That confusion became more noticeable when campus placements began.

My first major rejection: the JBM interview

My first campus interview was with JBM. The selection process included a challenging written test with 80 questions to be attempted in just 30 minutes.

The competition was intense. Out of approximately 56 students, only four were selected at that stage, and only two eventually received joining letters.

I wasn't selected.

Naturally, it was disappointing, especially when I saw some of my friends getting selected. I started questioning myself. Was I less capable? Was I missing something that other students had?

Looking back, the JBM experience taught me something important: not every rejection means that you lack the necessary knowledge or ability. Sometimes the selection process is highly competitive, the time limit is demanding, and only a very small number of candidates make it through.

The Dyson interview: the importance of company-specific preparation

After that, I continued applying for opportunities and appeared for several interviews, including an interview at Dyson for a maintenance-engineer-type role.

I wasn't selected there either.

One of the important lessons I took away from this experience was the need to prepare according to the company and the role. Dyson is known for its technology-driven consumer products, including electronics and home appliances. Preparing only from the general Mechanical Engineering syllabus may not be sufficient when a role requires knowledge of a particular product, its working principles, components or associated technologies.

As freshers, we often focus on revising our college subjects but forget to research the company itself.

Before an interview, it is important to understand:

• What products does the company manufacture?
• What does the advertised role actually involve?
• Which technical concepts are most relevant to those products?
• What basic and application-based questions might the interviewer ask?

This preparation helps connect theoretical knowledge with practical applications. It also makes it easier to explain why your engineering background is relevant to the position.

The mistakes I discovered during my interview journey

As I continued appearing for interviews, I began to recognise patterns in the challenges I was facing.

1. Sending the same resume everywhere

Initially, like many freshers, I did not always tailor my resume to the specific job I was applying for.

However, a resume prepared for a design-engineering position should not necessarily be identical to one submitted for a quality, manufacturing, production or testing role.

Each position requires a different combination of skills, technical knowledge and responsibilities.

I learned that a resume should highlight the most relevant academic projects, technical skills, internships and achievements for the particular job. Even if you don't have professional experience, presenting your existing skills in a role-specific way can make your profile more relevant.

2. Neglecting the fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering

In some interviews, I encountered questions from subjects such as Fluid Mechanics, Material Science and other fundamental areas of Mechanical Engineering.

These were subjects we had studied during our degree, but I realised that passing an examination and being able to explain a concept confidently in an interview are two different things.

Interviewers may ask very basic questions to evaluate whether you genuinely understand the fundamentals.

For example, they might ask how a piston works in an engine, what a particular component does, or how a basic mechanical principle applies in a real situation.

This taught me that technical preparation should not be limited to advanced topics. A strong understanding of fundamentals is equally important.

3. Choosing a favourite subject without preparing deeply

Another important lesson came from a common interview question: "What is your favourite subject?"

As Mechanical Engineering students, we study numerous subjects across multiple semesters. When asked about our favourite subject, it can be tempting to mention several subjects or choose one simply because we scored well in it.

However, if you name a particular subject as your favourite, the interviewer may explore it in considerable depth.

For instance, if you choose Automobile Engineering, you should be prepared to explain engine components, piston operation and the functions of different mechanical systems. If you choose Fluid Mechanics or Material Science, you should be comfortable answering fundamental questions from those subjects as well.

The key is not to name the maximum number of subjects. It is to choose a subject you genuinely understand and prepare it thoroughly.

At the same time, mentioning multiple subjects is not inherently wrong. The important thing is to be honest about your strengths and ready to support your answers with sound technical knowledge.

4. Not knowing which career path to choose

Perhaps the biggest challenge was my uncertainty about my career direction.

I explored design software, manufacturing, production and other opportunities, but I struggled to decide which path to pursue seriously.

This uncertainty affected the way I prepared. Without a clear target role, it was difficult to decide which skills to prioritise and how to structure my interview preparation.

Eventually, I understood that students don't need to know their entire future from the beginning. But they do need to start exploring career options early, understand the skills required for different roles, and make informed decisions rather than endlessly postponing them.

The Rs. 6 LPA marketing opportunity

In the middle of these experiences, I was selected for a marketing position offering approximately Rs. 6 LPA.

For a fresher, it was an attractive package. However, the position involved fieldwork, and I had concerns about whether the nature of the role and its practical working conditions would suit me.

After considering the opportunity, I decided not to pursue that direction.

This experience taught me that a good salary alone does not guarantee that a job is the right choice. The responsibilities, work environment, personal comfort and long-term career goals also matter.

The turning point: discovering an internship opportunity

Eventually, I came across a company offering paid internships and applied for an opportunity there.

I appeared for the interview, got selected and started working as an intern.

This became an important turning point in my journey.

For the first time, I had an opportunity to move beyond classroom learning and experience a professional working environment. I could understand workplace expectations, learn practical processes and demonstrate my capabilities through actual work.

However, I also understood that an internship was not necessarily a permanent job. I needed to continue thinking about my long-term career and remain open to other opportunities.

So, alongside my internship, I continued exploring and appearing for interviews.

When performance started creating opportunities

During my internship, I received another job opportunity from a different organisation.

When I informed my internship employer that I was considering moving on, I learned that my onboarding process for a better position was already underway.

The company recognised my performance and offered me an opportunity to continue in a better position with improved compensation.

That moment was significant because it showed me the value of demonstrating your capabilities through your work.

An interview may provide the first opportunity, but consistent performance, willingness to learn and professional behaviour can help create further opportunities.

Instead of immediately moving to the other organisation, I considered the opportunity available within my current workplace and decided to continue there.

By then, I had also started developing an interest in the testing industry.

Discovering testing and compliance as a career

As I gained exposure to the testing environment, I began to understand the possibilities within this field.

Testing laboratories offer opportunities to work with products, test methods, technical standards, quality requirements and compliance processes. The work can combine engineering fundamentals with practical evaluation and documentation.

I also found the working environment and nature of the role appealing.

What initially felt like an alternative opportunity gradually became a career direction I wanted to explore further.

I continued working in the organisation for approximately one and a half to two years, gaining experience and developing my professional skills.

Over time, I became more confident about my career direction. I was no longer simply applying for any available engineering position; I was building experience in a field that interested me.

Eventually, I received another offer from a third organisation. This opened the door to the next stage of my professional journey.

Today, I work remotely in the testing and compliance industry with a better compensation package and a clearer understanding of my career goals.

My journey did not follow the straightforward path I had imagined during college, but it helped me discover an area where I could develop my skills and build a long-term career.

A message to students who are still figuring things out

If you are in your third or final year of engineering and feel confused about your future, I want you to know that you are not alone.

You may see your classmates getting placed while you are still searching for your first opportunity. You may experience rejection after rejection and wonder whether your degree has prepared you well enough.

I experienced those feelings too.

But your first rejection does not define your potential, and your first job does not have to define your entire career.

What matters is how you respond to each experience. Identify what you need to improve, work on your fundamentals, prepare more thoughtfully, and remain open to career opportunities you may not have considered before.

You don't need to have everything figured out today. You need to take the next step with greater clarity than before.

Your career journey may not begin exactly where you expected, but with consistent effort and the willingness to learn, you can build a direction of your own.

Swejal Chaturvedi, Mechanical Engineering Graduate (2019 to 2023)

Difficulties I faced

• Confusion about which skills and career path to choose in third and final year
• Rejection at JBM after a written test of 80 questions in 30 minutes
• Rejection at Dyson because I had not prepared for the company and the role
• The same resume everywhere, weak fundamentals and an unprepared favourite subject
• Turning down a Rs. 6 LPA marketing offer that involved fieldwork

More fresher stories

This is one person's real experience and not a guarantee of any result. Every job search is different.