interview-experience-platform

A centralized, user-driven platform for VIT Pune students to share and access authentic interview and test experiences, empowering them to prepare effectively for placements and internships.

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Table of Contents

• Project Overview
• Problem Statement
• Features
• Technologies Used
• Setup and Installation
• Usage
• Contributing
• License

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Project Overview

The Interview Experience Platform is a web-based application designed specifically for students of VIT Pune. It aims to bridge the information gap faced by students preparing for job placements and internships by providing a dedicated platform to share, discover, and learn from real-world interview and test experiences of their peers. This hub will serve as a vital resource, fostering a collaborative environment for better preparation and increased confidence.

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Problem Statement

The current placement preparation process for VIT Pune students is fragmented and inefficient. Without a centralized, reliable source of interview and test experiences, students are forced to gather information from scattered, often outdated, and unverified sources like social media, private chats, and generic forums. This leads to unnecessary stress, redundant effort in searching for information, and a lack of targeted preparation, ultimately hindering their performance and reducing their chances of securing desirable placements.

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Features

The Interview Experience Platform offers a suite of features designed to make placement preparation more efficient and effective:

• Secure User Authentication: Students can register and log in using their official VIT Pune email addresses, ensuring a verified and exclusive community.
• Detailed Experience Submission: A user-friendly form allows students to submit their placement experiences, including:
  • Company Name & Role/Job Title
  • Type of Experience (Written Test, Technical Interview, HR Interview, GD)
  • Specific questions asked and detailed descriptions of the process
  • Personal advice and preparation tips
  • Option to post anonymously for candid feedback.
• Centralized Experience Repository: All submitted experiences are displayed on a central dashboard, easily accessible to all registered users.
• Advanced Search & Filtering: Robust search functionality with filters for company, role, year of placement, and keywords, enabling students to quickly find relevant information.
• Community Interaction:
  • Upvoting: Users can upvote helpful experiences, promoting high-quality content.
  • Commenting: Students can comment on posts to ask follow-up questions or add further insights.
• User Profiles: Basic user profiles display contributions (posts) and branch information.

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Technologies Used

(This section will be populated once the specific technologies (e.g., React, Firebase, Supabase, Tailwind CSS) are chosen during development.)

• Frontend: [e.g., React.js, HTML, CSS (Tailwind CSS)]
• Backend: [e.g., Node.js, Python/Flask, or managed services like Firebase/Supabase]
• Database: [e.g., Firestore (Firebase), PostgreSQL (Supabase)]
• Authentication: [e.g., Firebase Authentication, Supabase Auth]
• Deployment: [e.g., Netlify, Vercel]

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Setup and Installation

(This section will provide detailed instructions for developers to set up the project locally. It will include steps like cloning the repository, installing dependencies, configuring environment variables, and running the development server.)

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone [repository-url]
   cd interview-experience-platform

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install # or yarn install

3. Configure environment variables:
   • Create a .env file in the root directory.
   • Add your API keys and configuration details for Firebase/Supabase/etc.

     # Example for Firebase
     REACT_APP_FIREBASE_API_KEY=your_api_key
     REACT_APP_FIREBASE_AUTH_DOMAIN=your_auth_domain
     # ... other Firebase config
     

4. Run the development server:

   npm start # or yarn start

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Usage

Once the application is running:

1. Register/Login: Create an account using your VIT Pune email address.
2. Browse Experiences: Explore the main feed to see shared experiences.
3. Search & Filter: Use the search bar and filters to find specific company or role experiences.
4. Share Your Experience: Click on "Share Experience" to contribute your own interview/test details.
5. Interact: Upvote helpful posts and leave comments to engage with the community.

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Contributing

We welcome contributions to the Interview Experience Platform project! If you're a VIT Pune student or alumni interested in contributing, please follow these steps:

1. Fork the repository.
2. Create a new branch (git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name).
3. Make your changes and commit them (git commit -m 'Add new feature').
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/your-feature-name).
5. Open a Pull Request.

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.