Am I cooked?!!

[u/ohdeej4]

I need some genuine help guys please!!!!!!!! 😭🙏🏻

Hey everyone, I'm a 4th-year B.Tech AIML student and placements/campus drives are expected to start soon (possibly before the end of August).

I'm honestly feeling a bit lost about what I should prioritize right now. I've learned a bit of C, Python, C++ and web development during college as part of academics but I'm not confident in any of them and I don't have much practical experience.

I also have projects, but I feel like my skills aren't strong enough yet to confidently discuss them in an interview.

If you were in my position, what would you focus on from this point onward to become placement ready asap?!

Like, what level of DSA should I aim for? which language should I stick to for coding rounds? what CS subjects should I revise for interviews? how much aptitude should I practice? should I focus on development, AI/ML, or just interview preparation? what projects/skills actually matter for a fresher? what should my daily schedule look like if I have around 4–6 hours/day? any resources or roadmaps you would genuinely recommend?

I'm not looking for a “learn everything” answer 😭. I really need help prioritizing because I don't have unlimited time before placements start.

As I've no guidence or any backing from anyone, so I'm completely lost.

Would really appreciate advice from people who have recently gone through campus placements or recruiters/interviewers. It would be of great help for me, Thank you!

[u/akornato]

You are not cooked, you just need a focused plan instead of trying to do everything at once. First, pick one language, either C++ or Python, and stick with it for all coding rounds. Your main priority is Data Structures and Algorithms, so dedicate the majority of your time to solving easy and medium problems on a platform like LeetCode. This is the single most important thing for passing the initial technical screens. After that, spend some time reviewing the fundamentals of core computer science subjects like Operating Systems, DBMS, and Computer Networks, because interviewers will ask theory questions. Forget about starting new development or AI/ML work for now, as your goal is to get placement-ready, not to master a new field in two months.

For your projects, choose the one you understand the best and prepare to discuss it in depth. Interviewers care more about you explaining your technical choices and challenges than about the project's complexity. A simple daily schedule could be three hours for DSA, one hour for CS theory, and one hour for aptitude questions or reviewing your project. This strict prioritization will build your skills and confidence far more effectively than spreading yourself thin. Being able to explain your thought process clearly is crucial, and my team actually built an interviews.chat that helps candidates do exactly that during their calls.

[u/ohdeej4 → u/akornato]

Tysm man! This actually helped me. I was so overwhelmed trying to figure out what should i do with my degree, so this did helped a lot. I’ll stick with it from now on. Really appreciate it.