Associate Software Engineer- Java
Interview Date
May 1, 2024
Result
Offer Received (Not Accepted due to low CTC)
Difficulty
Easy to Medium
Rounds
3 rounds
Drive Type
Full-Time
Topics asked
Detailed experience
College: Tier 1 (Non-Tech Branch)
Interview Date: May 1, 2024
Interview Type: Full-Time
Result: Offer Received (Not Accepted due to low CTC)
Difficulty: Easy to Medium
Rounds: 3 rounds
Topics Asked: Data Structures, Algorithms, OOPs Concepts, Hashing, DBMS, Behavioral Questions
The candidate had 9 months of experience (6 months internship + 3 months full-time). The interview process consisted of three rounds.
Round 1 (Technical - DSA & Core Java): This round focused on Data Structures and Algorithms. The interviewer expected code in Java, but the candidate requested to use C++ as they were more familiar with it, which was agreed upon. Two LeetCode Medium problems were asked: "Smallest String Starting From Leaf" and "Koko Eating Bananas". The candidate explained the approach and wrote the code on Notepad, then copied it to the LeetCode platform for checking. After the DSA questions, the interviewer asked about OOPs concepts and theoretical concepts in Java (which the candidate struggled with as they studied OOPs in C++). Questions on Hashing, its internal working, and collision handling were also asked.
Round 2 (Technical - Projects & DBMS): This round was described as easier than the first. The interviewer inquired about the candidate's previous companies and past projects. Some DBMS concepts were discussed. An easy coding problem was given, which the interviewer specifically asked to be coded in Java. The candidate managed to write the Java code for it.
Round 3 (Hiring Manager): This round again involved discussions about the candidate's previous company and past projects. The interviewer also asked about OOPs concepts and requested an implementation of OOPs principles using a Java example.
Overall Experience: The candidate received an offer letter after 4-5 days, but the CTC was significantly lower than expected and HR was unwilling to negotiate, leading to the offer not being accepted. Despite this, the candidate found the overall experience good, with HR coordinating well and scheduling interviews quickly. A minor point was that interviewers in all rounds did not have their cameras on.