Hi Everyone,

I recently gave an interview for Apple's Junior Software Engineer role. I applied in July and received the OA link a few days later.

The OA had 2 problems in Java/Python:

1. Double Knapsack or Maximum Weight in Two Bags

2. A 15×10 grid containing a unique path made of * and lowercase letters. The path starts at (0,0), moves only in the four cardinal directions (no diagonals, forks, or loops), and ends at some point. You need to follow the path, collect letters (ignore *), and output the formed string.

I solved both successfully and got my interview scheduled.

I wasn’t aware of the team before applying, and after the recruiter’s call, I felt the role/team didn’t align with my current career path and the pay was similar to my current one which didn't help me concrete my decision. I wasn’t well-prepared either, and the short notice didn’t help. I asked for a reschedule as I was traveling, but they said it had to be either on that date or not at all, so I decided to go ahead.

The role seemed to require some experience or niche knowledge about the team’s work. It was for Java backend. I answered a few cross-questions on my resume and some basic Java problems. Then they asked Coin Change I and II, which I solved optimally with correct time complexity. After that, there were a few questions on OS, OOPs, and System Design, which I answered as much as I knew. I also made it clear that I wasn’t very interested in the specific work this team does, so I wasn’t expecting a callback.

Tip: If you’re applying off-campus, be sure about the team and its work, along with brushing up on DSA.