B.Tech - NIT
Years of Experience: 2.5 years
Current Role: Software Engineer at a FAANG-level company
How did I apply?The recruiter directly reached out to me on LinkedIn.
Phone Screen Round:
The interview began with discussions about my current project, followed by technical questions covering Operating Systems, Java, JVM internals, and SQL. After 15 minutes, the interviewer transitioned to a DSA problem, which was a medium-hard graph problem. It involved finding a path for a knight on an infinite 2D grid from start to end.
I explained both DFS and BFS approaches, detailing which one would work better and why. After implementing the code, the interviewer seemed satisfied with my solution.
Two days later, the recruiter informed me that I had cleared the round and they would like to proceed with four more rounds. The cumulative feedback from these rounds would determine the outcome.
Round 1: DSA Round
This was a typical DSA-focused round. The first problem was a hard-level n-ary tree problem, which needed to be represented as a graph to explore various combinations for an optimal solution. I explained my approach and coded the solution. Although the interviewer suggested further optimization, I couldn’t find a way to reduce the time complexity since all combinations needed to be evaluated.
The second problem revolved around powers and mathematical interpretation. I shared the approach, implemented the code, and solved the problem successfully.
Round 2: DSA Round
The round started with introductions, and then we dived into two DSA problems within an hour.
Problem 1: A tree problem requiring level order traversal and indegree calculations. I proposed multiple approaches, including reversing the level order traversal. After explaining why the final approach was optimal, I implemented the solution. This took about 40 minutes.
Problem 2: A classic 1D DP problem using the pick-and-not-pick approach. I quickly explained the solution, highlighting how to achieve O(1) space complexity, and then coded it. The time ran out just as I finished.
Round 3: High-Level System Design
Two interviewers conducted this round, asking me to design a job scheduling system. The focus was on scaling the solution, identifying bottlenecks, and addressing security concerns. The discussion was highly interactive, with questions around load balancers, API gateways, and other components. It was an open-ended session, and the interviewers asked a lot of follow-up questions during the design process.
Round 4: Hiring Manager Round
This round lasted 30-40 minutes and involved general discussions. Topics included my typical day at work, the tech stack I’ve used, and my reasons for considering a switch from my current company.
Outcome:
Two days later, the recruiter informed me that the feedback was not positive. I reached out to understand where I went wrong but did not receive a response. Based on my assessment, the System Design round might have been the reason for rejection.
Reflection:
While the experience was valuable, I felt the expectations during some rounds were unrealistic. For instance, solving one hard and one medium-hard problem within an hour seems excessive. Perhaps I need to improve my efficiency or competence, but it also felt like the interviewers lacked empathy for the time constraints. Regardless, it was a good learning opportunity for me to identify areas for improvement.
