Round 1 (Online Assessment on HackerEarth) – There were 3 DSA questions based on DP and graphs, which I had to solve in 2 hours and 30 minutes. Partial marks were also awarded, so I attempted the questions and ran the test cases.
Round 2 (Online Assessment on HackerEarth) – Multiple-choice questions based on CS fundamentals, 1 SQL question, and a coding question again on graphs.
Round 3 (Technical Interview) – This was a Code Pairing Round. I was expecting DSA questions, but the interviewer presented me with an OOPS design-based question, which I had to solve in 45 minutes. Initially, the question seemed very tough, but after multiple readings and drawing the structure in my notebook, I came up with a good solution that passed all the test cases. The question was based on abstract, interface, polymorphism, encapsulation (setter & getter), and inheritance. Some students also had DSA questions in their first round.
Round 4 (Technical Interview) – Another code pairing round that lasted for 1 hour and 15 minutes. The interviewer asked questions based on my resume, such as projects and extracurricular activities, and was impressed. I would recommend to mention extracurricular activities in your resume that demonstrate your leadership and teamwork skills.
- A coding question based on HashMap and the Java Collection Framework had to be solved using Java 8. I successfully solved the question and passed all the test cases.
- Palindrome using recursion and implemented a queue using a stack.
- The interviewer also asked a puzzle: three numbers, ‘a’, ‘b’, and ‘c’, were added three times, resulting in ‘ddd’. I had to guess the values of ‘a’, ‘b’, and ‘c’. Furthermore, the interviewer asked me about SOLID principles, advanced Java questions, and queries related to finding the nth largest salary in the employee table and joining tables.
- We discussed OOPS concepts in detail, including types of constructors, real-life examples of polymorphism, abstraction, inheritance, and encapsulation, as well as the differences between checked and unchecked exceptions, the final keyword, and the difference between final and static. We also had an in-depth discussion about constructors and designed a parking system database. Additionally, we discussed the data structure used in Google search and the differences between BFS and DFS, how DFS is implemented and last question is based on graph cycle detection.
Round 5 (Technical + Managerial Round) – The interviewer asked me to introduce myself and questioned why I chose Java over C++. We discussed the differences between Java and C++ and had a conversation about implementing a class and queries using polymorphism and inheritance. The interviewer also asked about the size of the class, object creation, and the number of constructors allowed in a single class. As I come from an Electronics and Instrumentation background, the interviewer asked how I would cope with IT/CSE students. Furthermore, we discussed my hobbies, leadership experiences, and situational questions. Towards the end of the interview, the interviewer asked if I had any questions. I inquired about the work culture, his experience at BNY Mellon, the tech stack, and requested feedback.
After 2 weeks, I received the selection email.