HSBC Technology Interview Experience for Trainee Software Engineer (On-Campus)

The company had 4 rounds in total and conducted 1st round on 18th September 2023. A total of 254 students applied from my college.

Round 1:

• Online aptitude and CS fundamentals:(Phase 1)

254 people appeared for this round. It had 70 questions, and the allotted time was 75 minutes. The questions were of easy to moderate difficulty. There were 20 aptitude questions, 20 English multiple-choice questions (involving errors in sentences, rearranging sentences, reading paragraphs, etc.), and 30 technical multiple-choice questions covering topics such as DBMS, OOPS, LINUX, etc.

• Coding(Phase 2)

The window for coding only opened for those who qualified for the first phase. There were two questions, and the time allotted was 30 minutes. One question was easy, and the other was between easy and moderate. Students who were able to solve at least one question with all test cases passed qualified for the next round. Still, I suggest you try to answer both questions as it increases your chance of getting selected.

Round 2:

• SBC Values Assessments

A total of 76 candidates were selected for this round. This was a very easy round. Behavioral questions appeared on the screen. But be careful with this round; it’s an elimination round. Choose the most positive option in each question and review the job description (JD) before this round.

Round 3:

• Technical Interview

A total of 47 people were selected for this round, and the interview lasted for 20-30 minutes. The interviewer was very friendly and made me feel comfortable. The questions asked were as follows:

1. Tell me something about yourself.
2. The interviewer inquired about my preferred programming language, to which I replied, “C++.”
3. He then asked me about heaps.
4. Next, he inquired if I had completed any projects in C++. I responded that I hadn’t but had studied Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA) in C++.
5. He asked me to elaborate on my DSA knowledge, and I mentioned arrays, linked lists, stacks, and queues.
6. The interviewer asked what a stack is and asked me to implement it. I wrote code on paper on how to implement stacks using both arrays and linked lists, and he seemed satisfied with my answers.
7. I was asked about my knowledge of NoSQL and SQL. I mentioned that I was familiar with MySQL. Then, the interviewer asked me about ACID properties, with an example.
8. The interviewer then asked about my projects in detail and emphasized the importance of being thorough with the projects listed on my resume. My advise is mention only those things in the resume that I was genuinely familiar with.
9. He also asked about my academic rank within my class.
10. Finally, the interviewer asked if I had any question for him . Do ask questions as it demonstrates eagerness to join the company.

Round 4:

• HR interview

Approximately 15 people qualified for this round, which lasted around 30 minutes. The interviewer asked me several questions, including:

1. My introduction.
2. My family background.
3. If I had to automate something in my college, what would I choose to automate?
4. My location preference and thoughts on other locations.
5. The difference, according to me, between confidence and overconfidence.
6. How it feels to stay away from parents.
7. What this city has given me.
8. The company’s values and tagline.
9. Whether I had visited their website and what was on the first page.
10. What I consider to be the threats to cybersecurity and the types of scams that pose risks.
11. How I keep myself updated with the latest technology.
12. Who my idol is and the qualities I draw inspiration from.

There were more questions that I don’t recall, but it’s essential to prepare for this interview thoroughly. While it is an elimination round, no one from my batch was eliminated. Make sure to review the job description, the company’s values, its website, and pay attention during the company’s pre-placement talk. Maintain a positive attitude during the interview and focus on your communication skills.

A total of 15 people were selected for HSBC 2024, and everyone who reached the HR round was chosen. However, this may not be the case every time.

VERDICT: SELECTEDA total