Informatica Interview Experience | On-Campus 2021

Informatica visited our campus in Nov 2020 for on-campus hiring. Nearly 250 students are eligible who are having above 8.0 CGPA.

Round 1: The written exam consists of basics of os, DBMS, Algorithms, Computer Networks, Predicting output to the Code, Aptitude. This round consists of 55 questions with 60 minutes time duration. After this round, only 30 students got selected for round-2.

Round 2 (45 minutes): No introduction. Directly interviewer started asking to tell me about your projects.

1. What is the specialty of your project?
2. What is the main purpose of your project?
3. Next asked me to share the screen and open the notepad. He asked to write down the full implementation of the stack using a linked list(no time complexity mentioned)? I wrote it and asked me to explain the logic and also asked me the base cases of my code.
4. Write the full implementation of finding the loop in a linked list?
5. Write the full implementation of finding the middle of a linked list?
6. Here first I told my approach with traversing till the last node. Immediately he said that he doesn’t need this approach. Then I told the second approach using 2 pointers(fast and slow pointer). He is satisfied and asked me to write the full code with base cases. I coded it.
7. Later he started with Differentiate between process and threads?
8. How to achieve synchronization between processes? He asked to code it.
9. What are semaphores? Types of semaphores? Use of semaphores?
10. What’s the use of synchronization block and synchronization methods in java?
11. What is virtual memory? Explain it? I just gave the definition and I said that I am not fully aware of it and I will work on it. He is cool then.
12. What is Normalization and explain various normal forms by using tables and with data in them without
13. Using functional dependencies? It seems tricky for me but handled it.

Round 3 (45 minutes): The interviewer is very cool and asked my name and some details. Then he started asking why Informatica? 

1. What makes you choose Informatica?
2. After finishing my explanation he was impressed, and he also told some information about the Informatica company and Informatica products.
3. He asked me to share the screen. Show me the relation between 2 tables with having all constraints in it. You can use any table you want. And explain to me all the scenarios that will happen between 2 tables? I explained all.
4. Consider database has millions of records how to get the data faster, other than select statement is there any other way. Explain it? He has given me clue and I answered it.
5. How to create a new table from the existing table with millions of records in a single line?
6. Tell me anything that you know about processes? I explained it for almost 10 minutes(Remember this type of question u need to take the opportunity and explain what u know in more and detail).
7. He was really impressed with it.
8. Rate yourself in UNIX operating system on a scale of 1-10?
9. I said 1.He asked me the reason, I gave the reason, and he said ok cool.
10. He said to write all the commands that I know, I wrote nearly 10.
11. Give real-time examples of stack and queue?
12. He just laughed at my explanation where I related the concept of society and linked it with Data-structures and operating systems.

He impressed and told me to be ready for the next interview.

Round 4(1 hour): This is a bit of a lengthy round and the interviewer is a lady. She asked to share the screen.

1. Create a structure with 5 student marks and find the name of the student who scored maximum marks?
2. Next, she asked a tricky question. I will give 2 inputs. The first input that you gave should be replaced with the 2nd one and the 2nd input that you gave should be replaced with 1 stone.

   • Conditions: Take only one variable and read only one input at a time and should not use if, while, for, etc. conditions.

I tried for 5 minutes, but I was not getting the correct code. She gave me a hint to use any arithmetic operator then I tried it. 

Note: This type of question don’t give up, try to solve by various methods, and engage with the interviewer so that u will get some hints and grab those hints.

1. Difference between const char *,const * char?
2. I wrote most of the codes in java then she started asking about
3. Difference b/w JDK, JVM, JRE?
4. Is the java platform independent?
5. Is JVM platform independent?
6. What’s the use of interface? Explain to me with code?
7. What are access specifiers? Explain to me with code?
8. How another process gets a chance while one process is executing? Can u relate it in java?
9. What is yield() in java?
10. What is inheritance?
11. Is java allows multiple inheritances? If you want multiple inheritances in java then how u will achieve it?
12. Difference between stack and heap?
13. She was satisfied with all my answers.
14. She gave me a sequence and asked me to code.(The sequence is 7,11,15 etc.I didn’t remember it correctly).
15. Then she asked basic commands in UNIX, like how to get the i/p address of a system using the UNIX command? How to get the current running process?
16. What is a subnet mask?
17. Difference between UDP and TCP? Which is connectionless and connection-oriented?
18. What is star topology?
19. The disadvantage of a star topology?
20. What is virtual memory? Explain it? I said only the definition. She said have u been asked in your previous rounds? I said yes.
21. What’s the use of having a clause and write a query for it?

Note: There is a chance to ask the previously not answered questions in the further rounds. So after completion of each round, unanswered questions Google it and learn.

She said ok I took more time, and we can end the session. I asked the feedback, she replied, that you are confident, communication is good, and have clarity in concepts.

Round 5(30 minutes):

1. Asked about my native place.
2. He started with a puzzle(Water-Jug problem)

I was solving, meanwhile, he started asking the technical questions.

1. What is a process?
2. What is virtual memory? Explain it. (Here I answered it.)
3. The interviewer is checking whether I have studied the concept during break time or not.
4. He then asked me where we get the extra space in the virtual memory concept?
5. What’s the difference between truncate and delete?
6. What’s the use of the drop command?
7. Consider I have tables with referential integrity constraints. If I want to delete a record then there will be a violation. How to delete a record without getting a violation?
8. After writing a URL, From where it retrieves the data?
9. He asked me whether I have finished the puzzle or not. I said I am getting stuck in the middle. He gave me a clue and I solved it.
10. He told that he will ask for 2nd puzzle but again he said, no need that I liked your attitude of not giving up on the puzzle.
11. He said,” Any more questions do you have”?
12. I asked about my feedback. He said you have good technical knowledge. And told me to improve my UNIX knowledge, and he said it’s not difficult you will get it in a week, and we will train you in the internship.

Round 6 (HR Discussion 20 minutes):

1. How was your previous rounds’ experience?
2. He said,” If you want to highlight anything from your resume you can do it now”.
3. This is the best opportunity where u can showcase your skills. I answered well.
4. Why are you giving more preference to java instead of other languages? I explained with valid reasons.
5. Tell me about your family background?
6. Why have you joined gitam university, why didn’t u prefer IIT’s and NIT’s? Answered with reason.
7. How many companies have u attended till now? Answer honestly don’t lie to him.
8. Here he identified my weakness. And asked what are your weaknesses? I answered genuinely and with a reason.
9. Would you like to do an internship? What’s your opinion about an internship?

Finally, he said, I am done with questions. Any questions do you like to ask?

I asked about what are the technologies that I am going to work on in an internship? He replied as mostly java

And after completing the internship based on your strengths and weaknesses we will assign you to the domain where you are fit in.

I asked the feedback he said you are good with technology and asked me to improve my communication skills a little.

Finally, 5 got selected.

Note: Be prepared with all the basics of OS, DBMS, UNIX, Data structures, MySQL.Solve the standard puzzles in google. Practice the codes from GeeksforGeeks it helps you a lot. And moreover, be honest, don’t give up easily on any coding question, give a valid reason for every answer.