Paytm Interview Experience For Java Backend

Round 1: Online Assessment (OA)

The journey began with an Online Assessment comprising 10 questions. Two of them were coding challenges, one at an easy level and the other at a medium difficulty and I was able to solve both of them. Additionally, there were 6 Data Structures and Algorithms Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs).

Round 2: Technical Interview 1

Interviewer’s Introduction and Self-Introduction: The session kicked off with a friendly introduction from the interviewer, followed by the standard request to introduce myself. It set a positive tone for the conversation.

• Coding Challenge: The interviewer promptly moved to a coding challenge, providing a LeetCode link: https://leetcode.com/problems/binary-tree-zigzag-level-order-traversal/. We discussed the approach, ensuring clarity and understanding. Once satisfied, I proceeded to code the solution. Thorough testing followed, with the interviewer then delving into questions about time complexity, probing my understanding of algorithmic efficiency.
• Domain-Specific Questions: The interview seamlessly transitioned into domain-specific inquiries. Topics ranged from Spring Boot — its functionality and the process to enable Jetty — to practicalities like the default port of Tomcat. The interviewer explored my knowledge of HTTP status codes and delved into the intricacies of REST APIs, including whether they are stateful or stateless.
• Database Management System (DBMS) Questions: The technical depth increased with questions about database management. The discussion encompassed indexing, its mechanisms, and the concept of sharding.
• Closing Questions: To wrap up, the interviewer allowed me to ask questions. This phase is not only a chance to gain more insights but also reflects your genuine interest in the position and the company.

Round 3: Second Technical Interview

The second technical round commenced with the customary introductions. The interviewer then outlined that this session would primarily focus on system design.

• System Design Challenge: The core of this interview was a hands-on system design challenge. The task was to conceptualize and articulate the design of a URL Shortener website. This required considerations for scalability, efficiency, and other crucial aspects of system architecture. However, I wasn’t able to create an LLD for the application as I wasn’t expecting the system design round.

Verdict – Not Selected