ZETA (DIRECTI) Interview Experience for Software Development Engineer Intern

I recently interviewed at ZETA after applying through LinkedIn, where my resume was selected, allowing me to advance to the subsequent stages of the hiring process. The rounds proceeded as follows:

Round 1: Online Coding Assessment

This round consists of three coding questions with a time limit of 2 hours.

Question 1: Similar to the Maximum of all subarrays of size K problem.

• It’s a standard fixed-sized sliding window problem.
• During my assessment, I followed the deque approach to solve the problem.
• Difficulty: Medium
• Problem Link: https://practice.geeksforgeeks.org/problems/maximum-of-all-subarrays-of-size-k3101/1

Question 2: Similar to the Course Schedule problem.

• Standard Topological Sort pattern problem.
• Difficulty: Medium
• Problem Link: https://leetcode.com/problems/course-schedule/description/

Question 3: Grid and Probability problem

• Similar Problem Description: https://discuss.codechef.com/t/help-needed-to-solve-a-problem/85759
• Difficulty: Hard

Tips: If someone has practiced on LeetCode, most of the questions tend to fall within a moderately challenging range for them.

Round 2: DS/ALGO Interview Round

In this technical interview round evaluating my DSA (Data Structures and Algorithms) skills, I was provided with a Google Meet link where two interviewers were present. We began by introducing ourselves, after which they shared a collaborative code editor link where they provide the coding questions. During the following hour, I was tasked with providing functional code solutions for the given problems within that collaborative platform. Both questions in this round were centered around Dynamic Programming concepts.

Question 1: Minimum perfect squares to add that sum to given number.

• Difficulty: Medium
• Problem Link: https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/problems/get-minimum-squares0538/1

Question 2: Similar to Paint House problem.

• Difficulty: Medium
• Problem Link: https://www.codingninjas.com/studio/problems/paint-house_1460385

Tips: During the Interview

• Read/Listen carefully to the problem statement and ask questions for clarification.
• Think aloud so the interviewer can understand your thought process.
• Start with a brute force solution if needed and then optimize it gradually.
• Test your solution with various cases, including edge cases.

Round 3: CS Fundamentals Interview Round

In this technical interview round focusing on core subject knowledge, I received a Google Meet link after successfully clearing the DS/ALGO round. Upon joining, I introduced myself to the two interviewers present. They then shared a collaborative document, and during the session, the interviewers directly asked questions about OOPS, DBMS, OS, and SQL queries. This interaction persisted for about 45 to 50 minutes.

Tips: Brushing up on key concepts within your core subjects before the interview is crucial. During the interview, demonstrating your thought process by using real-life examples can effectively showcase your understanding and problem-solving approach. It helps the interviewers understand not just what you know, but how you apply that knowledge practically.

Round 4: Fitment

After successfully passing the CS Fundamental round, I received an email detailing the Fitment round. This interview also took place over Google Meet, where I began by introducing myself. The interviewers then outlined the process for this round. The questions primarily revolved around the projects listed on my resume. These inquiries weren’t technical but focused on aspects such as whether the mentioned projects were group or individual efforts and the challenges encountered during their development. Additionally, some behavioral questions were posed. This exchange lasted approximately 30 minutes.

Tips: During Interview

• Prepare Stories: Have examples ready that highlight your skills, teamwork, adaptability, and problem-solving abilities.
• Adaptability: Showcase your ability to adapt to different work environments and cultures if you’ve had diverse experiences.
• Positivity: Maintain a positive attitude and enthusiasm about the role and the company.

After about 2-3 working days, I received an email confirming my selection as a Software Development Engineer (SDE) Intern at ZETA.