Zomato Interview Experience for Software Engineer

Introduction

In this article, I will share my personal experience of interviewing at Zomato, covering various aspects such as how I applied, the number of rounds involved, the difficulty of the questions, and the overall process. I will also discuss my initial apprehensions and the importance of being allowed to pursue my startup and YouTube channel alongside my work at Zomato.

Applying and Process Overview

To begin, I stumbled upon a job opening at Zomato while scrolling through Twitter. Intrigued by the company, I reached out to a friend who worked there and requested a referral. Surprisingly, there was an internal opening, which meant that only employees were aware of it. After two months of silence, I received a message on LinkedIn from a senior manager at Zomato, expressing interest in my profile. The company swiftly organized an offline interview process at their Gurgaon office, which was a new experience for me.

First Interview

The first round of the interview focused on computer science fundamentals, particularly data structures, algorithms, and database management systems (DBMS). The interviewer had done thorough research on my background, including my LinkedIn profile and YouTube channel. We discussed open-ended problems, eventually leading to a graph problem involving topological sorting. The questions were non-standard and required problem-solving skills. Interestingly, I clarified in this round that I wished to run my startup, and maintain my YouTube channel alongside my work at Zomato.

Second Interview

The second round began with a discussion about my competitive programming achievements. However, when asked about Google Kickstart, which the interviewer was unfamiliar with, I shifted the focus to other topics. We talked about my internship experience and dived into questions related to databases and computer networks. The questions were tailored to my experiences rather than standard system design problems.

HR Round

The third round was an HR round conducted by the same person who messaged me on LinkedIn. It was a relaxed discussion centered around my future goals and why I wanted to join Zomato. The interviewer was genuinely interested in getting to know me.

Last Round

In the final round, I had a candid discussion with the CTO of Zomato. We talked about ICPC World Finals, our college days, and my startup. The conversation was engaging, and the team was supportive of my entrepreneurial and content-creation endeavors.

Tips from Experience

Based on my experience, here are some tips for prospective interviewees:

1. Look out for internal openings: Internal openings have fewer applicants, increasing your chances of selection. Networking with employees can help you discover these opportunities.
2. Research the company and interview experiences: Prior knowledge about the company and common interview questions can be advantageous.
3. Highlight your strengths and interests: Clearly communicate your strong points and mention your passion for side projects or startups during the interview.
4. Be prepared for HR rounds: Conduct thorough research on the company and prepare thoughtful questions to show your genuine interest.
5. Leave a positive last impression: When given the opportunity to ask questions, use it wisely to demonstrate your enthusiasm and knowledge about the company.

Conclusion

My interview experience at Zomato was a combination of unique rounds that focused on my skills, experiences, and aspirations. It was refreshing to encounter personalized questions rather than standardized problems. I encourage others to leverage internal openings, conduct research, and showcase their passion during interviews. In future, I plan to share more detailed technical questions from my other interview experiences.