Preparation Timeline
- March 2023 - May 2023:
Practiced random problems and participated in LeetCode contests to build momentum. Earned a Knight status on LeetCode. - June 2023 - October 2023:
Focused on DS Algo problems on LeetCode, solving approximately 300 medium and 50 hard questions. Also practiced topic-wise questions to cover most areas.
Interview Process
Online Assessment (OA):
- I applied through the careers portal and received an OA test link within 2 days.
- The OA had 2 problems: one medium and one hard. Solved the first problem completely and passed 10/15 test cases for the second one.
- The test also included a lot of Leadership Principles (LP) and design choice scenario-based questions.
- A week later, the recruiter informed me I had cleared the OA and discussed my experience and upcoming rounds. Took two weeks to prepare for LLD and System Design Interviews.
Interview Rounds
Round 1 - DS Algo + Leadership Principles (LP):
- After a brief 10-minute introduction, I was asked a backtracking question which I managed to solve and run successfully.
- The interviewer grilled me on LP questions, but I had real-life examples, which helped me answer fluently.
- Next, I was given a tree-based question with some modifications. Though it was a standard problem, the modifications made it hard, and I couldn't solve it without hints.
Round 2 - Concurrency + LP:
- This round was a mix of Low-Level Design (LLD) and coding, with one string-related problem requiring a concurrency approach optimization.
- I implemented the code and dry-ran it with an example, which impressed the interviewer. I also answered LP questions well.
Round 3 - LP + High-Level Design (HLD):
- This round was mentally exhausting, with the first 30 minutes focused on granular LP questions.
- Despite the grilling, I had real-life examples to support most of my answers.
- After LP, I was asked a system design question. Unfortunately, I was too anxious and exhausted to answer it properly. The interviewer’s lack of communication didn’t help, and I struggled to perform my best.
Round 4 - Bar Raiser:
- The round started immediately with no introduction. The interviewer gave me an LLD question, and I provided a design that satisfied the functional requirements.
- I discussed trade-offs, synchronization, mutexes, and included them in my design.
- After 45 minutes, the focus shifted to LP questions, which I answered well, and the round ended 5 minutes early with smiles.
Outcome
After the Bar Raiser round, I was confident and even celebrated with a pizza. However, four days later, the recruiter informed me that I didn’t meet the bar raiser’s expectations, and they wouldn’t be making an offer. I was shocked and felt extremely disappointed.
Final Thoughts
Sometimes, despite hard work and preparation, success may not come your way due to circumstances beyond your control. If things don’t work out, my advice is to accept the situation, move on, and find peace within yourself. Don’t compare your journey with others or be too harsh on yourself.
Wishing everyone the best of luck in their journeys!