Role: Senior Backend Engineer (Python)
College: Not Specified
Interview Date: March 2025
Interview Type: Full-Time
Result: Selected
Difficulty: Medium
Rounds: 4 rounds
Topics Asked: Data Structures, Algorithms (DFS, DP, Array, Stack), SQL, Python (Pandas, Exception Handling), System Design (REST vs SOAP, Microservices, Load Balancers, Locking Protocols), Behavioral, HR.
Experience:
The candidate went through a comprehensive interview process for a Senior Backend Engineer (Python) role.
Round 1: Coding Assessment (1 hour)
- Platform: DoSelect.
- Questions: 22 questions in total, including 2 coding questions and 20 MCQs.
- MCQs covered topics like coding, deployment, storage, databases, and syntax.
- Coding Question 1: Based on Dynamic Programming (DP). The candidate cleared 5 out of 10 test cases.
- Coding Question 2: Based on Arrays. The candidate cleared all 10 test cases.
- Result: The candidate cleared this round and was informed the same evening.
Round 2: Technical Discussion
- This round included both theoretical and coding questions.
- Theoretical Questions: Discussed concepts like REST vs SOAP, Microservices, Load Balancers, and Locking Protocols.
- Coding Question 1: "Time Needed To Inform All Employees" (LeetCode Medium). The candidate first provided a Top-Down DFS approach and then, upon interviewer's request, a Bottom-Up DFS approach.
- Coding Question 2: "Accounts Merge" (LeetCode Medium), involving a list inside a list concept.
- Coding Question 3: Implement a Stack using a Singly Linked List (live coding).
- SQL Questions: Find duplicate IDs and Names from a table, and find the second highest salary (provided two different SQL commands for this).
- Python Questions: Explained how to combine data in Pandas (merge, join, concat) with code examples, and how to handle exceptions in Python (try-except-else-finally) including predicting the output of a given code snippet.
Round 3: Managerial Discussion (Techno-Managerial)
- This round was a mix of technical and behavioral questions.
- Behavioral Questions: Why the candidate preferred Impact Analytics, roles and responsibilities in previous companies, reasons for switching jobs.
- Technical questions were also integrated into the discussion.
Round 4: HR Round
- The HR round required the candidate to visit the office.
- Questions covered basic introduction, detailed discussion of roles and responsibilities in past companies, reasons for job switches, and salary expectations.
- The HR discussion was thorough, going beyond just salary.
Overall Experience: The entire interview process for the candidate was completed within one week, and the offer letter was received within two to three weeks after the final round.