Morgan Stanley

Role: Software Engineer

College: Not Specified

Interview Date: 2025-07-23

Interview Type: Full-Time

Result: Not Specified

Difficulty: Medium

Rounds: 6 rounds

Topics Asked: Computer Fundamentals, C/C++/JAVA, Logical and Mathematical Aptitude, Data Structures (Linked List, Binary Tree), Algorithms, OOPs, System Design, Communication Skills, Teamwork, Business Ethics, Projects, HR questions

Experience:

This experience details a comprehensive hiring drive with 6 rounds.

Round 1 (Online Test - 90 minutes): This round consisted of multiple-choice questions across three sections.

• Section 1: 10 easy Computer Fundamental questions.
• Section 2: 30 language-dependent questions (C/C++/JAVA) of moderate difficulty.
• Section 3: 10 Logical and Mathematical Aptitude questions.

Round 2 (Coding Round - 45 minutes): Candidates were asked to write code on paper for 4 questions. This was not an elimination round but was important.

• Question 1: Exchange kth node from start and kth node from end of a singly linked list. Example: if LL is 5->10->25->45->31->16->23->51 and k=3, then convert to 5->10->16->45->31->25->23->51. Boundary cases had to be handled.
• Question 2: Given a number, find the next greater number with the same set of digits. Example: 4765 -> 5467.
• Question 3: Given a binary tree, print level order traversal (left child then right child), with each new level on a new line.
• Question 4: Reverse a sentence word by word. Example: Input: "this is morganstanley interview question" Output: "question interview stanleymorgan is this".

The questions were not too difficult, but time constraints required careful handling of boundary cases and proper commenting.

Round 3 (Technical Interview - 45 minutes - 1 hour): This was a technical elimination round. The interviewer started by asking about recent projects in detail. Questions on OOPs concepts like virtual functions, function overloading, function overriding, inheritance, and abstract classes were asked.

Round 4 (Group Task - 30 minutes): This was a group activity with 5 candidates and 5 panelists. Candidates were given 5 images, then 5 more, and asked to create a story based on business ethics within 15 minutes, including all images. This round assessed communication skills, body language, and teamwork.

Round 5 (Technical Interview - 1.5 hours): Another technical interview, which was lengthy and late at night. It began with a 30-minute discussion on projects, including future scopes and modifications. An algorithm question was posed: "There is an array of ordered pairs (value, color) sorted by value. Sort it based on color, but the relative order of values shouldn't change." The interviewer then modified it: "Now the value part is not sorted, and you have to sort it based on color first and then for the same color based on value." The candidate provided a solution using an array of linked lists. Questions on time complexity, sorting techniques (merge sort vs. quick sort), and quick sort optimization were asked. Further system design questions included managing a printer with limited memory (1MB) to print a 100-page, 1MB/page file, and then extending it to a network printer with multiple print commands.

Round 6 (HR Round - 15 minutes): The final round was a short HR interview, focusing on relocation willingness and personal background.