Policybazaar

Role: SDE-2

College: Not Specified

Interview Date: January 24, 2025

Interview Type: Full-Time

Result: Not Specified (Candidate expressed mixed feelings and disappointment with the process)

Difficulty: Medium (Process was difficult due to rescheduling issues)

Rounds: 2 rounds

Topics Asked: Low-Level Design, Computer Science Fundamentals, Projects, Node.js-specific questions

Experience:

The candidate was contacted by a recruiter for an SDE-2 position.

Round 1: Low-Level Design (LLD)

This round focused on Low-Level Design, with the primary problem being LRU Cache. Additionally, there was a 20-minute discussion covering computer science fundamentals, the candidate's projects, and overall experience. The interviewer was described as "extremely nice and interactive," making it an enjoyable experience, and the candidate felt the round went well and was selected for the next round.

Round 2: VP of Tech (Rescheduled multiple times, conducted by a different interviewer)

The second round was initially scheduled with the VP of Technology, but the VP did not show up for two scheduled attempts, causing the candidate to take half-day leaves from work. Due to scheduling conflicts, the interview was arranged with a different team member. The first 10-15 minutes involved manageable questions on computer science fundamentals. The subsequent 30 minutes were dominated by Node.js-specific questions, even though the candidate mentioned not having used Node.js recently. The interviewer seemed to have expertise primarily in Node.js.

Overall Experience: The candidate expressed disappointment due to a mismatch in expectations (VP-level interview vs. same experience level interviewer) and the effort spent on multiple reschedules. While the first round was pleasant, the subsequent rounds did not meet expectations, leaving the candidate with mixed feelings.