Smart Coin

Role: SDE 2

College: Not Specified

Interview Date: October 17, 2025

Interview Type: Full-Time

Result: Rejected

Difficulty: Not Specified (Technical rounds performed well)

Rounds: 3 rounds

Topics Asked: Data Structures and Algorithms, Dynamic Programming, Binary Search, Greedy Algorithms, Low-Level Design (LLD), High-Level Design (HLD), College Projects

Experience:

The candidate described their interview experience for an SDE 2 position at Olyv|Smartcoin in Bangalore as frustrating and a waste of time. Despite a strong performance in the technical rounds, the candidate was ultimately not selected due to alleged budget constraints and concerns regarding their past job switches and salary expectations.

Round 1: Virtual (Data Structures and Algorithms)
This round was conducted virtually and focused on Data Structures and Algorithms.

• The candidate proposed two initial approaches, dynamic programming and binary search, and then refined their solution to an optimized greedy strategy.
• The candidate received excellent feedback for this round.
• Coding Question: Given an array of building heights, 'x' amount of bricks, and 'y' amount of ladders. Starting at building 0, determine which building can be reached. Condition: if the next building is lower or the same height, there is no cost. If the next building is higher, either use a ladder or an amount of bricks equal to the height difference.

Round 2: In-person (Low-Level Design & Projects)
This round was conducted in-person.

• The candidate was asked to design a Low-Level Design (LLD) for a 'Book My Show'-like application.
• The specific focus was on how to save seat information and display a seat map within the application.
• The interviewer also inquired about the candidate's college projects. The interviewer was helpful and even suggested useful hacks.

Beyond Round 2 (High-Level Design Discussion and Rejection)
Following the technical rounds, the candidate was asked about a High-Level Design (HLD) for an email service.

• The problem involved different kinds of emailing services with rate limits, specifically how to implement a service that sends OTP-related emails immediately and promotional emails over time.
• The candidate's proposed solution involved using a queue for promotional emails, Redis for rate limiting, and discussions on how to handle potential failures.
• The interviewer seemed satisfied with the design.

Despite the strong performance in the technical rounds, the candidate was ultimately not selected. The main reasons cited were internal budget issues and concerns regarding the candidate's past job switches and salary expectations. The candidate felt the entire process was a significant waste of time, especially considering the effort of traveling to the office for the later rounds.