Titan

Role: Intern

College: BTech from tier-2 college, final year CS

Interview Date: January 2024

Interview Type: Internship

Result: Selected

Difficulty: Medium

Rounds: 2 rounds

Topics Asked: Data Structures, Algorithms, CS Fundamentals (HTTP vs HTTPS, Database Isolation Levels, SQL Transactions), System Design

Experience:

This experience is for a Directi (Titan) Internship.

Round 1: Data Structures and Algorithms

The interview involved solving a single DSA problem, Codeforces (1661C), which the candidate had previously encountered. Two solutions were provided (binary search and maths), and the interviewer asked to code the binary search solution.

Round 2: CS Fundamentals and System Design

The interviewer asked about the differences between HTTP and HTTPS, and the candidate explained SSL/TLS, data encryption, and server authentication. Database Isolation Levels were discussed, including Read Uncommitted, Read Committed, Repeatable Read, and Serializable, along with trade-offs between consistency and performance. The theoretical definition of SQL Transactions was given, but the candidate was unable to write a sample SQL query. Following the CS fundamental questions, the interviewer "raised the bar" with a System Design question: "Design PUBG Waiting Queue." The candidate, unprepared for system design, initially approached it as a DSA problem. The interviewer provided several hints, but the candidate was not confident in many of the suggestions.

Overall Experience: The candidate was selected for the internship with a stipend of 60k INR/month.