Zinnia

Role: SDE Intern

College: Not Specified

Interview Date: November 7, 2024

Interview Type: Off-Campus (applied via LinkedIn)

Result: Not Specified

Difficulty: Not Specified

Rounds: 3 rounds

Topics Asked: Introduction, Tech Stacks & Projects, Preferred Language, OOP Concepts (Abstraction), Coding Problem (String-based), Databases (MongoDB vs SQL), Version Control (Git pull vs Git fetch), Behavioral Questions, Teamwork, Leadership, Problem-Solving, Handling Unfamiliar Tasks, Documentation, Attention to Detail, Preferred Domain.

Experience:

The candidate applied for an SDE Intern position at Zinnia through an off-campus LinkedIn job post. About three weeks after submitting the application, a call was received to schedule an interview. The process consisted of three rounds: a Technical Interview, an HR Interview, and a CTO round.

Round 1: Technical Interview
This round began with a brief introduction, followed by questions based on the candidate's resume. The interviewer inquired about tech stacks and projects the candidate had experience with. Specific questions included: an introduction, discussion of tech stacks and projects, preferred programming language, explanation of abstraction in Object-Oriented Programming, a string-based coding problem, differences between MongoDB and SQL, and the distinction between `git pull` and `git fetch`.

Round 2: HR Round
This was a conversational round, focusing on evaluating interpersonal skills, mindset, and alignment with the company's culture and values. The interviewer asked about the candidate's background and motivations, followed by a series of behavioral questions exploring how the candidate handles different workplace scenarios. The candidate was asked to discuss their strengths and weaknesses, providing examples, and their approach to problem-solving, managing setbacks, dealing with discouragement or criticism, and adapting to obstacles. Questions about teamwork and leadership, including taking initiative and collaborating, were also covered. The importance of documentation and attention to detail in a professional setting was also discussed.

Round 3: CTO Round
This round involved an in-depth discussion with the CTO. It started with the candidate providing a quick introduction. The CTO asked for elaboration on experienced tech stacks and developed projects. A situational question was posed about handling an unfamiliar task, to which the candidate shared their approach and strategies. The CTO also inquired about the candidate's most preferred domain and what excites them about it. At the end of the HR interview, the candidate had the opportunity to ask questions about their potential role and requested feedback on their performance.