Cisco

I appeared for the Software Engineer Intern opportunity at Cisco through the on-campus recruitment process at my college. The process consisted of two technical interview rounds, and both rounds were part of the selection process. The first technical round lasted around 45–60 minutes and started with a brief introduction before moving into problem solving. The interviewer asked a couple of DSA-based questions and wanted me to explain my approach before jumping into the implementation. The first problem was based on an array and required me to think about how to optimize the straightforward solution. I initially explained the brute-force approach and then discussed a more efficient solution after considering the constraints. The interviewer asked about the time and space complexity and also brought up a few edge cases. The next problem involved a data structure and required careful handling of different cases. I explained the approach step by step and then worked through the implementation. There were a few follow-up questions where the interviewer slightly modified the problem and asked how my solution would change. Apart from DSA, there was some discussion around core computer science concepts. I was asked a few questions related to OOP and operating systems, along with a short discussion about the projects mentioned on my resume. The interviewer was particularly interested in understanding my actual contribution to the projects and why I had chosen certain technologies. Overall, the first round was fairly interactive. It wasn't simply a situation where I had to solve a question and move on. I had to continuously explain my reasoning, justify the complexity, and respond to follow-up questions. I have now completed the first technical round. The recruitment process has two rounds in total, so the second technical round is still pending. As of now, I haven't received the second-round interview confirmation, so the final outcome is still undecided. I haven't received either a rejection or selection update yet. The experience so far has been quite useful because Cisco's process tested a combination of problem-solving ability, technical fundamentals, and project understanding. I'm currently waiting for the update regarding the second round and hoping to get the opportunity to continue the process.