Cisco

My Cisco internship process started with an online assessment. The test was divided into two broad parts: computer science fundamentals and coding. The MCQ section covered areas such as Operating Systems, Computer Networks, OOP, DBMS, aptitude, and general programming fundamentals. I was particularly careful with the networking questions because I knew that Cisco tends to put more emphasis on networking than many other software engineering internship processes. The coding section contained two DSA problems, and I had to solve them within the given time. Recent campus experiences have similarly reported around 40 technical MCQs followed by two coding questions, with graph and dynamic-programming problems appearing in some versions of the assessment. After clearing the OA, I went through the technical interviews. My first technical discussion began with an introduction and then moved into my resume. The interviewer asked me to explain my projects in detail, including the technologies I had used and why I had made particular implementation choices. I was then given DSA questions and was expected to explain the approach before writing the code. One of the reported Cisco interview questions from this stage involved implementing or working with fundamental data structures, while other candidates have encountered linked-list, tree, graph, and array problems. The networking portion was especially important. I was asked about concepts such as the OSI model, IP addresses, MAC addresses, and how different components of a computer communicate with the network. I also encountered questions from Operating Systems and other core subjects. I realized that knowing definitions was not enough; I needed to explain concepts practically. For example, instead of merely listing OSI layers, I had to understand what actually happens when data moves through a network. The next discussion was more focused on my projects and how I approached real technical problems. I was asked questions based on things I had actually built, so being completely familiar with my resume helped. There were also situational questions where I had to explain how I would handle a problem while working in a team. Cisco interview reports commonly mention detailed resume discussions during these rounds. The final HR/managerial conversation was considerably more relaxed. I was asked about my interest in Cisco, teamwork, strengths and weaknesses, availability, and location preferences. I also had an opportunity to ask questions about the internship and the team. After completing the rounds, I received the selection confirmation. What stood out to me was that Cisco did not treat the internship interview as a pure DSA process. I needed coding ability, but equally important were networking fundamentals, core CS concepts, and the ability to explain my own projects clearly.