Cohesity

Role: SDE - Intern

College: Not Specified (On Campus)

Interview Date: 2024-08-01

Interview Type: On-Campus, Internship

Result: Rejected

Difficulty: Easy (OA), Moderate (Coding problem)

Rounds: 3 rounds

Topics Asked: Data Structures & Algorithms (Binary Search, Ad-hoc problems, DP, Graphs, DSU, MST), Projects (Blockchain, Web Development), Probability (applications in CS), Behavioral questions (future studies, courses, commitment)

Experience:

This on-campus interview process for an SDE Intern role consisted of three rounds.

1st Round: Coding Online Assessment (CodeSignal, 60 minutes): This round was held offline on campus and included two coding problems. One problem involved binary search, and the other was an ad-hoc problem. The candidate successfully solved both problems in about 34 minutes, passing all test cases. A specific problem mentioned that is asked by Cohesity is "Rose Garden," a moderate difficulty problem with an average time of 30 minutes and a 79% success rate.

2nd Round: Coding Interview: A one-on-one coding interview was conducted. The interviewer had reviewed the candidate's resume and proceeded directly to problem-solving. While no specific coding question was detailed for this round, the candidate successfully cleared it.

3rd Round: HR Interview: This round was conducted by a senior engineer. Questions focused on the candidate's projects, including a blockchain-based project, and why blockchain is not widely adopted by large tech companies. The interviewer also asked about the candidate's favorite courses (Probability was mentioned) and its applications in computer science. Crucially, the candidate was asked about plans for further studies after graduation, to which they responded affirmatively.

Result and Tips: The candidate was not selected, primarily due to their performance in the HR round. Key reasons cited were hesitation during a project demo and mentioning plans for further studies, which likely raised concerns about long-term commitment.

Tips for future candidates include deploying web development projects online, thoroughly preparing to discuss projects and highlighted coursework, and *always* stating no to plans for further studies if asked. Additionally, continuous practice of DSA (especially DP, Graphs with DSU/MST), OOPS concepts, and participation in competitive programming are recommended.