Dell

Role: SDE - 2

College: Not Specified (Dell was hiring only M.Tech candidates)

Interview Date: 29 Aug 2020 (Online Coding), 7 Sep 2020 (Video Call rounds)

Interview Type: On-Campus

Result: Selected

Difficulty: Easy

Rounds: 4 rounds

Topics Asked: DSA (Trees, Linked List, DP, Graph - commonly asked, Stack/Queue, Binary Search), OOPS, Memory Management (malloc, calloc, memory leak, garbage collection), SQL (joins, group by, nested query), Puzzles, OS (semaphores, deadlock), Computer Networks, Projects discussion.

Experience:

This is an interview experience for an SDE-2 role at Dell Technologies, part of a campus placement drive that focused on M.Tech candidates.

Round 1 (Online Coding Interview - 45 minutes): This was a proctored online test with MCQ-based questions covering CS topics such as DSA, Computer Networks, OS, Database, C/C++, and Cloud Computing.

Round 2 (Video Call - Technical - 45 minutes): This interview primarily covered theoretical questions on OS and Computer Networks. The candidate was also asked to explain two out of four projects mentioned in their resume, followed by questions based on those projects.

Round 3 (Video Call - Managerial - 45 minutes): This managerial round also included technical questions related to OS, followed by behavioral questions. Resume project explanations were again required, and a few puzzles were asked.

Round 4 (HR Round - 25 minutes): This was a standard HR round focused on cultural fit.

Preparation Tips from the candidate:

• Mainly focused on DSA, with Trees and Linked List being very important. Covered commonly asked DP and Graph questions. Practiced Stack/Queue and Binary Search questions from LeetCode (30% Easy, 70% Medium).
• OOPS and Memory Management (malloc, calloc, memory leak, garbage collection) are frequently asked; prepare with examples.
• SQL was asked in some interviews, covering major topics like joins, group by, and nested queries from InterviewBit.
• Puzzles were asked in the managerial round (one interviewer asked 5 puzzles).
• Followed InterviewBit and GeeksforGeeks, noting that GeeksforGeeks alone might be sufficient. System design was rarely asked, so it was avoided.
• Practice DSA in a time-bound environment (LeetCode contests are recommended). If stuck on a problem for 30 minutes, refer to the solution explanation and then try to code it independently.
• Prepare a detailed note for everything mentioned in the resume's project section, including alternative approaches, challenges faced, and personal contributions.