Exl Analytics

Role: Data Scientist

College: Not Specified

Interview Date: Not Specified (First Technical Round)

Interview Type: Online (Zoom)

Result: Positive Note (Implied progression)

Difficulty: Not Specified

Rounds: 1st Technical Round (part of a multi-round process)

Topics Asked: Recent Projects, Data Preparation, Dimensionality Reduction, PCA, Covariance, Eigenvalue, Correlation, Linear Relationship, Model Deployment, Behavioral Questions

Experience:

This experience details a first technical round interview for a Data Scientist role at EXL, conducted via Zoom with two panelists.

1st Technical Round:

• Discussion about a recent project (7-10 minutes).
• Explanation of how data was prepared from multiple sources for the project and challenges faced.
• Discussion on dimensionality reduction, particularly when dealing with a dataset of 75+ variables.
• Explanation of how PCA (Principal Component Analysis) works for both a layman and a technical audience.
• Questions on covariance and eigenvalue in terms of PCA.
• Scenario-based question: "What if we are just doing the data analysis and want to understand the relationship between variables without creating the model?"
• Difference between correlation and covariance.
• Question: "If the dependent and independent variables are not following the linear relationship then how you will find whether those variables are related to each other or not."
• Explanation of a project where a model was deployed with certain efficiency and later improved.
• Generic questions: "Why looking to change the company?", "Notice period", "What was liked in the current role and what should be changed."

Overall Experience: The interview lasted around 70-75 minutes and concluded on a positive note. The interviewers were primarily interested in technical aspects.