Honda Japan

Role: Data Analyst

College: IIT Bombay (MTech), NIT Tiruchirappalli (BTech)

Interview Date: Placement Season 2023-2024

Interview Type: Campus Placement, Full-Time

Result: Selected

Difficulty: Medium

Rounds: Written Test + 2 Interview Rounds

Topics Asked: Aptitude, Statistics, Probability, Coding (Python), Master's thesis project, PowerBI project findings, Classical ML algorithms and metrics, Cultural fit, Relocation comfort, Career transformation.

Experience:

This interview experience for a Data Analyst role at Honda R&D Japan was part of the campus placement drive.

1. Written Test: The test included sections on aptitude, statistics and probability. There was also a coding section with two medium-level coding questions, where candidates could choose their preferred language (Python was used by the interviewee).

2. Technical Interview (In-person): The technical round, lasting approximately 30 minutes, began with an ice-breaking session. Interviewers, who were from Japan, then delved into the candidate's resume, primarily focusing on projects. Questions were asked about the Master's thesis project, including explanations, challenges faced, and achievements. A PowerBI project was also discussed, with emphasis on the findings and how they were expressed. Beyond the resume, practical scenarios and questions related to classical machine learning algorithms and metrics were posed. The interviewers were described as very polite and organized, using a stopwatch to manage time.

3. HR Interview (Online): Immediately following the technical round, the HR interview was conducted online. This round mainly focused on assessing the candidate's self-expression and explanation capabilities. Key questions revolved around comfort with relocating to Japan, the candidate's transition from a mechanical background to an Industrial Engineering & Operations Research (IUR) department, and their motivation for wanting to work in an automotive company like Honda. Cultural fit and the ability to adjust to a different culture were significant aspects of this round.