Summary
I interviewed for an SDE I role at Grab in Bangalore. Despite performing well in the coding rounds, I struggled with the system design question and was ultimately rejected.
Full Experience
I was referred by a friend for an SDE I position at Grab. After getting a call from recruiters, I proceeded with the virtual interview rounds.
ROUND 1: DS/Algo
The interviewer introduced himself and immediately presented two coding questions on an online IDE. The first problem was Next Greater Element III, which I struggled with initially, taking a considerable amount of time to find the most optimal solution. The interviewer was very helpful throughout, and I eventually coded it quickly. For the second question, Subarray Sum Equals K, I had encountered it before, so I quickly provided multiple approaches, including the optimal one, and coded it. The interviewer seemed convinced.
ROUND 2: DS/Algo
Two interviewers joined, though only one was active. After introductions, I discussed my current project and work, answering a few simple questions mainly focused on understanding my responsibilities. Then, I was asked to solve Merge k Sorted Lists. I implemented a heap-based approach, and after taking some time to code it, the interviewer seemed satisfied. We discussed alternative solutions and complexity handling, including the complexity of heap creation and its implementation, touching upon Java's PriorityQueue. This round also went quite well.
ROUND 3: Design
This was the round where I believe I faltered. The interviewer, who seemed a bit rude, immediately asked me to design an ATM machine without any prior introduction. Lacking significant experience in system design, I struggled immensely. The interviewer offered no assistance, perhaps expecting me to generate ideas independently. I asked numerous clarifying questions due to my confusion. I sensed during the interview that I wasn't performing well, panicked, and eventually gave up. We briefly discussed some details, but I couldn't answer many of his questions, and even now, I'm unsure how to categorize this as HLD or LLD. I was, and still am, very confused about this round.
ROUND 4: Manager/Behavioral
The interviewer introduced himself and engaged me in a detailed discussion about my work, the technologies I use (DB, cache, AWS, etc.), and my project. I had already prepared a template for explaining my current and college projects, which proved very helpful. This round concluded within 30 minutes.
Unfortunately, I received a quick rejection email without any call or feedback.
Interview Questions (4)
I was asked to design an ATM machine without any introduction. I struggled significantly with this question, asking many clarifying questions due to my lack of experience in system design. The interviewer was unhelpful, and I ultimately panicked and gave up.
Preparation Tips
I prepared a detailed template for explaining my current and college projects, which significantly helped me articulate my experience clearly during the managerial/behavioral round. My key advice for others is to be adequately prepared for basic system design questions and, crucially, to try and remain calm and avoid panicking during challenging rounds.