𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥.

Online Assessment

In 2022, during my third year of engineering, Cisco visited our campus for a pooled drive. I participated in an Online Assessment where two problems were presented: one focused on bit manipulation, and the other centered around the application of Floyd-Warshall algorithms. Following this, 20-25 students from my batch, including myself, were shortlisted.

Round 1 - OOPS & DSA

My first interview call arrived on March 9, 2022. The initial round, lasting approximately 45 minutes, delved into OOPS, strings, and linked list problems. This round went smoothly for me, and I earned a ticket to the next phase, though more than 60% of my batchmates were rejected.

Round 2 - Managerial Round

The managerial round, a mix of good and not-so-good moments, proved to be a 50-50 experience. Fortunately, luck favored me, and I moved forward along with only one other batchmate. This round took around 30-35 minutes.

Round 3 - System Design, Networking & DSA Round

In the third round, I met the exceptional Ravi Kiran. I swiftly handled a binary search problem before the discussion shifted to networking concepts, including TCP/UDP, three-way handshaking, and the distinctions between routers and switches. Ravi then explored Netflix's design, where I candidly confessed my knowledge gap. Nevertheless, it became one of the best interviews I've ever faced, thanks to Ravi's guidance. Following this comprehensive 50-minute session, I was the sole candidate from my batch to secure an HR round call after a brief 2-3 hour wait.

Round 4 - HR Round

In the HR round with Shruthi N, she inquired about my personal strengths and weaknesses, followed by salary discussions and internship location preferences. This was a concise yet meaningful conversation lasting around 10 minutes.

The Outcome

Post HR round, optimism filled the air, and my family anticipated positive news. However, reality struck on March 21 with a rejection email. I felt a similar emotion to when India lost the World Cup on November 19.