CodingBlocks SME Intern - Unexpected Interview Experience
Summary
I interviewed for a DSA Instructor (SME Intern) position at CodingBlocks. The interview involved OOPS/Core Java questions and two LeetCode problems: 46. Permutations (Medium) and 76. Minimum Window Substring (Hard). I successfully solved the first coding problem but struggled with the second.
Full Experience
So few weeks ago I filled the google form for the sme intern position which is a DSA Instructor role. So today I got a call from the HR in which she explains about the role, stipend, ppo opportunity and schedule my interview by today itself, I asked her is it possible to schedule the interview tomorrow but she says that they have to fill the position urgently and it is not possible to schedule any interview tomorrow.
Then at 5pm my interview has started and he asks me to give a brief introduction, after that he asked me some mix questions on OOPS and core java which I answered mostly, I got confused in some of the questions as I have not revised OOPS concept from a very long time.
After that he shares a google docs in which he pasted a leetcode medium question---> 46.Permutations I explained my approach first and then he says to code in the google form which I wrote but there are some errors as this is my first time writing in the google code after that he says that to copy the code and open the leetcode ques by specifying the name and paste your code there and run it there I did some changes and after 1-2 errors the code is submitted and accepted with all the test cases pass.
After that he gave me another question which is pasted in the google form. I read the question and after that I explained to him then he says to explain the approach, by reading the ques I got clear that it is a sliding window + hashing question I explained my approach after that he shares that search for the 76.Minimum Window Substring problem and directly code it in the leetcode ide. I start coding the problem but at the end there are some logical errors for which some of the test cases are not passing, if I get more time maybe I can solve moreover there is no support or proper communication from the interviewer side he is just chilling by closing his camera all the time. I have done this problem a long time back but during interview I got pretty nervous by seeing a hard tag problem which I am not expecting, by this time it is close to 1Hour so he says it's ok that's all from my side and you can leave.
Interview Questions (2)
Permutations
After an introduction and OOPS/Core Java questions, the interviewer provided LeetCode medium question 46. Permutations in a Google Docs. I explained my approach, then coded it in the Google form. After initial errors, I was instructed to copy the code to LeetCode, make changes, and run it. The code was then submitted and accepted.
Minimum Window Substring
The interviewer presented another question in a Google form. I read the question, explained my approach, and identified it as a sliding window + hashing problem. I was then asked to search for LeetCode 76. Minimum Window Substring and code it directly in the LeetCode IDE. I was not expecting a hard-tagged problem.
Preparation Tips
I had not revised OOPS concepts for a very long time. Although I had worked on 76. Minimum Window Substring previously, I got pretty nervous during the interview when faced with a hard-tagged problem which I was not expecting.