Flipkart | SDE-1 | offer
Summary
I successfully interviewed for an SDE-1 position at Flipkart and received an offer after completing multiple rounds covering coding, data structures, algorithms, and a hiring manager discussion.
Full Experience
I applied for the SDE-1 role at Flipkart through a form circulated by HR on LinkedIn. My interview process consisted of four rounds.
Round 1: Online Test
This round was conducted on the SHL platform and lasted 90 minutes. It featured three coding questions, all based on graph and dynamic programming concepts. I received a selection mail after about 10 days, and it took another 10-12 days for the first interview round to be scheduled.Round 2: Problem Solving/Data Structures
This round had two specific coding questions. I solved the Symmetric Tree problem in about 15-20 minutes and the Maximal Square problem in approximately 30 minutes. I received an email on the same day informing me that I had cleared this round, and Round 3 was scheduled for the very next day.Round 3: Problem Solving/Data Structures
This round was tougher than the previous one and involved three questions. I spent a considerable amount of time discussing approaches for Minimum Number of Jumps to Reach End of an Array, moving from brute force to an optimized greedy solution. For Finding Square Root of a Number up to Given Precision Using Binary Search, the constraints were very high (n up to 1018). Initially, I gave a normal solution, but with the interviewer's supportive guidance, I realized binary search was the optimal approach and successfully solved it. The third question was Sliding Window Maximum, a standard problem I've solved many times. I was asked to provide the optimized approach directly and completed it in just 10 minutes.After a few hours, I received an email about an upcoming HM round on the same day, which was then postponed due to some work emergencies and happened the next day.
Round 4: Hiring Manager (HM) Round
This round lasted about 50 minutes. I was asked a variety of questions related to my internships, my favorite projects, and many behavioral questions. I focused on discussing my past experiences and projects in detail.After five days, I received the mail confirming my selection for the SDE-1 position.
Interview Questions (5)
Preparation Tips
My preparation involved solving medium and hard-level DSA questions on LeetCode. I focused on explaining solutions from brute force to optimized approaches and continuously communicating my thought process. For the managerial round, I made sure to thoroughly review my projects and internships.