Interview Experience JP Morgan | SDE2
Summary
I recently interviewed for an SDE2 role at JPMC. The process included an online assessment, coding and code review, system design, and managerial rounds. I was ultimately selected for the role.
Full Experience
Background
Education: B.Tech in Computer Science from a Tier-3 college
Experience: ~3.5 years
Current Role: SDE-2 at Bank
Online Assessment
Platform: HackerRank
The assessment had 2 DSA questions. Both were standard problem-solving questions and I managed to solve them within the given time.
Interestingly, the interview call came almost 1 month after completing the assessment, which was quite unexpected.
Interview Process
Round 1: Coding + Code Review (1 hour)
Part 1 – Code Review
I was given a pull request and asked to review the code as if I were reviewing a teammate’s PR.
The discussion mainly revolved around:
- Spring Boot fundamentals
- Coding best practices
- Identifying potential improvements in the implementation
Part 2 – DSA
The coding question was based on arrays involving a circular traversal concept.
Round 2: System Design (HLD) – 1 hour
The task was to design a high-level architecture for a Rate Limiter.
Topics discussed included:
- Different design approaches
- Algorithms which best suits
- Trade-offs between solutions
- Scalability considerations
- Handling failures and edge cases
There were a few moments where the interviewer and I had different opinions on certain design decisions. I tried to justify my approach with clear reasoning and examples.
Some of my points were accepted while others were challenged, which made it a very engaging and deep technical discussion.
Looking back, I feel there were a few design aspects where I could have improved my approach.
Round 3: Managerial / Behavioral – 45 mins
This round focused more on behavioral and communication aspects.
Some areas covered:
- Communication and collaboration
- Leadership mindset
- Real project experiences
A few example topics discussed:
- Handling difficult challenges at work
- Resolving conflicts within a team
- Making decisions under tight deadlines
I answered most questions using real examples from my past projects and work experience.
Outcome
Status: Selected ✅
Overall, it was a great learning experience and a well-structured interview process.
Interview Questions (1)
Design a High-Level Rate Limiter
The task was to design a high-level architecture for a Rate Limiter. Topics discussed included different design approaches, algorithms which best suit, trade-offs between solutions, scalability considerations, and handling failures and edge cases.
Preparation Tips
For preparation, I focused on DSA practice, system design fundamentals, and reviewing common interview questions through interview preparation sheets.