JP Morgan and Chase SEP (SDE) for 2023 ( on-campus) for freshers [offer]

I interviewed for the Software Development Engineer (SEP) role at JPMC through an on-campus drive at IIT (BHU) Varanasi. The profile was open to students from CSE, MnC, EE, and EC branches. With a B.Tech in CSE from a Tier 1 college and 0 years of experience, complemented by a research project and a 2-month internship at Samsung Bangalore, I proceeded through the selection process.

Coding Test

The process began with a 1-hour coding test on HackerRank, consisting of two easy-to-medium level questions. I managed to solve both within 5 minutes, passing all test cases, and was subsequently shortlisted for the interview rounds.

Round 1: Technical Interview (60 minutes)

This round had two interviewers and started with my introduction and a deep dive into my resume. We discussed Data Structures and Algorithms, specifically hash maps. I was asked about their definition, working mechanism, and structure. Unfortunately, I couldn't answer these accurately as I hadn't reviewed the concepts recently.

The discussion then shifted to priority queues, their functionality, and time complexity. Following this, the second interviewer focused on my research project on IoT and WSNs, and my published paper. They were very curious about the novelty of my work and how I executed it. My internship experience at Samsung Research Institute was also thoroughly discussed, with one interviewer even asking me to visually explain my work on paper due to its complexity.

Towards the end, an out-of-the-box system design question was posed, based on my IoT background. I was asked to design an IoT system for a 5-floor parking lot to efficiently utilize space, ensuring cars don't move to the next floor until the current one is sufficiently occupied. I spent a few minutes thinking and provided a convincing answer, which seemed to leave a very good impression and led to my invitation for Round 2.

Finally, I was asked to write code to sort an array and explain its time and space complexity, which I found quite straightforward. The round concluded positively after I asked them a question.

Round 2: Tech + HR Interview (25 minutes)

This round was a blend of technical and HR questions, primarily assessing my soft skills and communication. We discussed my Django project, focusing on what Django is, how it works, and why I chose it over other frameworks. The conversation then moved to my understanding of JPMC and my motivation to join the company. I expressed my interest in finance and how JPMC combines finance and technology, aligning with my career goals. I also mentioned my aspiration to switch to a Quantitative Researcher role in the future, acknowledging that this might not be immediately available in the current profile. I affirmed my comfort with a Software Developer role for now, open to any team allotment. This round also ended with a warm handshake after I asked a question.

Round 3: HR Interview (10 minutes)

This was a very brief and relaxed round, with no serious HR questions. We discussed my family background, living location, and my preferences for Bangalore, Mumbai, or Hyderabad. The interviewer also inquired about my day, leading to a discussion about other interviews I had given recently. The interview concluded with the interviewer's encouraging words, "So, Yash, your hunt will hunt today...and we will see you on the other side," followed by a warm handshake.

P.S.: Despite the positive interactions, I unfortunately did not receive an offer. There were complications, and I was waitlisted after an initial confirmation from HR. It was a matter of hard luck, and a long story for another time.