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Summary
I recently interviewed with Media.net for an on-campus SDE New Grad role. I was rejected after the first technical round, which included a focus on core CS fundamentals and an algorithmic problem requiring a mathematical solution.
Full Experience
I recently interviewed with Media.net for an on-campus SDE role. While I was rejected after the first technical round, I wanted to share my experience in hopes it helps others.
Online Assessment (OA)
The OA consisted of three coding problems of Hard difficulty, covering complex String Manipulation, a tricky Binary Search problem, and a Graph problem. I managed to solve two out of the three problems. A critical piece of advice from my experience: Do not cheat. Their plagiarism detection is very strong, and many students who solved all three problems were not shortlisted, likely due to plagiarism flags. It's truly better to submit your own honest work.
Technical Interview (Round 1)
This round lasted about an hour and was divided into two sections: CS Fundamentals and an Algorithmic Problem.
Part 1: CS Core Fundamentals
The interviewer started with a series of questions on core computer science concepts. I was asked about Referential Integrity Constraints and how to write the SQL query for it, the main differences between TCP and UDP with real-world examples, the purpose of the static keyword, the difference between Method Overriding and Method Overloading, and whether a static method can be overridden and why. I answered all the questions, though my SQL query had a minor syntax error.
Part 2: Algorithmic Problem
For the algorithmic part, the problem statement was given verbally, which required a fair amount of time and clarifying questions to fully grasp. The question was: "Given an integer N representing the total number of matches played in a tournament, find all possible values for the number of teams (k) that could have participated." I discussed a brute-force approach, but the interviewer clearly indicated they were looking for a highly optimized solution, hinting at a direct mathematical formula for a constant-time solution. Unfortunately, we ran out of time, and I wasn't able to arrive at the final expected solution.
Ultimately, I was rejected after this round. It was a tough interview, and running out of time on the final step was disappointing, but it was a valuable learning experience.
Interview Questions (6)
What is a Referential Integrity Constraint and how do you write the SQL query for it?
What are the main differences between TCP and UDP? Give real-world examples for each.
What is the static keyword and what is its purpose?
Explain the difference between Method Overriding and Method Overloading.
Can a static method be overridden? Explain why or why not.
Given an integer N representing the total number of matches played in a tournament, find all possible values for the number of teams (k) that could have participated.
Preparation Tips
My Key Takeaways and Preparation Advice:
- Fundamentals are Key: Media.net places a strong emphasis on core CS concepts. Be very solid with DBMS, OS, and OOP.
- Think Beyond Brute Force: Always discuss the complexity and look for optimizations. Interviewers often look for direct mathematical formulas or highly optimized solutions.
- Recognize Math Patterns: Some problems that seem algorithmic are actually math problems in disguise. Recognizing patterns for quadratic equations, series, etc., can lead to huge optimizations.
- Communication is Critical: Always ask clarifying questions. It's far better to fully understand the problem statement than to start coding the wrong solution.