opentext Interview Experience | Java Backend Role | SDE2 | September 2025

I initiated my application by cold emailing a recruiter, which led to an initial call to discuss basic details and schedule a Face-to-Face interview for a weekday.

Round 1 - Technical Round

This round thoroughly assessed my knowledge across various technical areas. I was asked to design a Singleton class, tackle a string-based Data Structures and Algorithms question (though I can't recall the exact problem), implement a multithreading concept, and answer several Java theoretical questions. Towards the end, I was given a classic puzzle: 'There are 100 doors, all open at the start. The 1st person goes to all multiples of one, toggling their state (closing open ones, opening closed ones). The 2nd person does the same for all multiples of two, and so on, up to 100 people. Which doors will be open at the end?' I was selected for the next round after this.

Round 2 - Technical Round

This round delved deeper into implementation, focusing on my Java proficiency. I was given several questions to implement directly in Java. Following that, there were three DSA questions for which I provided pseudocode in C++, which the interviewer seemed to accept. Another puzzle was presented: 'Given two measuring cups, one 3L and another 5L, how would you measure exactly 4L of liquid?' I also answered some questions related to my resume. I distinctly remember answering all questions correctly and thoroughly.

Verdict - Rejected

Despite my confidence in my answers, I was ultimately rejected. When I inquired about the reason, HR stated my 'Java was weak.' This surprised me greatly, as I felt I had performed well, particularly in the Java-specific questions. I suspect the rejection might have been due to me providing pseudocode in C++ for the DSA problems in the second round, as the interviewer did not specify Java for those questions initially. Nevertheless, it wasn't my day.