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Summary
I interviewed for a Backend Engineer role at PayPay in Japan in June 2025 and was rejected after several rounds, primarily due to not performing well in the Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA) rounds.
Full Experience
Current Employer: Product based MNC YOE: 5+
Application Process: Recruiter reached out on LinkedIn Interview Process Round 1: Online Assessment on CodeSignal 2 DSA Questions based on array, String, HashMap, Stack Question1: String manipulation with Stack(Easy) Question2: https://leetcode.com/problems/number-of-adjacent-elements-with-the-same-color (Same question with different constraints) Time : 70 mins
Round 2: General tech knowledge Past projects(most challenging) Monolith vs Microservices Sql vs NoSQL ACID properties in detail One scenario based question:- How to handle multiple pay click by user in Payment System(Gave Idempotency key + Rate Limitting based solution) Time : 45 mins
Round 3(Loop): DSA : Sync vs Async Programming(how async wait works internally) Generators in Python JIT compilation in Java(working in depth) SkipList Data structure(working + time complexity of insert, delete) Bloom Filter(how to delete element from BF, told we can't, follow-up:- which DS similar to Bloom Filter supports deletion) Bellman-Ford Algorithm(working and Time Complexity)
One DSA question(Leetcode Hard), working code was expected in 20 mints:- https://leetcode.com/problems/add-edges-to-make-degrees-of-all-nodes-even/ Time : 60 mins
Verdict: Rejected DSA round didn't went well, was not able to answer most of the questions(I mean who will read about Cuckoo Filter(same as Bloom filter with deletion capability)). Also 20 mints for a Leetcode Hard(may be a CM on Codeforces can solve).
One day after the DSA round, I got the rejection mail, no feedback was given as it's against their policy.
Interview Questions (9)
Scenario-based question: How to handle multiple pay clicks by a user in a payment system.
Question on Sync vs Async Programming, specifically how async/await works internally.
Question on Generators in Python.
Question on JIT compilation in Java, working in depth.
Discussion on SkipList Data structure: working and time complexity of insert, delete operations.
Question on Bloom Filter: how to delete elements from a Bloom Filter. Follow-up: which data structure similar to Bloom Filter supports deletion (e.g., Cuckoo Filter).
Question on Bellman-Ford Algorithm: working and Time Complexity.
Preparation Tips
Suggestions: Keep resume updated with skills you are well versed with(having Node.Js and Python from my past experience backfired me as there were multiple questions on those skills)
I had mentioned(in my resume) that I've done Competivie programming in past and I think that was the reason he asked me a Leetcode Hard problem(20 mints). Don't mention such thing if you are out of touch from CP