Walmart | Software Engineer III | IN 3| Interview Experience
Summary
I interviewed for the Software Engineer III role at Walmart Global Tech in Bangalore. The process consisted of three in-person rounds covering DSA, System Design, and a Hiring Manager discussion, ultimately leading to an offer.
Full Experience
I recently went through an interview process for the Software Engineer III position at Walmart Global Tech in Bangalore. The entire process, which was initiated through a referral, comprised three in-person rounds completed within a single day. With 3 years of experience as an SDE-II, I felt well-prepared for the challenges.
Round 1 – DSA Coding Round
This round focused on medium to medium-hard DSA questions, covering topics such as Trees (traversals, path-based problems), Two Pointers, Sliding Window, and Binary Search variations. The interviewer expected a clear explanation of my approach, starting from brute force to an optimized solution, along with thorough handling of edge cases and detailed time & space complexity analysis. I successfully cleared this round and advanced.
Round 2 – Low-Level + System Design
This was an engaging open discussion covering both system design and core Java concepts. The interviewer assessed my problem-solving approach, thought structuring, and ability to extend solutions. We discussed data modeling, API design for extensibility, and step-by-step system scaling. Specific Java concepts like Multithreading, concurrency handling, and synchronization were also covered, alongside Design Patterns and SOLID principles. Several sample design problems were discussed, including building an In-Memory Cache, an Email Notification System, a UPI-like Payment System, and a Ride Booking System. For this round, I was expected to provide code snippets where necessary, demonstrate how a design could evolve from basic to scalable, and apply appropriate design patterns. I successfully navigated this round as well.
Round 3 – Hiring Manager Round
The final round was a blend of technical and behavioral questions. We delved deep into my previous work experience and the projects listed on my resume. I answered questions about my tech stack (Java, system design, scalability aspects) and discussed decision-making and ownership in past projects. Some general AI/ML concepts were also brought up to gauge my awareness of trending technologies. Additionally, standard behavioral questions on teamwork, conflict resolution, and leadership were posed. The discussion felt conversational, focusing on my potential contribution to the team and growth within the role.
Finally, I was thrilled to receive an offer for the Software Engineer III position at Walmart Global Tech in Bangalore! It was a comprehensive, in-office interview experience that concluded swiftly.
Interview Questions (3)
Design an email notification system. Focus on mechanisms for retrying failed notifications and handling requests asynchronously to ensure reliability and and scalability.
Design a payment system similar to UPI (Unified Payments Interface). Key considerations include ensuring transaction consistency (ACID properties) and strategies for scaling the system to handle high transaction volumes.
Design a ride booking system. Address challenges such as efficiently matching riders with available drivers and architectural considerations for ensuring the system's scalability.
Preparation Tips
To prepare, I focused on several key areas:
- DSA: I concentrated on trees, graphs, sliding window, two pointers, and binary search. My practice involved solving Medium/Hard problems on LeetCode and ensuring I could clearly explain my approach from brute force to optimized solutions.
- System Design (LLD + HLD): I practiced common design problems such as cache systems, notification systems, booking systems, and payment systems. I made sure to be proficient in discussing data modeling, API design, scaling strategies, and trade-offs. Revising design patterns (Factory, Singleton, Observer, Strategy) and SOLID principles was also crucial.
- Java Core: My review included multithreading, concurrency (synchronized blocks, thread safety, executors), JVM memory model, and garbage collection basics.
- Behavioral + Managerial: I prepared by clearly articulating my projects, their impact, and my ownership. I also practiced providing examples related to teamwork, challenges, and leadership moments.
- AI/ML Awareness: While deep knowledge wasn't required, understanding basic AI concepts (like supervised vs unsupervised learning, and real-world use cases) proved helpful.