I applied online. The process took 1 day. I interviewed at IBM (Toronto) in Sep 2025
Interview
Automatic technical assessment via HackerRank. One hour time limit. There is a confirmation link that you need to click for them to send you the assessment. BEWARE: You must finish one HackerRank BEFORE applying to another job and doing another HackerRank. If there are multiple job postings that you applied to and they all sent HackerRank requests to you, then you will only be able to do the first one before the system locks you out and you CAN'T do the subsequent ones and basically forces you to give up on the subsequent postings. Contacting HackerRank didn't get responses.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Parameters:
scores : List of int
cutOffRank : int
num: int (denoting amount of scores)
You are given a list of integers representing scores of players in a video game. Players can 'level-up' if by the end of the game they have a rank that is at most the cutOffRank. A player's rank is solely determined by their score relative to the other players' scores. For example:
Score : 10 | Rank 1
Score : 5 | Rank 2
Score : 3 | Rank 3
etc.
If multiple players happen to have the same score, then they will all receive the same rank. However, the next player with a score lower than theirs will receive a rank that is offset by this. For example:
Score: 10 | Rank 1
Score: 10 | Rank 1
Score: 10 | Rank 1
Score : 5 | Rank 4
Finally, any player with a score of 0 is automatically ineligible for leveling-up, regardless of their rank.
Return the number of players who are eligible for leveling-up.
Applied through the company portal, completed an online coding assessment, followed by a technical interview covering data structures, algorithms, OOP concepts, and project experience. Concluded with an HR discussion about the role, career goals, availability, and compensation expectations.
## IBM Interview Process
The process began with initial resume shortlisting, followed by competitive **DSA and coding rounds** to test core technical concepts. After clearing those, I cleared two comprehensive interviews with the **Hiring Manager/Tech Expert** and **HR**.
Describe the interview process: The process consisted of three rounds: an initial online assessment focusing on data structures and algorithms, followed by two technical video interviews. The technical rounds were intensive, covering system design, live coding, and deep-dive questions into previous project experience and database optimization.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Design a scalable URL shortener system and explain how you would handle high read/write throughput.
