LINKEDIN Interview Experience | Complete Hiring Process of LINKEDIN Software Engineer
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Summary
This video details a student's journey through placement preparation, focusing on Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA), projects, and the hiring process for internships. It highlights the importance of a structured roadmap, consistency, and a balanced approach to learning across different domains.
Key points- A structured roadmap, like the one provided by Alpha, is crucial for effective preparation, preventing haphazard learning and feelings of being lost.
- Consistency is key; breaking study streaks leads to friction and the feeling of having to relearn concepts, whereas daily practice makes learning smoother.
- The resume's 'wow factor' can come from a spread of skills across domains like web development, AI/ML, and data analytics, alongside hackathon participation and achievements.
- The perception of DSA has shifted from merely finding solutions to understanding the problem, moving from brute force to optimized approaches, and valuing the number of submissions as an indicator of learning.
- The LinkedIn hiring process included an online assessment, a written DSA round (trees, dynamic programming), and an HR interview focused on resume and projects.
- Hackathons are a significant way to gain project experience and can be found through college communications, platforms like Unstop, and social media groups.
Chapters
Notable quotes (4)
“Breaking my streaks because I realized that once I break the streak and then come back to either DSA or even any text stack like most of the any project any web development related text stack or anything.”
“Alpha is where gave me a structured road map. Like me as a person, I want everything to be structured. Like, even before I start doing, I need to have a clear road map in my mind.”
“that shows you you moved from brute force to optimized to an even more optimized. So that is also another important thing.”
“communication is where I can express myself to the interviewer and if I can't tell what I I'm supposed to tell what I feel like telling, then it's not about whether I get selected or not, but then I feel really sad that okay, I was not able to convince others or I was not able to express myself.”
0:00Well, before engineering started, I had created a road map for myself. Like, okay, I have to prepare DSA, do some good projects, and maintain a nice GPA. So, I had put that into my mind, and I started DSA sister from Apna College even before engineering like of the proper first time started. [music] >> Is there any mistake that you would not like to repeat?
0:18>> Breaking my streaks because I realized that once I break the streak and then come back to either DSA or even any text stack like most [music] of the any project any web development related text stack or anything. I realized that there's some sort of friction in my head. I feel like I have forgotten everything. I feel like revisiting the same thing again and again and repeating everything. But, once I'm consistent and when I when I'm consistent and come back to it the next day, I don't know for some reason there is some lubrication in my It's very smooth for me to and it feels every concept feels fresh
0:50even though I've done a lot of days back, but since I'm consistent it it feels feels [music] fresh. Alpha is where gave me a structured road map. Like me as a person, I want everything to be structured. Like, even before I start doing, I need to have a clear road map in my mind. Like, okay, this is what I'm doing. Otherwise, everything is so haphazard and I do too many things available on the internet. So, it's I feel lost. [music] So, Alpha gave me the structured content. Okay, this is what I have to do and I have to get a strong base. So, first with Alpha I got a I
1:21[music] got a strong base over DSA. >> What do you think was the wow factor in your resume or in your profile? >> So, it was spread across various domains like web dev AIML [music] and then data analytics. So, I had base over all these things. I had explored many domains. And also that my hackathons. I think that was another wow factor in my resume. Recently, my perception towards DSA has changed.
1:44Before I used to just look at DSA like getting the solutions. I used to regret and I used to feel guilty when I [music] I couldn't get the solutions and I used to blame myself. But, now that perception has changed. Now I look more at it towards like understanding the problem. Even if I know the optimized approach for it, [music] always move from the brute force to the optimized approach. People usually speak about the number of questions solved in Leadcode, but what is also important is number of submissions for each question because that shows you you moved from brute force to optimized to an even more
2:20optimized. So that is also another important thing. >> Hi everyone and today we're going to interview Monisha. Monisha is a DSA and development model of Sigma student and she recently got selected in LinkedIn. So I am Monisha getting complete placement preparation journey to go by me journey only and we'll also get to know about the hiring process of LinkedIn. Okay, so Monisha tell us about the entire hiring process of LinkedIn.
2:42Like how many rounds were there and what was asked in each round? >> So ma'am the first round was the online assessment round in which we were asked three questions. I would say easy, medium, hard and two of them were about binary search and one of them was about array manipulation. So that was the first day and it was online assessment round. And then the next day there were two rounds which were the offline rounds. All of them both of them were face-to-face interview round. The first one was the the written DSA round and we were asked two questions based on trees and a 1D dynamic programming and the
3:15next round was the HR interview round and that was mostly mostly based on the resume resume based questions. >> Okay and finally how many students got the offer for internship? >> Seven. >> Seven students got and you were part of those seven students. Okay. So right now you're in your second year or third year of college? >> Third year.
3:32>> Third year of college and you're going to do your internship in summers? >> Mhm. >> Okay. So Monisha tell us the entire internship preparation strategy that you had. Like what did you study in your first year? What did you study in your second year? And now right now you're in your third year so what are you studying right now for your placements?
3:51>> So uh before engineering started, I had created a roadmap for myself. Like, okay, I have to prepare DSA, do some good projects, and maintain a nice CGPA. So, I had uh put that into my mind, and I started DSA uh so start from Apna College even before engineering like of the proper first time started. >> Okay.
4:08>> And then I started preparing. I used to um do more of Lead Code. And then we used to participate a lot in hackathons with my friends. And my uh friends, we share like the same mindset. >> Mhm. >> All of us were willing to participate in hackathons, and we wanted to uh kind of grab nice opportunities. So, we went to hackathons together. I think together we like participated in from five to six hackathons, and almost we have almost won in almost all of the hackathons. And uh so yeah, basically the projects and all everything uh was handled by these hackathons, and then DSA has to do with
4:39Lead Code. And even uh our college gives like a lot of projects. So, that's where projects were dealt with. And DSA was the Lead Code. And then uh CGPA, CGPA also uh was very important because we don't know from where we get the opportunity. So, I maintained a decent CGPA and went. That is uh above nine or 9.5 above works. So, yeah.
5:01>> Okay. And what was the tech stack that you used in your projects? >> Uh mostly MERN stack. >> Mhm. >> Uh and uh it spread across various domains like AI/ML, web development, and uh data analytics. So, these were >> So, tell us more about your hackathon experience. Like, how did you start participating in hackathons? What was your first hackathon like? And how do you get to know where the hackathons are? And how do you prepare that for yourself?
5:26>> So, the first hackathon was again a 24-hour hackathon. It was uh a little bit um time like tiring, but then at the end we got the best UI/UX design award. So, that's where all the motivation started. >> So, how did you find the friend group to go to that hackathon? >> So, we are almost like in the same uh year. So, we uh somehow know each other, and uh our classmates, Most of them are my classmates and friends only. And uh yeah, it's the same group.
5:52>> And from where do you find out where the hackathons are? >> Uh so, our college sends us in our mail IDs or there is this platform called Unstop and LinkedIn or it gets circulated in many college groups. So, I think there we get most of the information. College groups, Instagram sometimes, and LinkedIn and Google articles. So, there we can get information about >> Okay. So, apart from DSA, uh was there anything else that was part of the interview process?
6:18>> Uh mostly LinkedIn focused on DSA, but then during the HR round, uh interviewer was, I guess, also looking forward looking towards what the projects I'd done and what was my contribution towards it. And how well I knew how well what are the projects I'd done interested me, not just for the sake of doing it, but uh with where I was actually interested in doing it. So, even projects helped. And like in-depth understanding of the core concepts, that also mattered.
6:48>> So, was the HR round the third round which happened in LinkedIn? Okay. >> The online assessment was the first round and these two were uh in person. >> Okay. So, how many months of DSA preparation uh did you give? >> I can't say that properly because it was very inconsistent. I used to break my streaks a lot.
7:06>> So, just tell us on average how many hours did you spend for your DSA preparation? On average? Was it 4 hours? 5 hours? >> Per day. Per day. 2 hours? >> Sometimes it used to be very uh long, 4 hours, 5 hours. Sometimes just uh 1 hour or something, but then I have this thing like if I have to do, I have to do it for a really long time, which is bad.
7:29Even if it's not for 4 hours or 5 hours continuously, even if it's just for 15 minutes or uh 20 minutes, we have to spend at least uh little amount of time every day just so that we maintain that consistency and we don't break the streak. Just so that today I don't have much time, so I'm not doing DSA. That's a very bad reason that I can give for myself. So, that's one lesson that I've learned and yeah, so before even I was in the mindset that I used to do it, I have to do it. If I If I'm doing it, I should do it for a long time, otherwise
7:55I shouldn't do it. So, yeah. >> Okay. And was there some special strategy that you used in your preparation journey? >> When I was start When I started DSA, I didn't get strategies, but then again when I did and then even after LinkedIn, I just got some strategies for myself. That is, okay, before LinkedIn also I knew this So, DSA has many concepts like trees, graphs, etc. and some Many students get overwhelmed by that, but I just divided DSA into just two things, non-recursion based and recursion based.
8:26Recursion based where in we have recursion backtracking graphs trees everything I put it in recursion based topics. Because if I know recursion, especially backtracking, then I can solve I noticed that I was able to solve any question among any of these concepts that I mentioned. And apart from recursion, which is the non-recursion like array, string manipulation, two pointers, and [clears throat] all of that, uh greedy, sliding window, all of that is just based on some There's some logic and if I get that logic and I write my syntax neatly, it's mainly the for loops.
8:59Improvising on the for loops and getting some strategy. So, I just divided into two things, non-recursion and recursion. And >> [clears throat] >> I realized that recursion based all these concepts I was able to do really well. So, I had to focus more on these, writing for loops neatly and identifying what was that logic. So, just two things in my mind. So, it was not many concepts for me, just these two concepts.
9:19So. >> Okay. And what was the role of Alpha in your journey? >> Alpha is where gave me a structured roadmap. Like me as a person, I want anything to be structured. Like even before I start doing, I need to have a clear roadmap in my mind. Like, okay, this is what I'm doing. Otherwise, everything is so haphazard and then too many things available on the internet.
9:41So, it's I feel lost. So, Alpha gave me the structured content. Okay, this is what I have to do and I have to get a strong base. So, first with Alpha, I get a I got a strong base over DSA and on top of that, any other question that I solved was on top of that. And especially backtracking, Alpha really helped me with that because backtracking is where I've seen that many students struggle. And if backtracking goes wrong, then everything graphs DP, everything fails. So, backtracking is really important I felt and that also it really helped.
10:09>> Okay. And what was the role of communication skills in interviews? >> Uh communication skills, uh I think that also mattered during the HR interview round because during the HR interview round, out of uh 11 people, seven people were selected. I don't know what was actually the criteria, but communication is where I can express myself to the interviewer and if I can't tell what I I'm supposed to tell what I feel like telling, then it's not about whether I get selected or not, but then I feel really sad that okay, I was not able to convince others or I was not able to express myself. So,
10:46I feel somewhat like a mute person and I don't like to be like that. So, whatever it is, I just like to voice out my opinion. So, yeah. >> Okay. And were core subjects and quant aptitude were were these also part of the selection criteria? >> Uh for internship, not much, but maybe placement will be. Yeah. >> Take care. So, in the entire process, what do you think was the wow factor in your resume or in your profile?
11:12>> So, it was spread across various domains like web dev, AI ML and then data analytics. So, I had a base over all these things. I'd explored many domains. And also that my hackathons. I think that was another wow factor in my resume. Hackathons and almost the achievements of hackathons. Okay. >> So, what one interview preparation or what is one placement preparation advice that you think is overrated, which doesn't work or which didn't work for you?
11:43>> Uh overrated, I I wouldn't say overrated, but everyone talks about consistency. It's not overrated, it's actually true, but it's very difficult to follow. But then if we are able to follow, then it is definitely true that we can crack anything, be it even DSA or even a development. Consistency is important and yeah, it's the same thing what everyone says and it's true. Yeah.
12:03>> Okay. And what is the one thing that you had to leave to actually get the offer? Like what is that one thing that you think could have stopped you from getting an internship that you had to leave? >> Uh like even from first year, second year, I was used to doing many sacrifices during uh peer preparations and all. So, I was I'm used to doing sacrifices. I don't actually like it. So, but then when I was writing the online assessment, I realized that there was uh these some test cases out five out of 10 test cases were very hard to pass. I almost uh
12:37left. I was almost about to leave. But then uh I I thought, "Okay, anyways, it's going to go. Let me just give it a try." And then finally all the test cases passed. And then later I got to know that only those who of the people whose test case all the test cases passed, only they had been screened. So, I think I didn't I I'm still happy that I didn't make that mistake of just leaving it or just giving up. So, we should always try to do it till the end.
13:05>> Okay. And in your entire preparation process, was there any mistake that if given a chance to redo and re-prepare from first year, that Is there any mistake that you would not like to repeat? >> Uh breaking my streaks because I realized that once I break the streak and then come back to either DSA or even any tech stack like most of them we say any project any web development related text like or anything. I realize that there's some sort of friction in my head. I feel like I have forgotten everything. I feel like revisiting the same thing again and again and repeating everything. But once I'm consistent and
13:40when I when I'm consistent and come back to it the next day, I don't know for some reason there is some uh lubrication in my It's very smooth for me to uh and it feels every concept feels fresh even though I've done a lot of days back, but since I'm consistent it I uh it feels feels fresh. So uh yeah, I would be more consistent be even if it's little every day mhm uh be consistent.
14:04>> Okay. And what is your advice for for a student who is maybe starting their preparation from first year right now? What should they study in first year? What should they study in second year and third year? >> Yeah, so I would tell them to have a base over everything not just DSA and not just a project on and also to maintain a CGPA because we never know where the opportunity come can can come from where.
14:24>> Mhm. >> And maybe it can come because you're very good at uh DSA or it can come because our projects are really good. And on top of that it depends upon the interest also. But yeah, to I would suggest the students not to neglect anything. Have a explore everything explore all the text tags which are available, the frameworks which are there and have their hands hands-on skills on everything. And what is more important is to uh practice it.
14:48>> Mhm. >> And not just theory theory because we may think to ourselves that okay, this is right, this is wrong and we should do it like this, but until and unless we start implementing it, nothing actually works. So I would ask them to have their hands-on uh skills and just start doing it practically implement it more than theories.
15:06>> Okay, is there anything else that you would like to add? >> Yes, ma'am. So recently my perception towards DSA has changed. Before I used to just look at DSA like getting the solutions. I used to uh regret and I used to feel guilty when I I couldn't get the solutions and I used to blame myself. But now that perception has changed, now I look more at it towards like uh understanding the problem. So, I read the problem, I understand, and if I I I already know that pattern, then I try to do it. Otherwise, I feel really happy that I've come across this pattern, and I I try to add it to my
15:39dictionary. And even if I know the optimized approach for it, I always go from brute force to optimized. Because I when I do the brute force, that's where exactly when I know, "Okay, this is what is lacking in brute force. This is the loophole. And if this is fixed, then I can move to the optimized approach." So, always move from the brute force to the optimized approach. People usually speak about the number of um questions solved in Lead Code. But, what is also important is number of submissions for each question. Because that shows you you've moved from brute force to optimized to an even more
16:13optimized. So, that is also another important thing. >> So, you get to I think we have covered almost everything that we wanted to ask. >> Yes, ma'am. >> So, Monisha, tell us uh about the role of friends that you had in college. >> Uh yes, ma'am. Friends are an indispensable part of life. Uh what I would say is uh some friends create a negative impact on you. And at that moment, we don't realize. But, later in the future, we realize how much of a negative impact it has caused in us. And in order to revert ourself back from that situation to how we were before,
16:46and get our stature back, it's uh it's very time-consuming, and it's a very painful process. So, we should be mindful of the uh friends we make. And also, at the same time, some friends make make us feel inferior. Like, we have this inferiority complex. Maybe because they're better than us, or maybe because they're smarter than us. But, that's when we we shouldn't feel like, "Okay, maybe we should change the friendship." No, we have to be in that friendship because there is so much to learn from that kind of friends. We have to just stay with them. And after some time, even if we don't do anything, we
17:16just start picking up the good traits, uh the way they uh react to a situation, the way they uh understand and solve the problem. So, yeah, that's all. >> Okay. Are there any personal experiences of yours that you'd like to share? >> Uh yeah, sometimes I feel uh maybe down when uh so, >> That's okay. So, in your entire hiring process, what do you think was more important to you? Was it DSA or was it development?
17:45>> DSA. >> DSA. Okay. Okay. So, I hope Monisha's journey say we've gotten to learn a lot of things that we'll also apply in our tech placement preparation journey. And I wish you all the best for your upcoming interviews for placements and for internships. I can get it with the next session till then keep learning and keep exploring.
18:05>> I'm in [music] line with the stars, I'm in sync with the earth. 10 toes deep, flower child from the turf. I [music] never switch sides, like even when I die, I'mma ride for the squad, lot of ties in the herb.
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