This experience is shared by a selected candidate from June 2024. I hope it helps those preparing for similar roles!
The candidate had 5 years of experience and went through 3 elimination rounds:
Round 1: Coding (1 hour)
- The interview was with a VP.
- Two coding questions were asked:
- Recursion problem: Combination Sum II
- Java Streams: Given an array, remove odd numbers, multiply each remaining number by a constant, and return the sum using Java streams.
- The feedback was positive, and the next round was scheduled for the same day.
Round 2: Java & Spring Interview (1 hour)
- Taken by an SDE3, the candidate was asked:
- Features of Java 8, 11, and 17
- What is Spring? Why use it? Differences between Spring and Spring Boot?
- Runnable vs Callable
- Types of exceptions and the exception hierarchy in Java
- Multithreading and Design Patterns in Java
- How Autowiring works in Spring
- What is Spring Security?
- With 5 years of Java & Spring experience, the candidate answered confidently, even using examples instead of textbook definitions.
Round 3: HM + Behavioral (1 hour)
- The final round with an Executive Director.
- First half: Candidate explained a recent project’s design and answered follow-up questions.
- Second half: Behavioral questions, answered using the STAR method:
- Why JP Morgan, and how do you handle the bank's work culture?
- A situation where you disagreed with your manager.
- Leading a project, on-call management, and handling design rejections.
- Initiatives like reducing on-call work or leading migration efforts.
After following up with STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result), the interviewer was impressed. The candidate received the offer in 2-3 days but opted for another opportunity.
🔑 Key Takeaway: Master your coding skills, understand Java deeply, and approach behavioral questions with a structured method like STAR.