Mastercard Interview Experience |SDE| On campus

Mastercard Interview Process Overview:

Stages:

1. Online Test
2. Interviews: 2 Technical Rounds, 1 HR Round

Interview Rounds

Technical Interview — Round 1

This interview was particularly challenging and stood out as one of my most difficult experiences.

Questions:

• Introduction:
  • I began with a brief introduction.
• Java Knowledge:
  • When asked about my familiarity with Java, I admitted that I was not proficient in it. However, the interviewer proceeded with several Java-related questions, including:
    • Concepts related to JUnit and testing.
    • Automation techniques using Selenium.
    • CI/CD scripting languages.
    • Synchronization techniques in Java, including mutexes and their implementation in Java functions.
• Database:
  • I was presented with two tables, Book and Author, and asked to discuss:
    • The relationship type between the tables (many-to-many).
    • The primary and foreign key structures.
    • Strategies for optimizing database retrieval speed for both SQL (indexing) and NoSQL (partitioning/sharding).
• Projects:
  • We discussed REST API methods, focusing on GET and POST.
  • I covered API security considerations, particularly TLS.
• Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA):
  • I solved a basic DSA problem, identifying the missing element in a sequence (e.g., [1,2,3,5] where 4 is absent).
• Additional Scenarios:
  • I faced a scenario-based question involving the assignment of 10 random questions to 3 individuals, seeking a Java-based solution.

Technical Interview — Round 2

Focus: This round was primarily centered on my projects and extracurricular activities.

Questions:

• Projects:
  • I detailed my projects, including my approach, execution, and the technologies used.
  • The interviewer showed particular interest in the unique names and ideas of my projects, especially since they were in Hindi and Sanskrit.
• Data Structures and Algorithms:
  • I was tasked with finding the second largest element in a list.
• Hackathons:
  • We discussed my experiences and involvement in various hackathons.

HR Interview

Questions:

• I answered questions about my family background.
• I shared insights on my non-technical activities and achievements.
• I provided details regarding my internship experiences.

Verdict:

Outcome: I was selected for the position.

Reflection: Despite feeling underprepared—particularly regarding my knowledge of Java—I was fortunate to be selected, likely due to the uniqueness of my project ideas and my broader range of experiences.