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Rejected

SDE-1 (Backend) at Tekion

Difficulty
Process took
1-2 Weeks
Rounds
4
Format
Remote
Applied via
Company Website

How it went

  • I learned a lot from the process and will use this feedback to improve. The interviews at Tekion were challenging but offered great insights into what companies expect from candidates in terms of technical skills and workplace communication.
  • If you’re preparing for interviews like this, make sure to focus on multithreading, system design, and clear communication.

What they would tell you

  • I learned a lot from the process and will use this feedback to improve. The interviews at Tekion were challenging but offered great insights into what companies expect from candidates in terms of technical skills and workplace communication.
  • If you’re preparing for interviews like this, make sure to focus on multithreading, system design, and clear communication.

How to prepare

  • Unfortunately, I was rejected after this round. While the technical aspects of my interviews went well, I believe the cultural fit and alignment with the role were the deciding factors. The hiring manager's feedback suggested that while I demonstrated strong technical skills, they felt that my approach to project handling and time management under pressure needed further refinement.
  • Ensure you practice system design questions like the Elevator System, cache systems, and request schedulers.

Round by round

  1. 1

    Online Assessment60 min

    The process started with an online assessment that consisted of three coding problems. The problems were designed to test my problem-solving and algorithmic skills: Problem 1: Min Cost Path in a Grid

    • Tasked with finding the minimum cost to move from the top-left to the bottom-right corner of a grid, while navigating around obstacles. This was a classic dynamic programming problem, and I solved it using a DP table. Problem 2: Length of Longest Arithmetic Progression

    • I had to find the length of the longest arithmetic progression in an array. This one involved a combination of sorting and hash maps to store the progressions. Problem 3: Minimum Number of Stops to Reach Target

    • This problem involved determining the minimum number of stops required to reach a target on an infinite number line. The task had a greedy approach, where I had to efficiently check reachable points. I managed to solve all three questions but felt that Problem 3 could have been more optimized for space.

  2. 2

    DSA60 min

    This round was conducted by a Bar Raiser and focused on data structures and algorithmic thinking. 8 Ball Weighing Puzzle

    • A classic problem that asks you to determine which ball is heavier using a balance scale, but the challenge is that you can only use the scale three times. The solution involved divide and conquer logic. Product of Array Except Self

    • This problem required finding the product of all elements in the array, except the current one, without using division. I solved this by first creating a prefix product and suffix product array.

  3. 3

    Low-Level Design60 min

    In this round, I was asked about my previous experiences and Java fundamentals. The focus was mainly on object-oriented design and system implementation. Previous Experience Questions:

    • I was asked to elaborate on my previous projects, specifically the architecture decisions I made, how I handled scalability, and which design patterns I applied in my past work. Java & Mockito:

    • We discussed Java and Mockito in depth, focusing on how I had used mocking in unit tests, dependency injection, and handling test-driven development (TDD) in my previous roles. Design a Simple Elevator System:

    • The main design question involved creating a system for elevators in a building with multiple floors. I had to account for efficiency in scheduling the elevator and managing multiple requests. The interviewer was looking for modular design, class interactions, and efficient use of resources. This round lasted for about 1 hour, and I was able to explain my approach in detail, covering all aspects of the design and implementation.

  4. 4

    HM Discussion60 min

    This round was a mix of technical and behavioral questions. Java Concurrency:

    • The interviewer asked me about Java concurrency, threads, and synchronization. We discussed concepts like race conditions, deadlocks, and thread safety. Behavioral Questions: The hiring manager asked some standard behavioral questions like:

    • “Tell me about a time when you disagreed with your team on a technical decision and how you resolved it.”

    • “How do you handle tight deadlines while ensuring code quality?”

What came up

MediumRemote1 2 years

A candidate-reported account, lightly edited. Interview processes change by team and date.

Sources