Learn how students cracked internships and placements through detailed interview experiences, preparation tips and insights.
## Interview Overview I attended the interview for the AI Internship Programme at the City Union Bank Centre of Excellence, SASTRA University. The interview was around 15 minutes long and focused mainly on my technical background, machine learning project, SQL knowledge, and basic banking concepts. The interview was conversational and the interviewer asked questions based on the skills and projects mentioned in my profile. This made it important to understand my projects properly rather than simply memorizing theoretical answers. ## My Project Discussion A major part of the interview was based on my Telecom Customer Churn Prediction project. I was asked to explain the project, the problem I was trying to solve, the dataset, preprocessing steps, and the machine learning models I used. I explained how I performed exploratory data analysis, identified missing values, handled categorical variables through encoding, prepared the data for modelling, and divided it into training and testing datasets. I had experimented with multiple machine learning algorithms, including: - Logistic Regression - Decision Tree - Random Forest I also discussed the evaluation metrics used to compare the models, including accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score. One important takeaway from the project discussion was that you should be able to explain not only what model you used, but also WHY you used it and how you decided which model performed better. ## SQL and Technical Questions The interview also covered SQL and basic technical concepts. Revising SQL before the interview was useful, especially concepts such as filtering data, aggregation, grouping, joins, and writing queries to retrieve meaningful information from tables. The interview also tested my understanding of basic machine learning concepts rather than only asking me to write code. For students preparing for similar interviews, I would recommend being comfortable with: - Python fundamentals - Pandas and NumPy - SQL queries - Machine learning fundamentals - Data preprocessing - Classification algorithms - Model evaluation metrics - Basic statistics - Exploratory Data Analysis ## Banking Concepts Since the internship was related to banking and customer analytics, I was also expected to have an understanding of basic banking concepts. The preparation included concepts related to customer analysis, banking products, transactions, and how data analytics can be used to understand customer behaviour. Having a basic understanding of banking terminology is useful when applying for AI or Data Science roles in the BFSI domain. Technical knowledge alone may not be enough when the internship involves solving business problems using financial or customer data. ## What I Learned One of the biggest lessons from the interview was the importance of understanding your own resume. If you mention a machine learning project, be prepared to explain the complete workflow: 1. What problem are you solving? 2. What dataset did you use? 3. What preprocessing did you perform? 4. How did you handle missing values? 5. How did you encode categorical variables? 6. Which models did you try? 7. Why did you choose those models? 8. Which evaluation metrics did you use? 9. Which model performed best and why? 10. What could you improve in the future? The same applies to programming languages and tools mentioned in your resume. Interviewers can ask questions from any skill you list. ## Preparation Tips For students preparing for AI/ML internships, I would recommend focusing on fundamentals instead of trying to learn too many advanced topics at the last minute. Revise Python, SQL, machine learning algorithms, EDA, preprocessing, and evaluation metrics. At the same time, understand your projects deeply and practice explaining them in simple language. For banking-related AI roles, spend some time learning basic banking concepts and customer analytics terminology as well. Most importantly, don't just memorize definitions. Try to understand how a concept would actually be used to solve a real-world problem. ## Final Takeaway The interview was a good opportunity to connect my academic knowledge and machine learning project experience with a real-world banking use case. It also showed me that for internship interviews, strong fundamentals and the ability to clearly explain your own work are extremely important. If you are preparing for a similar AI/Data Science internship, focus on your projects, Python, SQL, ML fundamentals, and domain-specific concepts. Be honest about what you know, and make sure you can confidently explain everything mentioned on your resume.
## Interview Overview I attended the interview for the AI Internship Programme at the City Union Bank Centre of Excellence, SASTRA University. The interview was around 15 minutes long and focused mainly on my technical background, machine learning project, SQL knowledge, and basic banking concepts. The interview was conversational and the interviewer asked questions based on the skills and projects mentioned in my profile. This made it important to understand my projects properly rather than simply memorizing theoretical answers. ## My Project Discussion A major part of the interview was based on my Telecom Customer Churn Prediction project. I was asked to explain the project, the problem I was trying to solve, the dataset, preprocessing steps, and the machine learning models I used. I explained how I performed exploratory data analysis, identified missing values, handled categorical variables through encoding, prepared the data for modelling, and divided it into training and testing datasets. I had experimented with multiple machine learning algorithms, including: - Logistic Regression - Decision Tree - Random Forest I also discussed the evaluation metrics used to compare the models, including accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score. One important takeaway from the project discussion was that you should be able to explain not only what model you used, but also WHY you used it and how you decided which model performed better. ## SQL and Technical Questions The interview also covered SQL and basic technical concepts. Revising SQL before the interview was useful, especially concepts such as filtering data, aggregation, grouping, joins, and writing queries to retrieve meaningful information from tables. The interview also tested my understanding of basic machine learning concepts rather than only asking me to write code. For students preparing for similar interviews, I would recommend being comfortable with: - Python fundamentals - Pandas and NumPy - SQL queries - Machine learning fundamentals - Data preprocessing - Classification algorithms - Model evaluation metrics - Basic statistics - Exploratory Data Analysis ## Banking Concepts Since the internship was related to banking and customer analytics, I was also expected to have an understanding of basic banking concepts. The preparation included concepts related to customer analysis, banking products, transactions, and how data analytics can be used to understand customer behaviour. Having a basic understanding of banking terminology is useful when applying for AI or Data Science roles in the BFSI domain. Technical knowledge alone may not be enough when the internship involves solving business problems using financial or customer data. ## What I Learned One of the biggest lessons from the interview was the importance of understanding your own resume. If you mention a machine learning project, be prepared to explain the complete workflow: 1. What problem are you solving? 2. What dataset did you use? 3. What preprocessing did you perform? 4. How did you handle missing values? 5. How did you encode categorical variables? 6. Which models did you try? 7. Why did you choose those models? 8. Which evaluation metrics did you use? 9. Which model performed best and why? 10. What could you improve in the future? The same applies to programming languages and tools mentioned in your resume. Interviewers can ask questions from any skill you list. ## Preparation Tips For students preparing for AI/ML internships, I would recommend focusing on fundamentals instead of trying to learn too many advanced topics at the last minute. Revise Python, SQL, machine learning algorithms, EDA, preprocessing, and evaluation metrics. At the same time, understand your projects deeply and practice explaining them in simple language. For banking-related AI roles, spend some time learning basic banking concepts and customer analytics terminology as well. Most importantly, don't just memorize definitions. Try to understand how a concept would actually be used to solve a real-world problem. ## Final Takeaway The interview was a good opportunity to connect my academic knowledge and machine learning project experience with a real-world banking use case. It also showed me that for internship interviews, strong fundamentals and the ability to clearly explain your own work are extremely important. If you are preparing for a similar AI/Data Science internship, focus on your projects, Python, SQL, ML fundamentals, and domain-specific concepts. Be honest about what you know, and make sure you can confidently explain everything mentioned on your resume.
# The selection process for Deloitte typically focuses on core data structures, algorithmic optimization, and database architecture. ## Selection Process: * PPT Presentation * Online Coding Test * Technical Interview 1/ 2/3 (Based on the interview performance) * HR Interview ## Recruiting Tips From developing a standout resume to putting your best foot forward in the interview, we want you to feel prepared and confident as you explore opportunities at Hashedin Technologies. Here are some recruiting tips from our Team * Be Prepared to discuss your approach to challenges and problem-solving, explaining your thought process and decision making. * Be ready to discuss personal projects in detail, highlighting your role and contributions to showcase your technical skills and communication abilities. * Research the company thoroughly to understand its values, mission, culture and recent developments, demonstrating your genuine interest. * During problem-solving or case study interviews, focus on demonstrating your unique approach and thought process by showcasing your innovative thinking. ## Round Details ## 1. Coding Round - **Number of Questions**: 3 Questions - **Breakdown**: 1 Easy, 2 Medium - **Key Problems**: - String search: Check if a given string is present in an array of strings. - Array Optimization: Find all pairs $(i, j)$ where $arr[i] > arr[j] * 3$. - *Note: Requires an optimized $O(n \log n)$ approach to pass large test cases.* ## 2. Technical Interview (One-to-One) - **Number of Questions**: 3–5 Questions - **Difficulty**: Medium - **Topics**: - **Heaps**: Implementation or priority queue applications. - **Two Pointers**: Used for array/string manipulation. - **Linked Lists**: Detecting cycles and finding the intersection point of two lists. ## 3. Database Design Round - **Focus**: System architecture and data modeling. - **Scenario**: Airport Booking System. - **Requirements**: - Draw/Explain ER Diagrams. - Perform Schema Design. - Write complex SQL queries based on the designed schema. --- ## **Tips** * **Communication is Key**: If you explain your logic confidently and correctly, interviewers may waive the requirement to write the full code for certain questions. * **Optimization**: For array pair problems, think beyond nested loops; consider modified Merge Sort or Fenwick tree logic for large constraints.
# The selection process for Deloitte typically focuses on core data structures, algorithmic optimization, and database architecture. ## Selection Process: * PPT Presentation * Online Coding Test * Technical Interview 1/ 2/3 (Based on the interview performance) * HR Interview ## Recruiting Tips From developing a standout resume to putting your best foot forward in the interview, we want you to feel prepared and confident as you explore opportunities at Hashedin Technologies. Here are some recruiting tips from our Team * Be Prepared to discuss your approach to challenges and problem-solving, explaining your thought process and decision making. * Be ready to discuss personal projects in detail, highlighting your role and contributions to showcase your technical skills and communication abilities. * Research the company thoroughly to understand its values, mission, culture and recent developments, demonstrating your genuine interest. * During problem-solving or case study interviews, focus on demonstrating your unique approach and thought process by showcasing your innovative thinking. ## Round Details ## 1. Coding Round - **Number of Questions**: 3 Questions - **Breakdown**: 1 Easy, 2 Medium - **Key Problems**: - String search: Check if a given string is present in an array of strings. - Array Optimization: Find all pairs $(i, j)$ where $arr[i] > arr[j] * 3$. - *Note: Requires an optimized $O(n \log n)$ approach to pass large test cases.* ## 2. Technical Interview (One-to-One) - **Number of Questions**: 3–5 Questions - **Difficulty**: Medium - **Topics**: - **Heaps**: Implementation or priority queue applications. - **Two Pointers**: Used for array/string manipulation. - **Linked Lists**: Detecting cycles and finding the intersection point of two lists. ## 3. Database Design Round - **Focus**: System architecture and data modeling. - **Scenario**: Airport Booking System. - **Requirements**: - Draw/Explain ER Diagrams. - Perform Schema Design. - Write complex SQL queries based on the designed schema. --- ## **Tips** * **Communication is Key**: If you explain your logic confidently and correctly, interviewers may waive the requirement to write the full code for certain questions. * **Optimization**: For array pair problems, think beyond nested loops; consider modified Merge Sort or Fenwick tree logic for large constraints.
## I am sharing my interview experience with ICICI from last year -2025. I applied it through my campus placement drive as a fresher. ### ICICI came to IIT Delhi's placement season 2024–2025. It was listed as an ICICI Manager I. Manager I is a grade. It was open for all departments with no minimum CGPA criteria. # My profile at that time: I had an intern at a startup where I had built a recommendation model. I had been grinding LeetCode and Codeforces along with machine learning. I had successfully completed Andrew Ng's specialization course on ML and deep learning and practiced on Kaggle. # Online Assessment — 60 minutes At first we have CV shortlisting, where I got shortlisted. After that, I have to give an online assessment that contains only MCQ questions related to OOPs, DSA, Cpp, Java, and Python, which I successfully cleared. After that, I got a call from the placement cell that I have to give a personality test called personality profiler, where they asked me about how I will behave or react under some given conditions. Update 1—The interview shortlist comes on 30th November around 5 pm. Update 2—The interview was scheduled on the morning of 3rd December # Interview: It was 9 in the morning; the atmosphere was quite foggy and cold, and I was quite nervous. The interview is going to be the only one round with both technical and HR at the same time. ## They called me for Interview First question: “Tell about yourself.” I had prepared for this question and told about my name, my hometown, and my specializations along with my hobbies. Second question: “Explain any one of your projects.” I know this question will pop up, and I had prepared for this question by preparing my best project in depth. But as ICICI is a bank, I thought I should explain my project, which is relevant to the bank in any way. So instead of explaining about the project ‘AI Interviewer,’ I choose stock analysis by AI agent. I had been asked some cross questions regarding my project, which I answered successfully. Third Question: “Can you optimize the time taken to train ANN?” As there are many ways to optimize artificial neural networks. It starts with the hardware side, like using more powerful GPUs. Then I explained we can drop neurons in order to train the model faster. Then he asked me about some mathematical approaches, so I recalled Adam optimization, and I explained it in detail by drawing some formulas and images. Fourth question: “Forward and Back Propagation.” I started with forward propagation by considering a 2-layer neural network and similarly derived back propagation from it, which he seems satisfied with. ## Update 3 — Now my technical round is over and its for HR round 5. She asked me about why ICICI, my background, my future goals, and general HR questions, which I prepared before the interview and answered optimally, at least according to me. Update 4: I got a call from POC that they were willing to offer me, which I gladly accepted. I felt a surge of excitement and joy. Update 5: HR called me and congratulated me, after which we had a professional handshake and goodbye. 3rd December 2024 will be a special day for me as I get my first job. It was my first and last interview at IIT Delhi. Thanks for reading.
## I am sharing my interview experience with ICICI from last year -2025. I applied it through my campus placement drive as a fresher. ### ICICI came to IIT Delhi's placement season 2024–2025. It was listed as an ICICI Manager I. Manager I is a grade. It was open for all departments with no minimum CGPA criteria. # My profile at that time: I had an intern at a startup where I had built a recommendation model. I had been grinding LeetCode and Codeforces along with machine learning. I had successfully completed Andrew Ng's specialization course on ML and deep learning and practiced on Kaggle. # Online Assessment — 60 minutes At first we have CV shortlisting, where I got shortlisted. After that, I have to give an online assessment that contains only MCQ questions related to OOPs, DSA, Cpp, Java, and Python, which I successfully cleared. After that, I got a call from the placement cell that I have to give a personality test called personality profiler, where they asked me about how I will behave or react under some given conditions. Update 1—The interview shortlist comes on 30th November around 5 pm. Update 2—The interview was scheduled on the morning of 3rd December # Interview: It was 9 in the morning; the atmosphere was quite foggy and cold, and I was quite nervous. The interview is going to be the only one round with both technical and HR at the same time. ## They called me for Interview First question: “Tell about yourself.” I had prepared for this question and told about my name, my hometown, and my specializations along with my hobbies. Second question: “Explain any one of your projects.” I know this question will pop up, and I had prepared for this question by preparing my best project in depth. But as ICICI is a bank, I thought I should explain my project, which is relevant to the bank in any way. So instead of explaining about the project ‘AI Interviewer,’ I choose stock analysis by AI agent. I had been asked some cross questions regarding my project, which I answered successfully. Third Question: “Can you optimize the time taken to train ANN?” As there are many ways to optimize artificial neural networks. It starts with the hardware side, like using more powerful GPUs. Then I explained we can drop neurons in order to train the model faster. Then he asked me about some mathematical approaches, so I recalled Adam optimization, and I explained it in detail by drawing some formulas and images. Fourth question: “Forward and Back Propagation.” I started with forward propagation by considering a 2-layer neural network and similarly derived back propagation from it, which he seems satisfied with. ## Update 3 — Now my technical round is over and its for HR round 5. She asked me about why ICICI, my background, my future goals, and general HR questions, which I prepared before the interview and answered optimally, at least according to me. Update 4: I got a call from POC that they were willing to offer me, which I gladly accepted. I felt a surge of excitement and joy. Update 5: HR called me and congratulated me, after which we had a professional handshake and goodbye. 3rd December 2024 will be a special day for me as I get my first job. It was my first and last interview at IIT Delhi. Thanks for reading.
