I applied through a recruiter. The process took 1 week. I interviewed at IBM (Cochin) in Apr 2026
Interview
I recently attended an interview scheduled at 10:00 AM. At the scheduled time, I was not admitted into the meeting room, so I reached out to the recruiter. I was informed that there would be a 10-minute delay and was then asked to wait in the meeting.
The interviewer eventually joined around 10:15–10:16 AM and appeared to be in a bit of a hurry. The interview itself was very brief — I was asked to introduce myself and briefly discuss my most recent project. After that, the interview concluded without any further technical or in-depth discussion.
Overall, the process felt quite rushed and lacked structure. I was expecting a more comprehensive evaluation, especially for a technical role.
Suggestions:
- Better time management and adherence to scheduled interview slots
- A more structured interview process to properly assess candidates
Overall Experience: Neutral to Slightly Negative
Applied through the company portal, completed an online coding assessment, followed by a technical interview covering data structures, algorithms, OOP concepts, and project experience. Concluded with an HR discussion about the role, career goals, availability, and compensation expectations.
## IBM Interview Process
The process began with initial resume shortlisting, followed by competitive **DSA and coding rounds** to test core technical concepts. After clearing those, I cleared two comprehensive interviews with the **Hiring Manager/Tech Expert** and **HR**.
Describe the interview process: The process consisted of three rounds: an initial online assessment focusing on data structures and algorithms, followed by two technical video interviews. The technical rounds were intensive, covering system design, live coding, and deep-dive questions into previous project experience and database optimization.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Design a scalable URL shortener system and explain how you would handle high read/write throughput.