Sample Answer
I prefer including one short coding/problem task alongside discussion questions. In interviews I run, a small hands-on task—like designing an endpoint or optimizing a SQL query—lets me see how a candidate reasons under time pressure and writes pragmatic code. For example, a 20-minute endpoint design prompt can reveal tradeoff thinking about validation, idempotency, auth, and caching; a 15-minute query optimization shows familiarity with indexes and explain plans. Discussion questions then probe architecture, testing, and team processes. Combining both gives a more complete signal: I hired three engineers last year after this format and their ramp time averaged 6 weeks versus 10 weeks for hires from purely conversational interviews.
Keywords
On your resume you mention working on a cross-functional project (e.g., involving multiple teams or stakeholders). Describe a situation from that project where priorities conflicted—how did you navigate the trade-offs and what was the final outcome?
Walk me through a recent multi-channel digital marketing campaign you managed end-to-end. How did you set objectives, choose channels, allocate budget, and measure success?
In your resume you note improving or optimizing [a process, KPI, or metric]. What specific baseline metrics did you start from, what steps did you personally take, and how did you verify that the improvement was due to your changes rather than external factors?
In your civil engineering studies, what specific design coursework or project work did you complete related to irrigation channels or canals (e.g., design of lined/unlined canals, distributaries, minors)? Describe one such design in detail, including how you determined discharge, permissible velocity, section dimensions, and lining choice for Gujarat-type soil and climate conditions.
Based on your hydrology and irrigation engineering background, explain how you would estimate the irrigation water requirement for a kharif crop in a semi-arid region of Gujarat. Walk me through each step: from reference evapotranspiration estimation, crop coefficient selection, effective rainfall calculation, to arriving at canal discharge for a given command area.