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Graduate Engineer Trainee

Bristlecone
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2 rounds | 7 Coding problems

Interview preparation journey

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Application story
I applied for the Graduate Engineer Trainee role at Bristlecone because I was interested in building a career in digital supply chain and SAP technologies. The process started with an online aptitude and technical test, which I prepared for by practicing reasoning, quantitative aptitude, and core programming basics. I was able to clear this round successfully. After that, I moved to the Group Discussion round, where we were given a topic to discuss in a group. Although I shared my ideas and contributed to the discussion, I wasn’t shortlisted for the next stage. Overall, the experience taught me how important it is to communicate confidently and structure points clearly during a GD. I’m working on improving these skills so I can perform better in future opportunities.
Why selected/rejected for the role?
Lack of structured points. I think my ideas weren’t organized logically (e.g., intro, main points, conclusion), the panel may have felt my communication wasn’t clear enough. In GDs, you need to speak confidently and hold your ground-sometimes candidates get rejected for being too passive or hesitant to enter the discussion. Interrupting others frequently, speaking over teammates, or not listening can also lead to negative evaluation.
Preparation
Duration: 0.5 month
Topics: Data Structures, Algorithms, OOPS, OS, Soft Skills
Tip
Tip

Tip 1: Practice Group Discussions regularly.
Tip 2: Strengthen aptitude and basic technical skills.

Application process
Where: Campus
Eligibility: 6.5 CGPA, (Salary package: 4.5 LPA)
Resume Tip
Resume tip

Tip 1: Highlight relevant skills and projects at the top.
Tip 2: Use clear action verbs and metrics.

Interview rounds

01
Round
Easy
Online Coding Interview
Duration60 minutes
Interview date26 Sep 2024
Coding problem6

There were around 40 MCQs in this round, based on aptitude, English language and basic programming skills. Also some guess the output questions.

1. DSA

What is a hash table?
a) A structure that maps values to keys
b) A structure that maps keys to values
c) A structure used for storage
d) A structure used to implement stack and queue

Problem approach

Ans- b) A structure that maps keys to values

2. DBMS

In a given relationship R, if an attribute A uniquely defines all other attributes, then the attribute A is a key attribute which is also known as the _________ key.
a) Candidate
b) Join
c) Functional
d) None of the Mentioned

Problem approach

Ans- a) Candidate

3. Operating System

What is a Deadlock? What are the necessary conditions for a deadlock to occur? (Learn)

4. Puzzle

A train 150 meters long crosses a pole in 15 seconds. How long will it take to cross a bridge 350 meters long?

Problem approach

Ans- 50 seconds.

5. Code Output

#include 
using namespace std;

void update(int x) {
   x = x * 2;
   cout << "Inside update: " << x << endl;
}

int main() {
   int a = 5;
   update(a);
   cout << "Inside main: " << a << endl;
   return 0;
}

What will be the output?

Problem approach

Step-by-step Solution
main() declares a = 5.

update(a) is called.

x receives a copy of a (x=5).

x is updated: x = x*2 = 10.

Prints: Inside update: 10.

Control returns to main().

a in main is unchanged (a=5) because x was a copy.

Prints: Inside main: 5.

6. Code Output

#include 
using namespace std;

int main() {
   int arr[] = {10, 20, 30, 40, 50};
   int *p = arr + 2;
   cout << *p << endl;
   cout << *(p + 2) << endl;
   return 0;
}


What will be the output?

Problem approach

arr is {10, 20, 30, 40, 50}.

arr[0]=10

arr[1]=20

arr[2]=30

arr[3]=40

arr[4]=50

p = arr + 2;

Pointer p points to arr[2] (value 30).

cout << *p;

*p = 30.

Prints: 30.

cout << *(p + 2);

p+2 points to arr[4] (value 50).

Prints: 50.

02
Round
Medium
Group Discussion
Duration30 minutes
Interview date30 Sep 2024
Coding problem1

1. Pros and Cons of AI

Problem approach

Our topic was Pros and Cons of AI. I started by giving a brief introduction about what AI is and mentioned how it’s transforming industries. During the discussion, I shared a few points on the benefits, like automation and better decision-making, and also highlighted challenges such as job losses and ethical issues.

I participated actively and contributed multiple times, but in hindsight, I think I could have structured my points more clearly and been a bit more assertive in putting my views forward. Overall, it was a good learning experience that showed me the importance of confident communication and organized thinking in a GD.

Here's your problem of the day

Solving this problem will increase your chance to get selected in this company

Skill covered: Programming

What is recursion?

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