EPAM Systems interview experience Real time questions & tips from candidates to crack your interview
Junior Software Engineer
EPAM Systems
4 rounds | 6 Coding
problems
Selected Interview preparation journey
Journey
When I started, I had very little clarity. I knew I wanted a good tech job, but I didn’t know where or how to begin. Even basic topics felt hard at first, and there were many times I felt stuck and confused.
I began slowly, one step at a time. Some days went well, and some days didn’t. I made a lot of mistakes, but each mistake taught me something new. Instead of giving up, I kept practicing and improving little by little.
Working on projects really helped me. That’s when things started making sense, because I could see how what I was learning was used in real life. There were rejections and moments of self-doubt, but I reminded myself of why I started.
What really helped me crack the interview was consistency. I wasn’t the smartest person, but I showed up every day and kept learning. Over time, my confidence grew, and I learned how to explain my thoughts clearly.
This journey taught me that you don’t need to be perfect to succeed. You just need to stay patient, keep working, and believe in yourself. If I can reach here by starting from the basics, anyone can do it with the right effort and mindset.
Application story
I applied through my college campus placement process. After applying, I received further communication from the placement team. The process was well structured, and all updates were shared clearly till the interview stage.
Why selected/rejected for the role?
I was selected because I had strong basics and a clear understanding of my projects, and I had good coding skills. I was consistent in my preparation and confident while explaining my thoughts. I stayed calm during the process and showed a positive attitude and willingness to learn, which helped me stand out
Preparation
Duration: 12 months
Topics: Data Structures, Algorithms, OOPS, SQL, DBMS, Operating Systems, Computer Network, Aptitude
Tip 1: Focus on clearing your basics first before moving to advanced topics.
Tip 2: Practice consistently every day, even if it is for a short time.
Tip 3: Work on projects and try to explain what you build in simple words.
Application process
Where: Campus
Eligibility: Above 70% throughout academics and not more than one year gap in education. (Salary Package: 8 LPA)
Tip 1: Keep your resume simple and honest. Mention only the skills and projects you truly understand.
Tip 2: Explain your projects clearly, including what problem you solved and what your role was.
Interview rounds
01
Round
Medium
Online Coding Interview
Duration60 minutes
Interview date26 Dec 2024
Coding problem2
Timing: Yes, it was conducted in the evening.
Environment: Quiet and well monitored.
Any other significant activity: Webcam monitoring and screen sharing were enabled.
How the interviewer was: No interviewer in this round; it was an online assessment only.
1. First index of element
Easy
0/40
Asked in company
Take an array with n elements with possibly duplicate elements as the input. The task is to find the index of the first occurrences of the element x in the array and, if it is not present, return -1.
Problem approach
Step 1: I first understood the problem clearly and checked what input and output were expected.
Step 2: I used a simple loop to go through each element of the array one by one.
Step 3: For each element, I compared it with the given number.
Step 4: If the number matched, I returned the index immediately.
Step 5: If the loop finished and the number was not found, I returned -1.
2. Find Non - Repeating Numbers
Easy
15m average time
85% success
0/40
Asked in companies
You are given an array of integers ‘A’ having ‘N’ number of elements. It is given that all the numbers in the array occur twice except the two numbers that appear only one time. You need to find those two non-repeating numbers.
For Example:
If the given array is [ 4, 7, 3, 2, 7, 2 ], you have to find ‘4’ and ‘3’ as 4 and 3 occur one time, and the rest of the elements ( 7 and 2 ) are occurring twice.
Problem approach
Step 1: I first understood the problem and checked what exactly was required in the output.
Step 2: My first thought was to use two loops, where for each element, I check how many times it appears.
Step 3: This worked, but it was slow for large arrays.
Step 4: Then, I used a map to store how many times each element appears in the array.
Step 5: After that, I again went through the array and returned the first element whose count was 1.
Step 6: If no such element was found, I returned -1.
02
Round
Easy
Face to Face
Duration45 minutes
Interview date27 Dec 2024
Coding problem1
Timing:
Yes, it was conducted in the morning.
How was the environment?
The environment was formal and quiet. It was conducted at an institute with proper monitoring.
Any other significant activity:
This was a short discussion-based round. Around 6–7 candidates were present together, and we were asked to discuss a situation.
How was the interviewer?
There was a moderator who gave the situation and observed how we explained our thoughts. There was no one-on-one interview in this round.
1. Career Crossroads
We were given a real-life situation to discuss.
The situation was:
You are a writer who performs on big stages. Due to work pressure and responsibilities, you now have limited time and power to plan your activities. You need to decide whether to continue performing in public places like parks and streets or change your approach, as continuing the same way may lead to problems. The task was to explain how you would handle this situation and what decision you would take
Problem approach
Tip 1: I would stop performing randomly in parks and streets and move to planned venues. This will save time, avoid problems, and help me focus on quality work.
Tip 2: I would create a clear schedule and choose only a few public performances. This way, I can manage my time better and reduce pressure while still staying connected with people.
Tip 3: I would change my approach by using online platforms or organized events. This helps me reach more people without physical stress and keeps my work safe and consistent.
03
Round
Medium
Face to Face
Duration75 minutes
Interview date27 Dec 2024
Coding problem2
Timing:
It was conducted during normal working hours.
How was the environment?
The environment was professional and calm.
Any other significant activity:
This was a technical discussion round. The interviewer asked coding questions, a puzzle-based question, and questions related to my projects.
How was the interviewer?
The interviewer was supportive and interactive. They guided the discussion and allowed me time to think and explain my approach.
1. Largest Element in the Array
Easy
10m average time
90% success
0/40
Asked in companies
Given an array ‘arr’ of size ‘n’ find the largest element in the array.
Example:
Input: 'n' = 5, 'arr' = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Output: 5
Explanation: From the array {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}, the largest element is 5.
Problem approach
Step 1: I first understood the problem and clarified the input and output.
Step 2: I initialized a variable with the first element of the array.
Step 3: I traversed the array using a loop and compared each element with the current maximum.
Step 4: If a larger value was found, I updated the maximum value.
Step 5: After completing the loop, I returned the maximum element.
2. Water Measure
You have two buckets – one of 5 litres and one of 3 litres. You need to measure exactly 4 litres of water. You only have these two buckets and a source of water. You can fill, pour, and empty the buckets. Explain how you would do it.
Problem approach
Tip 1: Always keep track of the water level in each bucket after every step.
Tip 2: Use a systematic approach: fill, pour, empty – then repeat these steps carefully.
Tip 3: Think in reverse: it can be helpful to envision the final amount first and plan your steps backwards.
04
Round
Medium
HR Round
Duration30 minutes
Interview date27 Dec 2024
Coding problem1
Timing:
It was conducted during normal hours, not late at night.
How was the environment?
The environment was formal but friendly.
Any other significant activity:
The interviewer asked situational and behavioural questions to check problem-solving, decision-making, and attitude.
How was the interviewer?
The interviewer was supportive, encouraging us to explain our thoughts clearly.
1. HR Questions
- If you face a difficult situation at work, how would you handle it?
- How would you manage a team conflict?
- How do you prioritise tasks when everything seems important?
Problem approach
Tip 1: Stay calm and think before answering. Don’t rush your response.
Tip 2: Give real-life or practical examples wherever possible.
Tip 3: Focus on demonstrating a positive attitude, a problem-solving mindset, and a willingness to learn.
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Skill covered: Programming
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