F5 Networks interview experience Real time questions & tips from candidates to crack your interview

Software Engineer

F5 Networks
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4 rounds | 16 Coding problems

Interview preparation journey

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Journey
F5 Technologies is at the heart of modern applications enabling digital transformation across the globe. The company visited our college for the Software Engineer profile. Four rounds were conducted: a HackerRank Test, a Group Discussion, a Technical Interview, and an HR Interview. All the rounds were elimination rounds. I was rejected after the Technical Interview as they were looking for someone with expertise in Linux and Cloud, which I was not the right fit for.
Application story
The company came to our college for the Software Engineer profile, so I applied through an on-campus drive. Four rounds were conducted: the Hackerrank Test, Group Discussion, Technical Interview, and HR Interview. All the rounds were elimination rounds.
Why selected/rejected for the role?
I got rejected for this role because they need someone who is an expert in Linux and Cloud, but I was not the right person for that role.
Preparation
Duration: 3 months
Topics: Data Structures, Linux commands, Python, SQL, Google Cloud
Tip
Tip

Tip 1: You should have vast knowledge of Linux commands.
Tip 2: Study any cloud platform (Google Cloud / Amazon Cloud) in detail.
Tip 3: Be an expert in any programming language (C++ / GoLang / Java / Python).

Application process
Where: Campus
Eligibility: 7 CGPA, 70% in 10th and 12th
Resume Tip
Resume tip

Tip 1: Have mentioned Cloud in your resume or have Cloud projects.
Tip 2: It’s better to have advanced projects on your resume.

Interview rounds

01
Round
Medium
Online Coding Interview
Duration90 minutes
Interview date7 Dec 2021
Coding problem5

This round was conducted on the HackerRank platform in the afternoon. It comprised 12 questions, of which 10 were multiple choice and two were coding questions. It was of medium difficulty, and you can easily crack it if you have a basic knowledge of Linux and programming. Some of the MCQ questions are mentioned below.

1. Linux Questions

Which Linux command is used to remove files? (Learn)

Which argument with the locate command helps us to ignore the case while searching the file in the Linux system? (Learn)

Problem approach

Tip 1: Read the questions carefully.
Tip 2: Study the Linux commands.

2. Software Development Question

The actual programming of software code is done during which step of the SDLC? (Learn)

Problem approach

Tip 1: Read the questions carefully.
Tip 2: Study the Software Development Life Cycle.

3. OS MCQ

Which of the following is the allocation method of disk space? (Learn)

Problem approach

Tip 1: Study the operating system in detail.
Tip 2: Read and understand the question.

4. Binary Tree Zigzag Traversal

Easy
15m average time
85% success
0/40
Asked in companies
PayUDelhiveryExpedia Group

You have been given a Binary Tree of 'N' nodes, where the nodes have integer values. Your task is to print the zigzag traversal of the given tree.

Note:
In zigzag order, level 1 is printed from left to right fashion, level 2 is printed from right to left. and level 3 is printed from left to right again, and so on…..
For example:
For the given binary tree

1

The zigzag  traversal is [1, 4, 3, 5, 2, 7, 6]
Problem approach

Used the modified breadth-first search algorithm as follows:

Step 1: Create a queue to perform the BFS traversal of the tree.

Step 2: Create a flag variable, initially set to false, to keep track of the traversal direction (left to right or right to left).

Step 3: Create an empty list of lists called result to store the zigzag level order traversal.

Step 4: Add the root node to the queue. Start the BFS traversal loop while the queue is not empty.

Step 5: Create a level list to store the values of nodes at the current level.

Step 6: Get the size of the queue (levelSize) before traversing the current level.

Step 7: Iterate levelSize number of times: Remove the first node from the queue.

Step 8: If the flag variable is false, append the node's value to the level list (left to right order). Otherwise, insert the node's value at the beginning of the level list (right to left order).

Step 9: Add the node's left and right children to the queue if they exist.

Step 10: Append the level list to the result list. Toggle the flag variable to switch the traversal direction.

Step 11: Return the result list.

Try solving now

5. Letter Combinations of a Phone Number

Moderate
35m average time
65% success
0/80
Asked in companies
AmazonOlaGoldman Sachs

Given a string S containing digits from 2 to 9 inclusive. Your task is to find all possible letter combinations that the number could represent.

A mapping from Digits to Letters (just like in Nokia 1100) is shown below. Note that 1 does not map to any letter.

example

Problem approach

Followed the backtracking algorithm to solve this problem as follows:

Step 1: Create a dictionary to map each digit to its corresponding letters.

Step 2: Define a recursive backtracking function, generate_combinations, that takes the following parameters:

  • digits: The remaining digits to process.
  • current: The current combination of letters generated so far.
  • result: The list to store the final combinations.

Step 3: In the generate_combinations function, if digits is empty, append current to result and return.

Step 4: Get the first digit from digits and retrieve the corresponding letters from the dictionary.

Step 5: For each letter in the list of letters, append the letter to current.

Step 6: Make a recursive call to generate_combinations with the remaining digits and the updated current.

Step 7: Remove the last letter from current to backtrack and try the next letter.

Step 8: Start the backtracking process by calling the generate_combinations function with.

Try solving now
02
Round
Medium
Group Discussion
Duration20 minutes
Interview date8 Dec 2021
Coding problem1

1. Group Discussion question

Who do you think is most responsible for the spread of the Corona Virus: people or the government?

Problem approach

I started the group discussion, which earned me bonus points. Then, I discussed that both are equally responsible for the spread of Corona, but I believe people are most responsible for its spread because if they had followed government protocols, it would not have spread as much.

03
Round
Easy
Video Call
Duration45 minutes
Interview date9 Dec 2021
Coding problem6

This round was conducted on Google Meet and lasted 45 minutes. There were two interviewers, and both were friendly. They asked almost everything we have studied so far, whether it was data structures, operating systems, Linux commands, cloud, or databases.

1. OOPs Questions

What is a constructor? (Learn)

What are the types of constructors? (Learn)

Problem approach

Tip 1: Read the constructors in any programming language.
Tip 2: It's better to explain the answer with examples.

2. Networking Question

What is the difference between TCP/ IP and OSI layer models? (Learn)

Problem approach

Tip 1: Read all the models available in Computer Networks.
Tip 2: Listen to the question carefully. Ask again if you don't understand.

3. Vertical Order Traversal

Moderate
35m average time
65% success
0/80
Asked in companies
MakeMyTripAppleSalesforce

Given a binary tree, return the vertical order traversal of the values of the nodes of the given tree.

For each node at position (X, Y), (X-1, Y-1) will be its left child position while (X+1, Y-1) will be the right child position.

Running a vertical line from X = -infinity to X = +infinity, now whenever this vertical line touches some nodes, we need to add those values of the nodes in order starting from top to bottom with the decreasing ‘Y’ coordinates.

Note:
If two nodes have the same position, then the value of the node that is added first will be the value that is on the left side.
For example:
For the binary tree in the image below.

alt text

The vertical order traversal will be {2, 7, 5, 2, 6, 5, 11, 4, 9}.
Problem approach

Step 1: I solved it using the traversal method.

Step 2: The interviewer asked me if I could optimize it.

Step 3: Then, I solved it using the min-heaps method.

Try solving now

4. Linux Question

Name some Linux file commands. (Learn)

Problem approach

Tip 1: Have knowledge of classifying Linux commands.
Tip 2: Answer confidently.

5. Cloud computing question

Do you have knowledge of Kubernetes in the Cloud? Explain. (Learn)

Problem approach

Tip 1: Study Kubernetes briefly.
Tip 2: Answer confidently.

6. DBMS question

What is the difference between MySQL and NoSQL? (Learn)

Problem approach

Tip 1: Have a brief knowledge of all databases.
Tip 2: Answer confidently.

04
Round
Easy
HR Round
Duration15 minutes
Interview date10 Dec 2021
Coding problem4

This round was conducted on Google Meet and was only 15 minutes long. The basic HR questions were asked in this round.

1. Basic HR Question

Introduce yourself.

Problem approach

Tip 1: Speak good English.
Tip 2: Answer confidently.

2. Basic HR Question

Where do you see yourself after 5 years?

Problem approach

Tip 1: Don't answer questions about your further study plans, even if you have them.
Tip 2: Answer confidently.

3. Basic HR Question

Do you have any other offers in hand?

Problem approach

Tip 1: Speak the truth, no matter if you have other offers as well.
Tip 2: Speak good English.

4. Basic HR Question

Do you have any questions for us?

Problem approach

Tip 1: It's better to ask any questions at that time.
Tip 2: Read answers to HR questions on the internet.

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?

Choose another skill to practice
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