Salesforce Interview Experience Internship (On-Campus)

My name is Himdyuti Sandilya, a third-year undergraduate student in the Department of Electrical Engineering at IIT Kharagpur. I am thrilled to share my journey of securing a summer internship at Salesforce’s Hyderabad office, an opportunity that emerged during their on-campus drive at my college in August 2023.

The Interview Process

The interview process at Salesforce comprised two rounds, each designed to assess different facets of my technical and problem-solving skills.

Round 1: Technical Screening

The first round began with introductions, setting a cordial tone for the interaction. There were two interviewers: one seated in front of me and another connected via Google Meet. This round primarily focused on Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA).

The interviewers presented the questions through a shared HackerRank portal. The first question revolved around binary search. Specifically, I was given two arrays representing goals per match scored by two teams, team A and team B. My task was to return an array where, for each match of team B, I had to determine how many matches team A scored fewer goals. This problem required a straightforward binary search implementation. I was encouraged to explain my thought process thoroughly, with the interviewers interjecting with questions to probe my understanding. After coding and submitting my solution, it passed all test cases successfully.

The second question was based on graph theory. Although I do not recall the exact problem, it tested my grasp of fundamental graph algorithms. This was the question. Following the DSA questions, I was quizzed on Object-Oriented Programming Systems (OOPS). I defined the four pillars of OOPS and elaborated on inheritance and polymorphism. The interviewers then shifted their focus to the projects listed in my CV, particularly a self-initiated Amazon Clone project utilizing Firebase. They inquired about my choice of Firebase and alternative traditional methods.

Round 2: Hiring Manager Interview

The second round was conducted by a hiring manager and also commenced with introductions. This session began with another DSA question, this time requiring me to outline my approach on paper. Following the DSA discussion, I was presented with a puzzle: Given 25 horses and the ability to race 5 at a time, determine the minimum number of races needed to identify the fastest horse. Additionally, I was asked to figure out the minimum races required to find the second fastest horse. Although it took me some time, I eventually arrived at the solution.

Next, the hiring manager tested my understanding of OOPS in a practical context. He asked me to pick any object in the room and explain how it embodied the four pillars of OOPS. I chose a laptop and successfully demonstrated its application.

After addressing these questions, the hiring manager conveyed positive feedback from the technical round and mentioned that I performed well in his round too. Consequently, they extended the internship offer to me and inquired if I had any questions for them. This marked the conclusion of my interview process.

Reflection

Securing an internship at Salesforce has been a significant milestone in my academic journey. The structured interview process not only tested my technical skills but also my problem-solving abilities and understanding of core concepts. I am eagerly looking forward to contributing to Salesforce and gaining valuable industry experience this summer.

Through this experience, I have learned the importance of thorough preparation and clear communication. I am excited to apply my knowledge and skills at Salesforce, and I am confident this internship will be a stepping stone towards a successful career in the tech industry.