GIC Interview Questions
& Process

I spent about 8 hours on a take-home assignment, and then after two months, I was rejected with feedback that was vague and questionable. The reviewer said the project wouldn't run because of database issues, even though the README clearly specified the version needed. It seems like they didn't set up the environment correctly before checking it. The feedback also criticized the lack of an OOP-heavy approach for an ETL pipeline. I intentionally chose a functional design for transformations because it was suitable for the task. Expecting OOP for everything shows a lack of understanding about when each paradigm is appropriate. Overall, it was a disappointing process. Don't waste your valuable time on their take-home assignments if their reviewers are too lazy to properly evaluate them.

The first stage was directly with the hiring manager. She was very knowledgeable about PE and GIC. She talked about her own experience and how she came to be in Singapore and at GIC. Her demeanor was calm and direct but also fun, which helped me relax and perform my best. She let me share about my background, and then we discussed the role. She provided a very detailed overview of the job, which made me even more eager to join GIC and learn from her specifically. I think she would make an excellent mentor.

The interview was in two parts. The first part was a case study to check technical knowledge. The second part was a face-to-face interview with the valuation lead. Both parts were an hour long, with a 15-minute break in between (total time 2 hours 15 minutes). I was told by HR that I would be interviewed by the team lead, but it was a surprise when another team member joined. The company should have mentioned if there would be two interviewers instead of one, to avoid surprising the candidate. I had a good feeling with the interviewers during the face-to-face interview, but I was disappointed with the outcome.

I applied and heard back from a recruiter. The interview itself was online, set up via Teams by the recruiters. The hiring managers seemed pretty negative from the beginning. They told the recruiter that someone with DA/BA skills would be a good fit, but then during the interview, they said they needed data management skills. Saying that taking a DS course isn't suitable for the job just sounded like an excuse to end the interview quickly. It really felt like the hiring managers had already picked their person but didn't want to cancel the interview, which was a waste of time for everyone. I was glad the recruiter was available right after the interview to help me with the situation.