HCL Interview Questions
& Process

We started with a resume shortlist to ensure everyone met the criteria of a 7 CGPA with no backlogs. After that, there was an aptitude round that was quite easy, but only those who finished quickly made it through; surprisingly, not even half the students qualified. The next stage was a versant skill test to check English speaking and writing abilities. Finally, we had a technical interview that focused heavily on our resumes and favorite subjects, and they also asked if I knew AutoCAD/SolidWorks.

There were the following Rounds 1. Online test on platform Conducted on platforms like HackerRank, LeetCode, or Codility, this is the initial filter to weed out the "talkers" from the "doers." 2. Interview Technical and Code If you pass the bot, you meet the humans. This round is usually conducted by a Senior Developer or a Peer. 3. Human Resource / HR round Contrary to popular belief, this isn't just a formality. This is where they decide if they actually want to spend 40 hours a week with you.

First, they'll look at your resume and cover letter to see if you're a good fit for the basic requirements. Then, a recruiter will call you to chat about your experience, what you're looking for salary-wise, when you can start, and why you want the job. After that, you'll probably have some technical interviews where they'll ask you questions or give you tasks related to the role, like coding, case studies, or system design stuff. The hiring manager will then want to talk about how you handle teamwork, projects, problems, and real situations. Finally, HR will connect with you to sort out the offer details like pay, start date, and perks. Sometimes, especially for client-facing roles, there might be an extra chat with the client or leadership.

The initial interview with the in-house recruiter was fine and she had determined I was a good fit for this Senior Executive role. I was to meet first with the hiring manager and then a few members of his staff, and then finally to HR. The 1st interview with the hiring manager was cancelled last minute because he was traveling. This meeting was postponed again because he had a last minute client meeting. Following that, we finally met for the 1st time. During that interview he mentioned that he wanted to schedule more time with me to go over my experience and ask more in-depth questions. This meeting was then scheduled 2 weeks later. However, the hiring manager canceled yet again because he was traveling and "stuck at the airport" - 2nd time using the same excuse. The meeting was again rescheduled - but cancelled again because of a client priority. Meeting was rescheduled again and he never showed up. I was waiting on the call for 30 minutes. He never sent an email, didn't bother to notify me he could not make it. I wrote him a polite email and hours later he responded that he had "a last minute personal emergency". The meeting was rescheduled a few days later. When we got on the call, literally 5 minutes into the conversation, he gestured with his hand above his head and said there was a fire drill in the building and he had to go - that we would "come back to me". He quickly disconnected from the call. I again waited on the call for 20 minutes because his response was unclear to me. I believe this was a "FAKE Fire Drill". After this incident, the call was rescheduled again. On the day of the rescheduled call, only about 40 minutes in advance of the call, I received an email saying that the position would be put on hold as they sort some things out internally. This entire process stretched over 2 months. Frustrated at the lack of respect for my time and unprofessional behavior by this company executive, I wrote him an email expressing my frustration and told him I did not want to work for a firm who treated potential employees like this. It is a red flag that shows how an employee is not valued. I cannot work for a firm who treats their employees like this and I am sure they treat their clients in the same manner. DO NOT WORK for HCL.