Smart Communications Software Engineer Interview Questions
& Process

I'm not hired yet, but I went through the interview process. There were three stages. The first was behavioral, then a technical interview, and the last one seemed to be HR-related (shift, salary, etc.). For the behavioral part, they asked about me, like to introduce myself and what I'm working on now. They also sometimes asked about my most recent project or thesis. In the technical interview, they definitely wanted to know what programming languages I know well. I had to do a logic test where I had to write a program based on given requirements by hand. They also asked about my latest project. They gave me a choice of three roles: programmer, project manager, or test analyst. Having OJT experience at Smart is a plus. Knowledge in NPL, Oracle, Java, and SQL functions, as well as SDLC, would also be helpful.

I signed up for the interview during a job fair at the university and got into a mass-hiring process. Most of my batch mates are also fresh graduates. The steps were: (1) A standard entrance test-like exam (IQ, Arithmetic, English proficiency, etc.), (2) An interview with an HR Partner for the Technology Division, (3) An interview with the Team lead, which included a Technical Interview, and (4) A Line Manager Interview. There was also a (5) Job Offer stage. For fresh graduates, the interviewers are less technical and ask more about your personality, how you handled academic projects, and how you work in a team. They want to see how eager you are to take on the professional world. For experienced candidates, concepts and technical aspects of the required skills are more in focus. Interviewers assess how well you handle project issues or stress, how sound your decision-making skills are, and how good you are in handling a team. For both, just be yourself. The interviewers are friendly, and the line interviewers aren't that intimidating. They'll make you feel at ease. The people are friendly and happy, and you won't be bored sitting alone in your cubicle all day. Don't expect Google-level office equipment, it's just the typical office setting with conference rooms and a pantry with free coffee. The work culture is slightly lenient, a mix of Filipino work culture with around 20% Japanese and 80% American work culture.

So there are 3 interviews lined up. You'll meet with the hiring manager, then the head of the department, and finally HR. The technical questions aren't too tough, just make sure you've got the basic programming concepts down. Be ready for questions that check out your logical thinking.