Cisco Interview Experience For Internship (2024)

Hi,

In this article, I’ll share my experience with Code with Cisco – an online code-a-thon journey that led me to an internship at Cisco.

Role:

Software Engineer — Network/Embedded/Application Development (Intern) — India UHR.

Application Process:

The process commenced with an online coding code-a-thon called Code with Cisco. It was a team coding competition consisting of 3 members. After nearly two months, we received an email offering an opportunity to attend an additional round of online assessment as part of their summer internship hiring process. The email read –

I will soon publish a detailed blog on my experience in the code-a-thon and the difficulty level of the problems asked. Stay tuned!

Duration: 05:00 pm to 06:30 pm (90 Minutes)

Sections:

10 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) covering a mix of Aptitude, Computer Networking, and Operating Systems related questions.

2 Coding Questions (Leetcode Easy to Medium Level)

Note: C++ was not an option, posing a challenge as I typically code in C++. However, I completed both codes in C.

After three days, I received an email saying, “Congratulations on making it to the shortlist for the interview process! Well done!” They requested resumes without personal identifiers for skill assessment to ensure fairness and eliminate bias. We joined a Webex space with around 500 students from across the country, distributed across three spaces. Out of 18 students from my college, 11 were shortlisted for the next round.

Duration: 45 minutes

• Resume Discussion: We extensively discussed my resume, focusing on the four projects mentioned.
• DSA Questions: After discussing my resume, the interviewer inquired about the data structures I knew. I listed “array, linked list, graph, tree, stack, queue.” Then they asked me to implement a binary search tree, allowing me to choose between BST and doubly LL. I opted for BST and successfully implemented it.
• Operating Systems: The interviewer briefly asked about our class coverage of OS, and asked questions about process and thread, deadlock, and scheduling algorithms. After discussing scheduling algorithms, we transitioned to sorting algorithms. I listed all the algorithms, and they asked me to implement an optimized Bubble sort. Initially struggling, I eventually answered with the interviewer’s assistance, leaving a positive impression.
• Computer Networks: The final segment focused on computer networks, a mandatory topic for Cisco applicants. The interviewer covered various CN topics such as the OSI model, and TCP v/s UDP, and fortunately, I was able to answer most of them, except for those not covered in my classes.

Out of 11 candidates, 6 were moved to the next round.

Duration: 25-30 minutes

• Project In-Depth Discussion: The round commenced with a self-introduction. The interviewer requested a brief explanation of the projects listed on my resume. I was then prompted to choose the project in which I felt the most confident. Then I was asked some deep questions about the chosen project. For instance, I was asked to elaborate on how I uploaded files to S3 and retrieved them; what problems I faced and how I resolved them during the development journey and many more.
• Technical Questions (OS and CN): The discussion then shifted to Operating Systems (OS) and Computer Networks (CN) for about 15 minutes. Such as-

1. Differentiating between processes and threads, including practical scenarios like identifying whether an open browser tab represents a process or a thread.
2. A thorough understanding of the OSI model, with a focus on each layer and its functions, and a lot more.

No DSA questions were asked in this round!

At the end, the interviewer asked me about some skills not mentioned on my resume. I mentioned my strong interest and proficiency in mathematics and problem-solving. He asked for a demonstration, and I shared my ratings on platforms like Codeforces and Codechef. Seeking real-life applications, he suggested considering a project in Machine Learning and Computer Networks to show my mathematical and problem-solving skills.

After 10 minutes of the completion of the Managerial Round, I received a call for the ETR round.

Duration: 10-15 minutes

The round was short and started with talking about my group projects and what I did in them. We also discussed the stipend because the discussion was not done earlier. They asked about the following questions:

• Is relocation possible for me?
• Who are the competitors of Cisco?
• Why do I want to work at Cisco?

At the end, they asked if I had any questions. I asked about the work culture and if it’s as good as it seems online. They explained that they have multiple clubs and a lively work environment.

They said it would take a couple of weeks to send the result, and true to their word, they emailed the results to our college’s T&P Cell exactly after two weeks. Out of 5 candidates from our college in ETR, 4 got selected, and luckily I was one of them.

Result Verdict: SELECTED

Overall Tips for Success:

• Only include projects or skills you are 100% confident about and ensure a thorough understanding of everything listed on your resume.
• Practice questions on w3wiki and Leetcode and have a good understanding of the implementation of the data structures. Plus, go thoroughly with OS and CN (a must-do while appearing in an interview at Cisco)
• Be prepared for in-depth questions about your projects and experiences, especially teamwork.
• Maintain confidence throughout the entire process and be positive.
• This brings forth an important point that just registers for hackathons, contests, and tech & non-tech talks by companies. You never know from where an opportunity might come.

ALL THE BEST!