10+ Mastercard Advisors Consultant Interview Questions and Answers

Features to consider in designing a time series model

• Identifying seasonality and trends in the data

• Selecting appropriate lag values for autoregressive components

• Choosing the right forecasting method (e.g. ARIMA, Exponential Smoothing)

• Evaluating model performance using metrics like RMSE and MAE

I won a Kaggle competition by applying a combination of XGBoost and neural network models.

• Won Kaggle competition by predicting housing prices using XGBoost and neural network models

• Achieved top 5% ranking in the competition

• Used feature engineering techniques to improve model performance

Mastercard Advisory Services is a consulting arm of Mastercard that provides strategic advice and solutions to businesses.

• Offers customized solutions to clients based on their specific needs

• Helps businesses optimize their operations and improve their financial performance

• Provides expertise in areas such as digital transformation, risk management, and customer experience

• Works with clients across various industries including financial services, retail, and healthcare

KNN models are used for classification and regression tasks based on similarity to nearest neighbors, while K-means is a clustering algorithm based on distance to centroids.

• KNN models assign a class label to a new data point based on majority class of its k-nearest neighbors

• K-means clusters data points into k clusters based on distance to centroids

• KNN is a supervised learning algorithm, while K-means is an unsupervised learning algorithm

The yearly revenue of my favorite restaurant in Cyber Hub, Gurgaon is estimated to be around INR 5 crore.

• The restaurant is located in Cyber Hub, Gurgaon.

• It is a popular dining destination known for its diverse cuisine.

• The restaurant has a seating capacity of 150 people.

• It operates from 12 pm to 11 pm every day.

• The average bill per person is around INR 1500.

• The restaurant is often fully booked during weekends and holidays.

• It offers both indoor and outdoor seating options.

• The r...read more

Estimating the yearly revenue of Cafeteria & Co.

• Analyze the average number of customers per day and multiply it by the average amount spent per customer

• Consider the number of operating days in a year

• Take into account any special events or promotions that may impact revenue

• Review historical financial data and trends

• Consider the competitive landscape and market conditions

The interview questions include SQL, Python, and guestimates/puzzles.

• For the SQL question, write a code to select N items from a group using the SELECT statement.

• In Python, explain slicing and indexing with examples. Also, discuss the difference between a list and an array.

• Prepare for guestimates and puzzles by practicing problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

The sale of air purifiers in India can be estimated based on factors such as population, pollution levels, awareness, and affordability.

• Consider the population of India, which is over 1.3 billion people.

• Take into account the increasing pollution levels in major cities like Delhi and Mumbai.

• Consider the growing awareness among people about the importance of clean air and its impact on health.

• Factor in the affordability of air purifiers for the average Indian consumer.

• Look at t...read more

MasterCard is a multinational financial services corporation that facilitates electronic payments between banks and merchants.

• MasterCard is one of the largest payment processing companies in the world.

• It operates in over 200 countries and processes billions of transactions annually.

• MasterCard offers a range of payment solutions including credit, debit, and prepaid cards.

• It also provides fraud protection and security services to its customers.

• MasterCard is a publicly traded co...read more

The CDF project is a consulting project focused on improving data analysis and decision-making processes.

• The CDF project aims to enhance data analysis and decision-making procedures.

• It involves implementing new tools and techniques for data collection, processing, and visualization.

• The project also includes training employees on data analysis best practices.

• Examples of CDF project outcomes may include improved data accuracy, faster decision-making, and increased efficiency.

Guesstimate the number of iPhones sold in Delhi.

• Consider the population of Delhi and the market share of iPhones.

• Estimate the percentage of people who can afford iPhones.

• Take into account the average lifespan of an iPhone and the replacement rate.

• Consider the popularity of iPhones among different age groups and professions.

• Factor in the availability of authorized Apple stores and online sales.

• Analyze the sales trends and growth rate of iPhones in Delhi over the years.

The number of credit cards issued in India annually can be estimated based on population, income levels, and banking trends.

• Consider the population of India and the percentage of people eligible for credit cards.

• Analyze the income levels and spending habits of the population.

• Take into account the growth rate of the banking sector and the popularity of credit cards.

• Look at data from credit card companies and banks operating in India.

• Consider any government initiatives or polic...read more

DBSCAN is a density-based clustering algorithm that groups together points that are closely packed.

• DBSCAN stands for Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise.

• It groups together points that are closely packed based on two parameters - epsilon (eps) and minimum points (minPts).

• Points are classified as core points, border points, or noise points.

• Core points have at least minPts points within eps distance, border points are within eps distance of a core point b...read more