PayPal Data Scientist Interview Questions and Answers for Experienced

Round: Technical Interview
Experience: The technical interview included a VP round which was more of a resume round. I concentrated my interview (VP round) on Machine learning which my field is. This was kind of a trick because many people screwed up this round. Hence, VP offered to me to work in VISA HQ.

Round: Technical Interview
Experience: This technical round included questions from almost all topics of CS (SQL query, coding, Networks, Security, Hadoop and Map-Reduce).

General Tips: Do’s :
1) Start right from August
2) Prepare basics of subjects
3) Try to code using pen and paper
4) Code as many problems as you can from all domains with only 1 language (C/C++/Java)
5) Keep a friend with you at all times during interviews. If you are selected for more than 1
companies in 1 slot, ask your friend to manage your interview schedules given he knows your
priorities. I was not in a position to attend more than 2 interviews in the same slot.

Don’ts :
1) Don’t lose hope if you are not shortlisted for your dream company or any company of your choice because being an IITian you have large number of better choices and which would fit in your profile better.
2) Don’t argue with the interviewers and never pretend that you are over smart in a given domain.
3) Do not take HR rounds lightly even if you are sitting for CS companies.

Final Tips :
Start your preparation early. Placement is 90% preparation and 10% luck.
College Name: IIT Kanpur

Round: Test
Duration: 120 minutes
Total Questions: 42

Round: Test
Experience: There was a test for VISA which had following sections:
Assessment Composition:
1. Coding Skills: 2 Questions - Very simple problems - 30 marks total
2. Programming: 10 Questions - Simple Java Questions --Access modifiers, inline function, Red black tree, heap
3. Machine Learning Hadoop MCQ: 6 Questions You can't answer a single question if ML/BigData is remote-land for you.
4. Networking MCQ: 6 Questions - Again basics. Data layer questions. IP class basic question, fields in ethernet header.
5. Operating System: 6 Questions - Memory management mostly
6. Infrastructure: 6 Questions - Real life scenarios - server client questions.
7. Application Security: 6 Questions
Duration: 120 minutes
Total Questions: 42

Round: Interview
Experience: Questions from all CS subjects including coding
Tips: They shortlisted 29 students for the final interviews on Day 1 Slot 1.
There were 2 rounds of technical interview and 1 interview.

General Tips: Do’s
1)      Start right from August 
2)      Prepare basics of subjects
3)      Try to code using pen and paper
4)      Code as many problems as you can from all domains with only 1 language (C/C++/Java)
5)      Keep a friend with you at all times during interviews. If you are selected for more than 1 companies in 1 slot, ask your friend to manage your interview schedules given he knows your priorities. I was not in a position to attend more than 2 interviews in the same slot.
Don’ts
1)      Don’t lose hope if you are not shortlisted for your dream company or any company of your choice because being an IITian you have large number of better choices and which would fit in your profile better.
2)      Don’t argue with the interviewers and never pretend that your are over smart in a given domain.
3)      Do not take HR rounds lightly even if you are sitting for CS companies.
Skills: C++
College Name: IIT Kanpur
Motivation: Role of my interest