AMDOCS Experience

Hi Friends... Last Week i was interviewed by AMDOCS so i'm here again to share my experience with you.
It was the end of the placement for the batch 2012 and we got the mail that amdocs is going to visit in our campus (Earlier it was planned to visit but they postponed it due to some reason) so i was happy by hearing that amdocs again scheduled a drive.

Amdocs is a dream company (package 4.2 LPA) for many students.
Amdocs selection process have 3 Rounds.
1. Written Test
2. Technical Interview
3. HR Round.

 Written Test:  

On 18th july we received mail that amdocs visiting on 20th july so we have only 2 days for the preparation. i googled and found some written stuff about amdocs but it screwed me because differ people posted different views about the test. some telling that test would be online. some are talking about another type of question and also ambiguity about negative marking. so i concluded that amdocs frequently change their question paper style but the fix thing is that test paper must have 2 section.
a) Aptitude Section
b) Technical Section.

When i appeared for the first round. it was written objective type test (NOT ONLINE). The test was designed by Marittrac and there was no negative marking. There was total 95 question and 115 minutes.

Aptitude section was divided into 3 subsections.
Quantitative Aptitude - 25 questions
Attention to Detail - 15 questions
Technical paragraph- 10 question.

Quantitative Aptitude: It was simple portion. RS Aggrawal is  good enough for preparing for it. But keep in mind that it was simple for everyone. Approx. all the student can easily solve the question in this section.
Attention to detail: This section is also very simple we have to just match the string with given strings and find out the same string and some question are about  + is changed with *, -  changed with /  , * changed with - and / changed with +
what would be answer of
5+3-2/7 (this type question not sure about the actual statement)
So everyone can solve this.
Technical paragraph:  in this section we are given with a technical paragraph and 10 questions. we have to read the para and find out the answer of the given question. This one is also very simple round.
So, According to my experience overall aptitude section doesn't play main role in selection. Everyone get approx. equal marks in this round. But we have to clear the cutt off of both section and cutt offs are high(around 70%)  So practice hard before appear.

Technical Section: it was the hard part of the test. it was also a written test. if you have good knowledge of technical stuff then you can easily go through it and This part decide either you would clear written or not.
Technical section is also divided into 3 subsections.
Programming skill Test (c,c++,Java).
DBMS skill Test
Unix skill test

Programming Skill test(15 question): This section is optional you have to select one from c, c++, java.
i selected C and my advise is that don't select cpp or java unless you are not sound in OOPS. In C test paper they test your programming skills some questions was from TEST YOUR C SKILLS. They also test pointers deeply. so you should have good knowledge of pointers. Some question was for testing our reading and understanding of other's code.
Q) which code is correct for finding palindrome of strings.
Then 4 options contain full code and we have to select one from them.
*IF YOU HAVE GOOD KNOWLEDGE OF 'C', 'CPP', JAVA YOU CAN MAKE DIFFERENCE IN THIS SECTION EASILY*

DBMS skill Test(15 question): It was a very very difficult section frankly speaking a DBA can't solve this section completely. When i read the question i was thinking that are they hiring DBA or programmer. i knew the answer of  only 7 to 8 questions and a day before the test i got 9 sample questions from my friend and 3 of them was in paper. so in my test  i was sure about around 11 questions rest was TUKKA  :)

for this round read about joins, views, cursors, triggers, store procedure and indexes deeply specially internal working.

Here are some sample question to panic you.

1. Min. permission required to execute drop database command
DB Admin
DB Owner
Control
User
2. You want to create an index on a column such that the select statement require min time to retrieve the data. The column is unique and if data is physically sorted, query will be faster. Which index would you see.
Clustered
Non-Clustered
Unique
Composite
3. Which of the following can appear in any order, so relation still will be the same and therefore convey the same meaning.
Attributes
Entity
Tuples
Entity Set
4. How will you enable SQL 2005 to physically store computed values in the table and update when any other columns are updated?
Use computed expressions and provide the expression
Use persisted option during the table creation
Create a clustered index on the computed column
Create a default constraint in computed expr.
5. Which of the given stmt. is related to following created view?
Create VIEW emp_dept_outerjoin1 AS SELECT empno, ename, e.deptno,dname,loc FROM emp_tab e, dept_tab d WHEN e.deptno = d.deptno(+);
View successfully created
Views that involve outer joins are not modifiable
Column in base empt_tab table of emp_dept_outerjoin1 are modifiable through the view
Columns in dept_tab table of emp_dept_outerjoin1 are modifiable through the view
Column in base emp_tab of emp_dept_outerjoin1 are not modifiable through the view
6. Which of the following comes under DML
Drop
Alter
Insert
Create


Unix skill test: This was also a tough section i have no idea what they asked (all was unix command). prepare for unix commands specially CHMOD , SED, TEE, SORT,LS, KILL, commands of VI editor. here is link for unix commands. No one would be good in this round so if you will prepare hard you can easily make difference.

Then after 4 days we got mail about amdocs result. Luckily my name was in list and it was on the TOP :)
total 156 appeared for written and only 32 selected.

TECHNICAL INTERVIEW

On 24th july we got the mail about selection and  schedule of interview. it was 25th july so again we have no time for preparation. i googled and found that in interview round they will only ask questions about UNIX and DBMS so i only prepared about unix and dbms. But when i was interviewed they didn't ask even a single question from UNIX and DBMS but from other students they asked. 

Everyone have to undergo both interview HR and TI (technical interview)  one followed by other. 

My TI was last long for around only 15 minutes and it was 2-to-1 round and HR was about 30 minutes. it was 1-to-1 round.

Here is conversation:

Interviewer: Tell me about yourself.

Me: first of all i would like to thank you for giving me an opportunity of introducing myself to you.

I am AMRITPAL SINGH. i was born and bought up...... blah blah blah................

.....coming to my interesting subjects, during my graduation i studied only C, Data Structure, and Analysis & Design  of algorithms so you can ask any thing from this portion ( i was weak in DBMS and UNIX so indirectly i told that i know only these subject so ask me form this domain. In this question you can make clear to interviewer that what you know).

Interviewer: So you know DS and ADA. ok good. and what are your hobbies ?

Me: solving puzzles and playing chess. 

Interviewer: then here is puzzle about chess. "You have to place 8 queen on a fair chess board but condition is that no queen should be under attack of other queen."

Me: ok so i have to design algorithm for it or simply solve the problem? (Actually it was a general 8-queen problem from ADA i solved it before but i pretended them that i dont know about it).

Interviewer: you have to  design algo and solve it. 

then i explained each and everything about it and designed algo for it. and then they came to my resume. Oh god!!! they asked each and everything in my resume so be very true about your resume. 

Interviewer: Good !!! You mention that you was Admin of college labs what you did for managing labs and what was you responsibilities?

ME: I installed the window server and managed group policies (explained everything).

intervewer: Ok. now coming to your project how did you get idea to design these projects tell me about each project who inspired you to design it. did u designed it alone? or it was designed by team?? ( Then for next 10 minutes i explained all my projects)

And thats it!!!

then without any delay i was moved to HR room. HR manager asked me many questions. During HR round  BE very TRUE about yourself don't be fake.

Welcome Amrit How was your interview?

Tell me about youself & family?

why you want to join Amdocs?

Any offer in hand?

Why you dont want to join TCS?

Any Problem in relocation  & shifts?

Your strengths? 

Your Weekness? ( Be True!!! dont say like that my hand writing is poor they have no concern with it tell him actual week point when you come to know about your week points and what you did till now to cover it.)

Followed by this many another general HR questions.

Uffff............ i'm tired now. i think that is enough for cracking Amdocs.

Amdocs Online practice Test

So see you in Amdocs

BEST OF LUCK !!!

10 Most Common HR interview Questions

 10 Most Common Interview Questions

Too many job seekers stumble through interviews as if the questions are coming out of left field. But many interview questions are to be expected. So study this list, plan your answers ahead of time and you'll be ready to deliver them with confidence.

What Are Your Weaknesses?

This is the most dreaded question of all. Handle it by minimizing your weakness and emphasizing your strengths. Stay away from personal qualities and concentrate on professional traits: "I am always working on improving my communication skills to be a more effective presenter. I recently joined Toastmasters, which I find very helpful."

Why Should We Hire You?

Summarize your experiences: "With five years' experience working in the financial industry and my proven record of saving the company money, I could make a big difference in your company. I'm confident I would be a great addition to your team."

Why Do You Want to Work Here?

The interviewer is listening for an answer that indicates you've given this some thought and are not sending out resumes just because there is an opening. For example, "I've selected key companies whose mission statements are in line with my values, where I know I could be excited about what the company does, and this company is very high on my list of desirable choices."

What Are Your Goals?

Sometimes it's best to talk about short-term and intermediate goals rather than locking yourself into the distant future. For example, "My immediate goal is to get a job in a growth-oriented company. My long-term goal will depend on where the company goes. I hope to eventually grow into a position of responsibility."

Why Did You Leave (Are You Leaving) Your Job? (only for experienced)

If you're unemployed, state your reason for leaving in a positive context: "I managed to survive two rounds of corporate downsizing, but the third round was a 20 percent reduction in the workforce, which included me."

If you are employed, focus on what you want in your next job: "After two years, I made the decision to look for a company that is team-focused, where I can add my experience."

When Were You Most Satisfied in Your Job? (only for experienced)

The interviewer wants to know what motivates you. If you can relate an example of a job or project when you were excited, the interviewer will get an idea of your preferences. "I was very satisfied in my last job, because I worked directly with the customers and their problems; that is an important part of the job for me."

What Can You Do for Us That Other Candidates Can't?

What makes you unique? This will take an assessment of your experiences, skills and traits. Summarize concisely: "I have a unique combination of strong technical skills, and the ability to build strong customer relationships. This allows me to use my knowledge and break down information to be more user-friendly."

What Are Three Positive Things Your Last Boss Would Say About You?

It's time to pull out your old performance appraisals and boss's quotes. This is a great way to brag about yourself through someone else's words: "My boss has told me that I am the best designer he has ever had. He knows he can rely on me, and he likes my sense of humor."

What Salary Are You Seeking?

It is to your advantage if the employer tells you the range first. Prepare by knowing the going rate in your area, and your bottom line or walk-away point. One possible answer would be: "I am sure when the time comes, we can agree on a reasonable amount. In what range do you typically pay someone with my background?"

If You Were an Animal, Which One Would You Want to Be?

Interviewers use this type of psychological question to see if you can think quickly. If you answer "a bunny," you will make a soft, passive impression. If you answer "a lion," you will be seen as aggressive. What type of personality would it take to get the job done? What impression do you want to make?

Prepare for Tech Round Just in 5 Dayz

"A stone is broken by the last stroke it doesn't mean that  first stroke was useless. Success is a result of continuous daily effort."
So Actually 5 days are  not enough for cracking a technical round it need continuous effort. But '5-days' are like 'LAST STROKE'.
Day 1:
+ Revise c++ and java languages.
+ C++
+ I/O, overloading <<, >> etc
+ String manipulation, bit manipulation.
+ Code using STL without reference.
+ Design and code OOP way. (virtual?) inheritance, polymorphism
+ operator overloading, functors, templates, exceptions,
+ exceptions, thread-safe, mutexes, locks, iterators,
+ internationalization wchar_t???, reference?, pointer?
+ friends, smart pointers, auto_ptr?, RAII?, casts?
+ new, delete[] implementation?, nothrow new, placement new?
+ stack unwinding, assert?, assignment op, copy constructor
+ custom memory allocators for containers like list, vector (Well, I didn't study this. just planned)
+ Java
+ I/O, String manipulation
+ Using collections java.util without reference.
+ OOP support. inheritance, static, access modifiers?
+ Threads, abstract classes, synchronization, exceptions
+ equals(), hash(), deep, shallow copy, type system?
+ know thread-safe, and unsafe classes?
+ design patterns used in collections.
+ aggregation, composition, association, has-a, is-a?
+ anonymous inner classes? comparator, comparable?
+ RTTI, JDBC?, garbage collection?, inner classes, generics,
+ reflections? (didn't revise. no time!)
+ c++ vs java.
+ probabilities
Note: also coded standard algorithms that require stack, queue, priority_queue, map and hashtable both in c++ and java.

Day 2:
+ Operating Systems, Concurrency, OOP I
+ Processes
+ Threads, posix threads, mutexes, semaphores?, deadlocks?, livelocks?
+ synchronization primitives implementation, multicore?, barriers?
+ scheduling, scheduling algorithms, priority inversion,
+ classic thread synchronization problems, critical section.
+ virtual memory, demand paging, TLB, address translation, segmentation?
+ caching, page replacement algorithms, thrashing?,
+ file system implementation, inodes, buffer cache, inode cache,
+ block allocation schemes? trade-offs?
+ DMA, disk scheduling etc, interrupts, syscalls, traps? signals?
+ Basics of OOP, class design? UML? relationship? design principles?

Day 3:
+ Object Oriented Design II & Design Patterns.
+ Misc:
+ Basics of compilers
+ AI search, BFS, DFS, Iterative Deepening, UCS, A*,
+ graph coloring, inference?, min-max?
+ functional language? haskell? why? what they offer?
+ different types of languges and what they offer and what not?

Day 4:
+ Relational Databases, SQL, joins?, Regular Expressions in perl
+ Networking: different layers, functionality of each one, design choices?
+ TCP/IP???, routing, packet switched vs circuit switched?
+ DNS, DHCP, MAC, IP, ARP, RARP, ping? tracert? longest prefix match?
+ broadcasting, multicasting, unicasting, congestion control?
+ Revise Algorithms & Data Structures - part I

Day 5:
+ Revise Algorithms & Data Structures - part II
+ Divide & Conquer, Backtracking, Greedy, Dynamic programming
+ Graph Algorithms (yes Flow problems too!), Sorting and Searching,
+ Strings, suffix trees, tries, KMP substring, basic number theory, prime numbers.

"Crack ThoughtWorks"

              




Hi, Yesterday i become glad by listening  that ThoughtWorks (DREAM COMPANY) going to visit in GNDU  for 2013 Batch. ThoughtWorks is the 1st company visiting for 2013 batch. so student have no experience how to crack the interview and what companies are looking for. Here is little effort from my side to help  juniors so they can start there career in reputed companies.
          So, every company have different requirement according to the position. some companies are looking for totally technical guys and dont deal with marks or any other stuff like no backlog, no gap and some do. TW is purely a technical company and have a group of great talented curious  person so they are looking for the same.
Main Thing is "FOOD IS NOT FREE". A company never pay you for free if they are paying such high packages(5.86LPA) then they expect much from you side too. Don't panic, Be confident you can do it. just need of will power  and curiosity and should be a technical guy.
 The hiring procedure of TW include 5 rounds.
 1) Written Test
 2) Pair Programming Round
 3) Technical Interview Round 1
 4) Technical Interview Round 2
 5) HR Round.
Written Test:  
Written Test will not a aptitude test. it wouldn't contain any quantitative or reasoning question. It will a flow chart round which would be difficult to crack. Appox. only around 10%  clear this round but again practice make the man perfect and The TRICK IS THAT JUST GOOGLE YOU WOULD GET SAME FULL TEST PAPER. But this is not enough, approximately all of you must have question paper in hands but still it will not easy to crack because you don't know the correct answers and even your answers are correct but you cant remember the answer and it would become difficult to solve the paper again in such strict time limit. Keep in mind that you are not alone who have paper everyone have paper in there hands prior So practice very hard.
Around 400 student participated but only 31 was able to crack this round so practice hard.
Pair Programming Round:
In this round they will give you 1 problem and you have to break down the logic and code that problem with the help of your programming partner(a person from the side of TW) in your favorite language. Main thing is that you have to take deep care of  coding scenario and naming conventions  and if your are coding in object oriented language then you have to follow all the rules of OOPS. AGAIN THERE IS A TRICK JUST GOOGLE FOR TW PROGRAMMING PROBLEMS AND YOU WILL GET ALL THE PROBLEM STATEMENTS. Practice 1 or 2 problem in prior.
Here is sample Code which was coded by me during last year TW drive.

Look at the naming convention adopted in this code. don't go for logic in deep and keep talking with your partner during this round  tell him each & everything what you are going to do. Your logic, the  Name conventions, why you adopted for particular programming language, everything share with him/her.
Only 8 students left after this round.

Technical Round 1: unfortunately i was out in this round reason are many. but main reason is OVER CONFIDENT. So don't make such a silly mistakes. i didn't revise anything. So  please be prepared. The interview is not like a other companies interview they will ask you simple question. Pattern is very much different.
This is 2-to-1 round, you will interviewed by 2 person. The interview will start with OPPS design  question in UML.
Like: Design Regulator of FAN
Design Chess Game.
Design Model for university.
And many more......
 for cracking this round read OOPS book by Rambaugh.
After reading this book practice your hand on live Problems.
After opps design question they might go for a puzzles. Don't panic if you found that problem is difficult. INTERVIEWER NEVER EXPECT RIGHT ANSWER THEY ALWAYS EXPECT A RIGHT APPROACH.
Your problem solving skills will play role. After puzzles you will face some Algorithm design question and some question on Data Structure.
find some Algorithmic question on this link and try to crack the logic.
ONLY 1 student left after this round.
Technical Round 2:  In this round they will ask you some new problem from the same domain like oops, DS, ADA. Keep in mind that keep talking with interviewer tell him/her everything.
Do brainstorming find logic and explain your logic like that  "I Think *WE* can solve this problem by this way". Have a deep look on last line, i told that "WE" not "I" try to involve interviewer in you problem work like a team, explain your approach, may be you will on right way and interview will give you some clue to solve problem or if you are on wrong path interview can guide you. so try to involve him.
some practice Books for this round: Crack the coding interview & Algorithm made easy.

HR Round: Not much sure about the HR cos is was out till this round So it would be general HR round.
Because they know well That "GEEKS ARE OFTEN WEEK IN ENGLISH". Ohhh sorry... i mean "WEAK". :)

BEST OF LUCK TO ALL.