Interviewee:
Suvetha Devi: 4th year MSC integrated IT student
Sudharsan S: 4th year MSC integrated CS student
Interviewer:
Varsha S
GT: Could you please introduce yourself.
Sudharsan: Hey everyone. I’m Sudharsan, and I’m currently pursuing 4th year MSC integrated computer science. I’m doing my internship at KLA as a software engineer.
Suvetha: Hello viewers, I’m Suvetha Devi. I’m pursuing 4th year MSC integrated IT in Anna University CEG campus and I’m also currently doing my internship in KLA.
GT: When did you start preparing for internship?
Sudharsan: I started preparing for internships in November 2021. Initially, it was difficult to prepare for internship due to classes, but I managed my time and just set a time aside for each day. When we continue a habit for 10-15 days it becomes a hobby! That’s how I prepared.
GT: What are the resources used to prepare for the internship?
Suvetha: I am not a believer of paid courses and tutorials. I am a self-learner. I referred the basic websites like w3schools and tutorial point etc. I used to learn concepts from these websites and solve problems in Leetcode and Hacker Rank. I ended up solving around 50 problems, which proved to be helpful during the interview.
GT: Can you brief upon the selection process at KLA?
Sudharsan: It consists around 5 rounds. 1st round is the aptitude round, containing normal MCQs (of general aptitude questions). 2nd round is the coding round. It consists of medium difficulty Leetcode problems. 3rd round is the technical interview where they’ll ask questions from your resume. 4th round is the HR round and the 5th round is a telephonic interview, where we’ll have to speak with the manager.
GT: What is the expectation of the company from the candidates?
Suvetha: They expect basic knowledge of the technical skills that we have mentioned in our resume. Candidates must have an in-depth knowledge of their own resume, and along with that, the basic knowledge of the projects they have done.
GT: What are the challenges faced during internship and how did you overcome it?
Sudharsan: The main challenge is handling your nerves, if you let it get to you, you might forget what you know. If you know the answer to a question asked, then explain clearly. If not, skip instead of waiting or holding on. These are mainly welcomed by the manager & HR.
GT: How is the work going on? What are the skills acquired till now?
Suvetha: Our experience in KLA provided us a good industrial exposure. Also, we have super-friendly team members. This acts as an advantage by giving a boost to our confidence while working. Apart from that, we had other leisured activities like team outings and lunch meetings.
Talking about skill-sets, I have become a good team player and I have improved my public speaking. My confidence has also been enhanced. The company has taught me the industry behavior in the IT sector.
GT: Any tips or strategies for students preparing for internship?
Sudharsan: Everyone must focus on their basics; be it the programming languages or the technical skills. Practice coding. Top companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft focus more on Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA). If it’s a startup company, they focus more on the projects you have done. Additionally, DSA is really important as it is considered as the building blocks of coding. Hence, focus more (about 70%) on DSA and the remaining (30%) on domain knowledge and technical skills.
GT: What is your view on GT’s intern diaries?
Suvetha: GT’s intern diaries are useful for students preparing for placements and internships. Many people’s experiences from different companies help students to get inspired, target companies and to prepare well for placements. I wish all the best to the students preparing for placements.
Sudharsan: It’s a very good initiative by Guindy Times. This will be very useful for all those preparing for their internships.
