Understanding Target Interview Process for Software Engineer

Rated as one of the best places to work, Target is the ideal place for people starting their careers or role change.

The growth opportunities are quite good and the work culture, as with most MNCs, is brilliant and the workflow, efficient.

The interview process for Software Development Engineer (SE-I) roles can be quite challenging for a fresher.

Though there is a lesser number of interview rounds and assessments, the interview is no cakewalk.

That’s why we're here to help. :)

Recently, we reached out to Shamik Mukhopadhyay, a Senior Software Engineer (SE-II) at TARGET Bangalore who was delighted to explain the intricacies of the Target interview process for SE-I roles.

He also helped us add sample target interview questions, resources, and strategies that all freshers can follow.

The role of a software engineer at TARGET

Software engineers are involved with projects from the very beginning where they have to interact with clients and stakeholders to understand the required features and functionality of a new system or software.

Their work may not be as coding intensive as software developers but involve the crucial monitoring of the product or systems post-launch.

⭐Basically, software engineers apply engineering principles to a product/system to ensure its viability and efficiency in the market.

⭐They need to have thorough knowledge about computer systems to recognise hardware limitations that can impact software design.

⭐Moreover, they are also tasked with identifying and improving, and making recommendations of existing applications by designing implementing systems.

Prerequisites for SE-I roles

Graduate/Fresher roles typically require:‍

➡️ 2.1 Bachelor’s Degree from a STEM subject, some roles may specifically ask for a computer science or software engineering degree whereas, under some circumstances, recruiters will accept candidates with 2.2 degrees in non-STEM subjects as well

➡️ Knowledge/experience in Java, C++, C#, MATLAB and Python, and object-oriented programming

➡️ Knowledge of technologies like SQL and .NET (there are on-the-job pieces of training in these aspects as well)

➡️ Thorough knowledge of algorithms and data structures

➡️ Strong analytical and reasoning skills (to be shown through your projects and tested through skill assessments)

➡️ Knowledge of application architecture and design patterns

➡️ Knowledge/ experience in the development of distributed/scalable systems and high-volume transaction applications

Interview Process at Target for SE

The interview process is divided into 5 stages:

• Resume Shortlisting

• Online Test or Coding Assessment

• Technical Interview

• Managerial Interview

• HR interview

✅ 1st Round- CV/Resume Shortlisting

In this round, the resumes/ CVs of all the candidates applying through job postings or referrals will put through the ATS tools.

Further, the sorted resumes/CVs would be carefully looked at by the recruiters who will match your experience, projects, and skills with the job description.

Your social profiles also play a major role in shortlisting so, having a perfect LinkedIn profile becomes important.

So, what do interviewers at TARGET look for, in resumes?

📌Shamik explains that whenever they look into any resume or CV, relevant skills and projects or a lack thereof, always stand out.

📌The formatting of the resume is also taken into account.

📌He recommends that candidates use numbers to quantify their projects and their results.

He further adds that a properly formatted resume is key to making a great first impression on the interviewer.

Read: Resume Writing Guide for 2023 (with dos and don'ts)

✅ 2nd Round- Online Test or Coding Assessment

Shamik explains that when hiring from colleges or when hiring a fresher, typically an online test is conducted.

It consists of 30 sectional MCQs that test the basic concepts of algorithms, data structures, networking fundamentals, and Database management systems (DBMS).

⭐MCQs include questions on aptitude, the expected output for a given code snippet, expected errors in a system design, whether there is a segmentation fault or on Compile-Time Errors, etc.

In most interviews, a coding question accompanies the online test.

This assessment is viewed at testing a candidate’s grip over algorithms and data structures in under 60 minutes.

⭐The structure of the assessment looks something like this:

• 5-minute introduction with your interviewer

• 10-minute discussion on the approach towards the answer

• 45 minutes to write the code and optimise before submitting

From the candidates that pass this round, a few batches of 30 candidates each will go through the second round.

So, to be among those selected, make sure you practice coding assessments and other questions regularly.

✅ 3rd Round- Technical Interview

Usually a panel of two, the technical interview lasts for about 40-50 minutes.

At first, they go through your resume in great detail.

⭐You will need to explain projects that you worked on during your engineering and about your projects at the previous company (if any).

⭐Expect questions on Data Structures such as reversing a linked list or about sorting algorithms.

You could also be asked to write a query to assess your proficiency in DBMS.

So, make sure you are well prepared for these rounds by regularly revisiting fundamentals and practice answering regular interview questions.

Read: Ace Your Communication Skills For Technical Interview: 7 Steps

✅ 4th Round- Managerial Interview

Again a panel of two, this segment goes on for about 30 minutes.

⭐The line of questioning is around your previous team/batch mates you worked for developing your projects (this is to estimate your collaborative skills and conduct).

⭐You could be asked about a problem you faced in your daily life and what measures you took to solve the same.

Expect a set of behavioural questions that are specifically asked to test whether you’d be a good culture fit for the company.

The round ends with a project discussion and what benefit Target stands to gain by hiring you.

✅ 5th Round- HR interview

The HR manager or a team member would be asking you questions about your background, a field of interest, and details about your academics.

⭐Expect the question- Why TARGET?

⭐Make sure you answer it honestly and list out the goals you stand to achieve by working at the said company.

This 15 minute round should be fairly simple and will test your effective communication skills to an extent.

Read: STAR Interview Method + How to Answer HR Interview Questions

Preparing for the TARGET Interview rounds

Shamik suggests that:

👉 Candidates should keep practising their skills consistently utilizing platforms like Leetcode where you can find assessments ranging from easy to more difficult levels.

👉 Set realistic goals which you can reach easily with little effort.

👉 Keep revisiting fundamentals and try to keep your concepts clear from the get-go.

👉 Make use of MOOCs to develop new skills and projects that can be added to your resume.

Also, familiarize yourself with the interview rounds by giving mock interviews regularly.

⭐They not only help you prepare for the real interview in a better way by simulating the interview rounds.

They also help you build new skills with regular skill assessments and provide you honest feedback as well.

Moreover, they help you in building a resume that gets shortlisted and stands out wherever you apply.

To learn more about the benefits of giving mock interviews check out a complete guide, here.

Target Interview Questions

Here are some sample Target job interview questions for software engineers.

These questions are designed to assess a candidate's technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit. 

Make sure to research the specific role and expectations for the interview at Target before your interview date.

🎯Technical questions

• Write a function to reverse a string.

• Explain the differences between a linked list and an array.

• Given an array of integers, find the two numbers that add up to a specific target sum.

• Describe the concept of polymorphism in object-oriented programming.

🎯Algorithm and data structures

• Given an array of integers, find the maximum subarray sum.

• Implement a stack data structure with push, pop, and min operations in O(1) time.

• Solve a classic coding problem, such as the "FizzBuzz" challenge.

🎯System design

• Design a URL shortening service (like bit.ly).

• Explain the architecture of a scalable web application.

• How would you design a distributed key-value store?

🎯Behavioural and cultural fit

• Tell me about a challenging project you've worked on. How did you overcome obstacles?

• Describe a situation where you had to work on a team with conflicting opinions. How did you handle it?

• How do you prioritise tasks when faced with multiple deadlines?

🎯Problem-solving

• You're given a list of numbers, and you need to find the two numbers that add up to a specific target sum.

• How would you detect if a linked list has a cycle?

• Solve a coding challenge related to string manipulation, such as checking if two strings are anagrams.

🎯Coding and whiteboard challenges

• Write code to implement a basic sorting algorithm, such as bubble sort or insertion sort

• Solve a problem related to dynamic programming, like the knapsack problem.

Those were some interview questions for Target.

Remember, the interview process can vary, and it's important to be prepared for a mix of technical, behavioural, and problem-solving questions. 

Additionally, be ready to discuss your past projects, experiences, and how you approach collaboration and teamwork. 

It's a good idea to tailor your preparation to the specific job requirements and culture.

Common mistakes made by candidates

🔶 Lack of effective communication

During the coding rounds, you are given 10 minutes to discuss your approach to solving the problem with your interviewer.

This does not mean that it ends there.

⭐Thinking out loud becomes really important as constant communication ensures your interviewer about the command you have over your skills and the problem.

You can build the solution by opening a two-way dialogue with the interviewer (they usually try to give you hints and nudge towards the solution so, make use of that).

🔶 Lack of follow-up questions

When there is a system design round in some of the interviews for higher roles, candidates will be presented with a vague prompt like build an interface like WhatsApp.

⭐The key tip here is to keep asking follow-up questions on what features to add, what sort of architecture they are looking at etc.

These questions will only help you gain clarity about what is asked.

Without clarity, you will be confused about what approach you need to take from thereon and there will be a far lesser chance of failure.

So, keep asking questions!

Get to know Shamik Mukhopadhyay

⭐Shamik has been working at TARGET Bangalore for the last 4 years and as a Senior Software Engineer for 1 and a half years.

There he works on designing and building - scalable, robust, highly available, and reliable distributed systems.

His responsibilities also include delivering proof of concepts on technologies contributing to technological and architectural decisions.

⭐He is particularly skilled in Java, Springboot, RDBMS, NoSQL DB, Docker, and Kubernetes.

He graduated from BITS Pilani in Electrical and Electronics Engineering in 2017.

At college, he interned at Hedge Quants Capital Advisory LLP working on various trading algorithms that were viewed at optimizing stock portfolios with the highest returns.

👉Before joining his full-time job at Target, he also interned at Myntra where he worked on developing a cross-platform desktop application as a member of the Systems Engineering team which provided a production-like environment on development machines using containerization.

As an established software engineer, Shamik is an avid speaker in this space and is keen to mentor fresh graduates and youngsters to land their dream jobs.

You can watch the highlight of our conversation at:

Do you want personalised guidance and 1:1 mentorship for a clear roadmap to bag your dream software engineer job?

Try a free 1:1 mentoring session with a Target Engineer and get started to ace that interview.