IBM Placement Paper & Interview Pattern (VISAKHAPATNAM )
IBM PAPER & INTERVIEW - VISAKHAPATNAM
Selection Criteria: Minimum of 70% in B.Tech
1. Written Test
2. Technical Interview
3. HR Interview
Each section is knock out one s .
No. Of Questions: 55
Time Limit: 1 hour
The test is basically very simple. It consists of 4 sections
1. Verbal Ability
2. Mathematical Ability
3. Miscellaneous Questions
4. Computer Fundamentals
Simplest than any one could imagine. It consists of three types of questions
It consists of 10 Questions to be completed in 10 minutes.
They gave simple sentences and asked to fill appropriate articles and prepositions.
The comprehension is about Data and Information and relation between them. What is needed to crack this section is simple practice of reading.
It consists of 25 questions and time to be taken is 30 minutes. Questions are like + is replaced by * , * is replaced by -, - is replaced by /, / is replaced by + then what is the value of the expression 24/2+7*3-5*4 ( The Expression is not exact I have given it just as an example there are nearly 5 questions like this )
If $ = 1 and * = 0, A number system consisting of just these two digits and all the higher numbers are represented using only these two digits $ and *. The value of $ will be doubled on going right side in the number. Then given questions like
$**$ : $**( $** X $**$ - $*$ ) = ?
What is the GCD of $$**$ and $$$**$ and questions based on simple addition and multiplication of these numbers. 5 questions of this type are given.
Hint: If you have idea on fundamentals you can easily find they are nothing but binary numbers.
Direction problems to find out distance etc., They are 5 in number.
Questions test basic level of understanding and grip on fundamentals. Cracking this Section is easy if you brush up your basics on mathematics.
This is fun section and very simple. Questions are 10 in numbers are time to take is 10 minutes. Questions consist of Data Recognition of very simple kind. They will give out 4 numbers like
1. 34323333 2. 34323333 3. 34323333 4. 34332333
Then options are given to choose between A, B, C, D. A if 1 and 2 are alike, B if 123 are alike and in the similar manner.
They also gave 4 English words whose spellings are similar as the above numbers and options are similar to the above questions. 5 of this kind of questions are given.
Second kind of questions in this section are about data sufficiency and hypothesis and assumptions type of questions. Number of questions of this kind of questions are 5.
Expression: L > M
Statement 1: L2 = 81
Statement 2: M3=1331
Can we judge the above expression based on the given statements.
Questions are similar and 5 in number.
Cracking this section is simply being cool and keeping calm. Just think and you will crack this very easily. You don t need big big calculations.
This section consists of 10 questions to be completed in 10 minutes. Questions are based on C, Unix, file permissions, etc., this section is easy computer students but quite hard for other branch students. It just consists of 1 or 2 C questions. All the remaining are also including General Knowledge regarding computer also. One question is what is the World s Fastest Super Computer.
Almost 50% percentage of students are able to cross this section. I m one of them. Total 322 students are able to crack this section. Out of all those 120 students are interviewed on the same day when the test is conducted. The interview for remaining students is on the next day. I m on the first day list.
I need not wait so much time for my interviews. Interviews started at 3:45 PM after pre-placement talk of IBM people. The demo is very nice.
Just for the name sake it s a technical interview, but all the things happened is just a sort of HR interview. The questions he asked and the way he treated me just shows that. Keep in mind that, most of the questions are just a result of my previous answer. The questions are:
Tell me about yourself.
A normal beginning questions in almost all the interviews, as I already know that this would be the first question, atleast it s the most probable first question, I prepared well for this. I started self dabba, of course I didn t say any lies, still I feel embraced to say that but didn t let it out. Answer goes like, I m a good communicator, I participated in paper presentations, debates, quizzes and seminars, .... I won so and so prizes, I initiated this this this.. etc., etc.,
What do you know about IBM?
Why do you want to join IBM?
If you say so ( I have just praised a lot), Any one can prepare such information in just 2 days. You have also done the same and you are saying as if you always wanted to join in IBM since you born. Haven t you?
I said No sort of answer of course not this short.
IBM needs people those who are genuine, sincere, and frank, not liars like you tell me frank If you lied, I will not consider it, as you finally told the truth and I will select you.
What do you have to say for that? I didn t change my stand even then.
You are a mechanical engineer and you want to come to IT then why you have taken mechanical, you should have taken CSE or CSIT?
I said that my parents insisted me to join in this branch as we had some relatives have been earned a lot after taking MECHANICAL.
So you can t make other people agree with your point of view, are you so weak? You said that you are a good communicator?
I said we have given a minimum respect to those who are spending lots of money on us and to those who gave birth. (Infact I couldn t get any word to put in place of respect and he handed me the word.)
So you are not doing B.Tech Mechanical whole heartedly. Are you?
No sir. I don t think I could have managed to get a percentage of 77 if I didn t do this whole heartedly. Even I have been doing some mechanical related projects and paper presentations also. I don t agree with you if you say so. (After saying this I was afraid if he may get anger as I said in some rash manner. But he just ignored with just a disgusted look and proceeded.)
What are the projects you have been doing?
I explained about my solar desalinator and distillator and solar tracker I was doing at the time of selections, of course I stopped doing later.
What is the relevance of your project and mechanical engineering?
I explained the relevance.
If you say that you are equally interested in your mechanical field also, why do you want to come to IT sector?
I m more interested towards IT and said there are more chances and challenges to learn.
What are your career aspirations?
My long term objective is to become an enterprenuer. ( Actually I was said not to reveal this but I thought I didn t thought It is not so important to hide that we want to be an enterprenuer. )
Not the long term objective, what do you want to achieve in short term i.e., right now.
I want to get a job. What I feel is those who want to be an enterprenuer should be an employee first.
Then you do one thing, I know lots of people in BHEL, and MRF tyres, I ll help you to get a job over there. You go to your branch side.
No, I m interested towards IT only. ( Discussion again came to this point I feel. Let s see where it takes me to. )
Not only interest, It s good for you. I know the field and even I worked for 15 years in the field of mechanical.
Which company you have worked in sir? (Generally this is unorthodox, to ask a question before allowed. But then I have asked already and I can t do anything except to wait. I feel that It showed my openness. What do you feel? )
MRF tyres, so, I m telling you with the experience, don t leave your field.
No sir, I ll not go that side. ( I wanted to ask him why he left MRF tyres and entered into IT field. But controlled the urge and waited for the next question for him to ask. He waited a bit before asking me a question, may be he expected some what longer answer than this. )
You are not clear, think clearly after this interview, why you lost, any way let s get into other details. Say you are in a group working on a project and you are the best performer and the remaining people are not performing well. What do you do in that scenario?
Data inadequate sir, are they interested in the project or not? Am I the leader or just a parallel to them? Answer varies accordingly. ( Still Unorthodox. )
I don t know all the details and you are not the leader. Just tell me what you are going to do.
First thing I should not do is criticizing them as this simply worsen the relations and situation. I ll just find out what are the areas they are lagging behind and find out what their interests are and where they are strong and I ll try to orient the project sections towards their strengths and interests. ( I think I should have added with the help of boss at the end of my answer that would have shown my concern to Team leader. )
You are the poor performer in the group and all the remaining are excellent performers. What will you do then?
If I m a poor performer, I will be lagging in certain things and I ll spot those and find out reasons for those and find out reasons for those lags and I ll improve in those areas. ( I should have also said that I will also take suggestions of the colleagues. )
Again, you are not a bad performer means you are good performer, not excellent. Even then other team members are just criticizing you. What do you do?
If they are criticizing means I ll definitely have things to develop at least in their view. I ll ask them what are my lags and ask them to suggest for the same and I again try to develop. ( I simply followed this simple principle, to show him that I want to develop my self at any cost.)
You are given a work of 10 days and you, being fast completed the work in just 6 days, what will you do in the remaining time?
Days are left means, I was left with a lot of time to make my module better and try to learn something.
If you look on the roads, the traffic is very, what do you propose to solve the problem?
Providing alternative routes i.e., building more flyovers.
Flyovers and others are very time taking ones to construct, tell me instant solutions.
........( I ran out of ideas. )
If you look at the manhole covers, why do you find them only circular in shape. Why not any rectangular or square?
..........( This time I know the answer. I wanted to play a still unorthodox move time and waited till he asks me the next question. I showed myself as I m thinking. )
You read thermal engineering?, Can I ask you a question?
Yes sir. ( Still looked as if I m thinking for the question. )
Diesel engines and such things?
Sure sir. ( Still seemed thinking. )
In what condition of running of an engine, I mean Overload, low load, idling or rated load, the engine consumes more power?
Over load ( Answered instantly.)
No, it s wrong
No, sir, It s correct.
........................( may be he is thinking about what question to ask )
(This is the right time for me to conclude my unorthodox move)
Sir, can I answer the previous question,...
May be, if we make the shape as rectangular or square, the diagonal will be longer than the side. So we get a chance to push the cover inside the hole, but for circular shape, diameter is the only dimension. So it can t be pushed into hole in any angle.
What will you do if you are not selected?
If you don t select me, I may not get another chance to get recruited in your company so I ll get selected for another company and I ll again come for your company after 2 to 3 years with added momentum.
Thank you. You need not go back and all the best for next round.
All the time in the interview, I m very confident. He tried to put me under stress by saying that I m not fit for their company and asking me to go for other fields. Even his body language is as if he is having head ache by my words. He used to tap his forehand to show sign of distress, He used to look into vacuum, His lips curled to show a sign non acceptance, of course all that is simple acting, that is to just test us how we perform under stress. I m well prepared for any sort of interview. I manged to get through this level. All through this interview, I got a doubt whether I m in technical interview round or HR interview round as all he tested is my personality and stress coping characteristics. May be my mechanical branch didn t need to be tested technically in an interview for an IT job. The next one is HR interview round. I waited for almost 20 minutes.
Hello, I m Annapoorna , Good evening.
Good Evening xxx
Well Mr. Sanjay, tell me about yourself.
(Same old question, should I write it again? I started the same song)
Have you ever worked in teams? Like projects etc.
Yes madam, lots, I played team games like softball, etc., etc., I did that project and this project. I presented that paper and this paper with my friends. (The answer is lengthy and no need to be typed.)
What is molecular manufacturing? (That is the topic of my paper.)
I explained using the water bottle on the table, how it differs from the conventional manufacturing
Good. Do you watch movies?
Yes, I watch movies, but from one or two months I m not seeing any movies and I purely concentrated on improving my communication skills and personality development to get selected in a company, I read books. ( I was told before the interview by those who are already interviewed by that madam, that she is asking movie reviews, so Purposefully I diverted the topic.)
So you read books. What books you read?
I mainly concentrated on personality oriented books only. I read How to win friends and Influence People, You Can Win, How to speak Quickly and Effectively etc., The book I like most is How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. (Again, the only book I remembered is that one, so I bring the topic on to that book only.)
What are the techniques you learned from that book?
Never Criticizing People, Being a Good listener, Appreciating People when needed, ...... ( I told lot more techniques. )
People say that Listening is a Passive mode of learning, why do you say that it should be learned.
( I explained the importance of listening.)
If you are selected in our company, do you have any problem to relocate from your original place?
No, I can work any where.
Do you have any problem to go for other countries?
Certainly not, madam, Infact I don t have any problems of cold or any other things, I m adaptable to new place. To say it in other words, I love doing that.
Well, that s all, do you have any questions to ask?
You are recruiting people from mechanical engineering branch. Do they have any specific work to do, because you can get well learned people of some Programming languages, which you need from computer branches?
No, Sanjay, we actually need more in numbers, which we are not getting from just those branches. that s the reason we are recruiting from mechanical branch also.
What sort of work we are assigned to do when we join?
You will have to undergo a training program of 6 weeks. Then you will be allotted to work.
No madam, I m asking about the nature of work, after the training.
You will be doing coding at the beginning, so you are going be code writers, that is you will be converting the code given to you as a program..
That s all madam, I don t have any more questions.
So, Thank You Mr. Sanjay, you may leave, All the best.
Thank you madam.
My interview is completed so early at nearly 4:30 PM, but we had to wait till 8 '0 clock as other person s interviews were completed. Finally I was selected.
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