Hello Everyone! I found an internship opening for the role of Software Developer at Zoho through a Telegram channel and applied on their official website. About 10 days later, I got an email saying my resume was shortlisted. I was then invited to take a written test at Zoho’s Chennai campus.
Recruitment Process Overview
- Written Test
- Basic Coding Round
- Module Implementation Round
- Technical Interview + Puzzle & Resume Deep Dive
- Managerial + HR Round
Round 1: Written Test
The written test was the first stage of the Zoho interview process. It consisted of logical reasoning, mathematics, and challenging C language output-based questions.
Duration: 90 minutes
Total Marks: 25
- 15 Marks: Aptitude
- 10 Marks: C Language output-based questions (fill in the blanks)
This round consisted of logical reasoning, mathematics, and challenging C output-based questions (involving pointers, arrays, loops, etc.).
Outcome:
- Estimated number of candidates: 600
- A few candidates were shortlisted to proceed further.
Round 2: Basic Coding Round
This round was held offline at Zoho’s Chennai campus. We were given three coding problems to solve and explain.
Problems Solved:
Spiral Fibonacci Matrix:
- Given
n and m, generate a matrix in spiral order with the first n * m Fibonacci numbers.
String Decoder:
- Input:
3[a2[bc]] - Output:
abcbcabcbcabcbc
Graph-Based Problem (Kahn’s Algorithm):
- Related to topological sorting.
Outcome :
- 32 students attended this round.
- 5 students, including me, solved all 3 questions and were selected.
- Around 10 others who solved 2 questions were also shortlisted.
- Each problem was scored individually, which helped those who solved all the questions.
Round 3: Module Implementation Round
In this round, we were given multiple modules and asked to implement them one by one while explaining our approach to the interviewers.
- Focused on modular design, clean code, and problem-solving skills.
- Required to implement real-world features and justify the logic and architecture.
Outcome:
- 5 students were shortlisted for the next round.
Round 4: Technical Interview + Puzzle & Resume Deep Dive
Part 1: Aptitude & Puzzle
- Given a paper with puzzles and aptitude problems.
Had to solve and explain the logic.
For any incorrect answers, they asked to revisit and correct them.
Part 2: Technical Questions
The technical questions covered a wide range of topics, including OOP, SQL, and full-stack development.
Questions Asked
- A math-based logic question (solve + code it)
- In-depth explanation of my resume projects
- Database schema, session management, routing
- Full flow of my full-stack project
The interviewer was friendly and gave hints when needed. Knowing your resume projects deeply is a must.
Round 5: Managerial + HR Round
Managerial Questions:
- What is Chatgpt?
- Chatgpt vs Google
- What is Machine Learning?
- Pick a project and explain it fully (architecture, database, routing, interface, session storage)
HR Questions:
- Why Zoho?
- How long do you plan to stay with Zoho?
- What are your salary expectations?
- General HR-related questions
Tips for Aspirants:
- Strong knowledge of the C language, DSA, and aptitude is essential.
- Practice puzzles and string/array-based coding problems.
- Explain your code and logic clearly.
- Know your projects inside-out (flow, DB design, routing, etc.).
- Don’t hesitate to ask for hints when you’re stuck.
Final Outcome
On the same day, I got a call from HR saying I was selected for the Internship and would be moved to Full-Time after 6 months based on performance.
Outcome Summary:
Out of the 5 candidates who attended the final round, I was the only one to get a call that day. Another candidate was informed a week later.
