Introduction
ION Trading is a global leader in trading and workflow automation solutions, specializing in providing software and technology for financial institutions, corporations, central banks, and governments. Founded in 1999, the company offers a range of products that facilitate trading, risk management, treasury management, and data analytics. ION's solutions are used by various market participants, including banks, brokers, and asset managers, to optimize their trading processes and improve operational efficiency. The company's focus is on delivering high-performance, scalable, and reliable systems that cater to the evolving needs of the financial markets. With its headquarters in London and a presence in major financial centers worldwide, ION Trading has grown significantly through strategic acquisitions and innovation in financial technology.
Application Process
Company Criteria:
10th & 12th: 75%
CGPA: 8.43 and above (No Active Backlogs)
Selection Process:
Pre-Placement Talk
Round 1: Online Test - 22 MCQ and 2 Coding Questions (Hackerrank)
Round 2: Technical Interview
Round 3: Case Study
Round 4: Stakeholder
Round 5: Culture Fit
Round 6: Future Fit
Note: Each round is an elimination round**
Round 1: Online Test
Part 1: 22 MCQ Questions
This 22 MCQ Questions were focused on Computer Science Fundamentals - DBMS, OS, OOP, and CNS.
Part 2: 2 Coding Questions - 1 Easy 1 Medium
Question 1: Given a list of Integers, any nodes that have values previously occured in the list and return the reference the the new head of that list.
Question 2: A Graph problem related to social media and people connected online. The connection nodes were given and edges. This was a disjoint graph. We have to return the number of connected to a particular user.
E.g Here in below image H is connected to 2 nodes so if we query H we have to return 2 as answer.
Round 2: Technical Interview
The technical interview was conducted by two interviewers from ION Trading. We started with a brief introduction about myself, as prompted by the interviewers after they reviewed my resume.
1. LRU Cache Design: One of the interviewers began by explaining the concept of a cache. Although I was familiar with caching, I listened carefully as he detailed it. He then gave me a problem involving the Least Recently Used (LRU) cache, specifying that the get and insert operations must be performed in O(1) time, while maintaining the LRU property.
Initially, I thought about using a priority queue, but as I worked through the problem, I recalled the use of a doubly linked list. The interviewer hinted at optimizing retrieval time, suggesting the use of a hash map. I proposed using a hash map to maintain addresses, combined with a doubly linked list for efficient management. This approach met the O(1) requirement, and I successfully explained the pseudocode.
2. Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) Concepts: The interviewers then shifted to questions about OOP concepts. They asked why OOP is important, and we discussed key principles like encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism real life use.
3. System Design (OOP focused): Uber Taxi Management System: Next, they asked me to design a class-based architecture for an Uber-like taxi management system. I outlined my approach, focusing on how classes would interact to manage drivers, riders, rides, and payments. The interviewers appreciated my design and the thought process behind it.
4. Programming Challenge: Zigzag Level Order Traversal: We returned to programming questions, and I was asked to implement a level order traversal of a binary tree. While I was writing the code, they asked me to modify it to perform a zigzag (spiral) traversal. I successfully made the adjustments to the code to handle zigzag traversal.
(This much I can recall)
Round 3: Case Study
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/360572179_Traditional_vs_Online_Education
In this round, the interviewer opened a PDF document on his laptop and asked me to read a paragraph related to online and traditional education. After reading, he asked me a series of questions to gauge my analytical thinking and perspective on the topic.
1. What is better: online education or traditional education?
My Answer: I explained that it depends on the situation. For children aged 5-16, traditional education is generally better as it supports overall growth, including social and physical development. For those aged 16 and above, both online and traditional education have their merits. Online education can be more flexible, time-saving, and offer a better understanding through interactive content.
2. Why not online education for kids?
My Answer: I mentioned concerns such as health issues (like eye strain), growth problems due to reduced physical activity, potential for addiction to screens, and the lack of social interaction that can lead to feelings of isolation.
3. Will online education overtake traditional education?
My Response: I believe online education will not completely replace traditional education, but it will certainly impact and complement it. The two can coexist, each serving different needs and preferences.
4. If various online education platforms like Byju’s are failing or facing losses, what would you do as the CEO or management?
My Response: I suggested opening offline centers in collaboration with popular local teachers to create a hybrid learning model. This would combine the strengths of both online and offline education. Additionally, I would focus on reducing unnecessary spending and optimizing resource allocation to improve financial stability.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, I believe both online and traditional education have their places. The best approach may be a blended model that leverages the advantages of both to meet diverse learning needs.
Round 4: Stakeholder
This round was conducted with the ION Pune head. The session started with a brief introduction, followed by some personal questions.
1. Introduction and Family Background:
The interviewer asked me to introduce myself and inquired about my family background, showing interest in my personal life.
2. Managing Multiple Responsibilities:
After going through my resume, he seemed impressed and asked how I managed to handle multiple responsibilities, including academics, internships, and personal projects. I shared my approach to time management, prioritization, and staying organized.
3. Personal Traits:
He asked an insightful question: "What bad or false point would your friends tell me about you if I asked them?" This was a reflective moment, and I acknowledged areas where I might have received constructive criticism from friends, emphasizing my willingness to improve.
4. Internship Experience:
We discussed my internship experiences. I explained the tasks I worked on during my internships, highlighting key projects and the skills I acquired.
5. Projects Overview:
The conversation then moved to my personal projects. I discussed various projects, focusing on the Messwala app, detailing its purpose, technology stack, and the challenges faced during development.
6. Current Work and Interests:
I shared information about what I am currently working on, including the skills and technologies I am focusing on to further develop my expertise.
7. Interest in ION Trading:
The interviewer asked why I was interested in working at ION Trading. I discussed my enthusiasm for the finance and trading sector, my desire to contribute to innovative projects, and how ION's values align with my career goals.
Conclusion:
The interaction was enjoyable and more conversational, resembling an HR interview but with detailed discussions about my background and aspirations. The interview lasted around 20 minutes and left a positive impression.
Round 5: Culture Fit
Format:
Conducted online via MS Teams.
Held after successfully passing four previous rounds, with only 30 candidates remaining.
Overview:
This round was similar to the stakeholders round but had a stronger focus on HR-related topics.
Key Points Discussed:
Interest in ION Trading:
Discussed why I was interested in working at ION Trading.
Emphasized alignment with the company’s values and my enthusiasm for contributing to their projects.
Cultural Fit:
Explored how my personal and professional goals align with ION’s culture and mission.
Talked about my career aspirations and how they fit with ION’s objectives.
Overall Fit:
- The interview aimed to assess my compatibility with the company's culture and long-term fit.
Process Summary:
Day 1:
Online Assessment (OA) and PPT presentation.
Initial interviews.
Day 2:
- Technical interview, Case Study, and Stakeholders round.
Day 3:
- Received the shortlisted list for culture fit.
Day 4:
- Culture Fit round.
Day 5:
- List of shortlisted candidates for Future Fit was released, and unfortunately, my name was not on the list :)
Conclusion:
Despite the effort and thorough preparation, I was not selected for the final stage. The process provided valuable experience and insights.