The Machine Learning interview process at top tech companies generally includes multiple stages designed to assess your technical, analytical, and behavioral fit. Here's a breakdown of what to expect:
Initial Technical Screening
1.Format: Phone or virtual interview
2.Focus Areas:
- Basic understanding of Machine Learning concepts
- Discussion of past ML projects
- Coding problems (often LeetCode medium to hard level)
3. Core Technical Rounds (On-site or Virtual – 3 to 8 Rounds)
a. Coding Rounds (1–2 rounds)
- Data Structures and Algorithms
- ML-specific coding tasks
- In-depth ML project discussions
b. System Design Rounds (1–2 rounds)
- Scalable software system design
- ML system design (e.g., building a recommendation engine)
- Note: For candidates with <3 years of experience, ML system design may be replaced with an additional ML fundamental round.
c. ML Technical Rounds (1–3 rounds)
1.Breadth and depth of ML understanding
2.Topics include:
- Linear/Logistic Regression
- Decision Trees, SVM, Neural Networks
- Optimization techniques (e.g., Gradient Descent)
- Loss functions (e.g., Cross-Entropy Loss)
- Tools and deployment pipelines
3. Behavioral Round
- Experience and project-based discussion
- Open-ended questions to assess cultural and team fit
Summary
Candidates should prepare for:
- Strong coding and DSA skills
- A solid grasp of ML algorithms and system-level thinking
- The ability to explain and discuss past ML projects
- Clear communication and alignment with company values during behavioral interviews