Lead Engineer, Samsung, 40 months
730, Q50 V38
NIT Rourkela, CSE, 7.08/10
I left early, due to the fear of Bangalore traffic, reached the hotel 2 hours early *sigh*. It was lunchtime
and unfortunately, my interview call came an hour late. P1 came to call me around 3 PM (slot was at 2
PM). When he asked me how I was, I gave an honest reply, “Extremely hungry!”. He apologized and gave
reasons for the delay. Anyway, here is the debrief to my interview:
P1: Man, Co2010
P2: Woman, Alum, much younger
P1: So tell me something about yourself
Started off with a brief introduction but I was interrupted halfway and they jumped directly at
work-related questions.
For around 25 minutes, they asked me questions related to my project (Samsung Pay), its rivals, how to
improve the product, what my role has been specified in the global team, etc. (Basically they left no
stones unturned to verify and understand everything I wrote in my JD and essays) Then they asked
people management related questions, challenges that I have faced with people or in the project, how I
overcame, how do I use the learnings in my day to day life, etc. I was able to answer each question with
relative ease and confidence.
~25 minutes gone…
P2: So I am done, P1 do you have anything to add?
(I was so glad to hear that since the interview had gone excellent up until this point)
P1: (Looking at me and then my application) I just need 2 more minutes. (me: gulp!)
So, Rohan, you have had an excellent career till now, and have been working with product managers.
(my goal revolved around becoming a PM) Why can’t you just try to get a Product Manager at your
current workplace?
With utmost confidence, I gave an answer that I had prepared and refined over and over again but the
panelists had a poker face.
P2: Ok, so we understand that why you need an MBA but why ISB?
*grilling starts*They negated every point that I stated :
Diversity: 90% of ISB students are engineers out of which 70% are from Tech, so diversity goes for a toss
Specific courses: You’ll get those courses online
Study groups: There are online forums/blogs for discussions, you can meet people online or offline, etc.
Brand name: You already have a good pedestal at Samsung
They grilled me for some time and I tried defending, but sometimes they didn’t even let me finish my
sentence or speak at all. (very IMP to keep a straight/smiling face during stress interviews) Then, they
asked that if I were to join ISB what electives would I take. I told them a few, but it was here things
actually went south.
P1: So what major do these fall under?
Me: Sorry, I don’t know
P1: Ok, do you know what majors you want to do at ISB?
(I couldn’t remember a damn thing)
Me; Sorry, I don’t know
How many majors does ISB offer, what are they… -> don’t know
Grilling for a few more minutes!!
P2: Is ISB a university or an institute?
Me: University… Oh no, sorry its an institute.
P1: What body is ISB accredited by?
Me: Sorry I don’t know.
P1 went into a rage stating that in his n years of interviewing experience he had never come across such
a batch of interviewees who didn’t even know what major they want to do or what ISB is or has to offer
( apparently he had faced this situation with a lot of candidates this time ). They both went on for 5
minutes explaining that I shouldn’t be paying so much money to study at a place I don’t know about. All
the time I was silent because I knew that my dream had to wait another year.
P2: So, I guess we have nothing more to ask. Do you have anything else to ask?
Given how the interview had gone I had a lot of things to say, but I just asked a question regarding ELP
on which we had a 2-minute discussion. When it ended, we got up and shook hands while they said that
they understand that I have done pretty good work and that I want to become a PM, but I should
seriously consider other options.
25 minutes of cloud 9, then 10-15 minutes of grilling and I was back to square 1, feeling terrible about
myself. Most of the people, with whom I shared this experience, said that its ok, you still have a chance,
it was a normal stress interview, etc. etc., but I could remember the panelists' faces and words, and
knew my fate.
2.5 weeks later, I got the accept mail 
Please feel free to DM me for any queries!
Edit 1: This is a late post, I got admitted through R1 in Dec
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"Do or do not, there is no try" - Master Yoda
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