I applied through a recruiter. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Cisco (San Jose, CA) in Apr 2018
Interview
Standard phone screen followed by onsite interview. It took only about 2 weeks from recruiter call to onsite but the result took a really long time. I guess it is the bureaucracy. Looks like Cisco has a deep hierarchy and am not sure if all the layers are in sync during an interview process. It was more or less haphazard. To me, it looked like they werent prepared for the interview (delay in interview (25 mins!!) start and they didnt know who would come next, to top it all, they didnt know if there was even going to be someone else to interview me after them). Though I had 5 scheduled rounds, after 4, they said they were done and I did well. It confused me. Also, after a week, I heard back from the HM who gave me his word that I will receive an offer soon. But that never happened. Even after multiple follow ups, no response from cisco. This is simply unacceptable! Candidates spend more than half a day interviewing and the least they expect is proper means of communication and a RESULT! Surprised at this unethical way of handling candidates. I cant picture myself working here.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Kernel level questions, some string/array/linked list questions that were standard as well. A lot of current experience related questions. System design questions.
Standard panel, very simple leetcodes. reverse linked list kind of vibe s . I was literarly asked about how a linked list is structured and reversing it. there was almost no friction which I was shocked by one of the reason I did not accept
I applied online. I interviewed at Cisco (Bengaluru) in Jun 2026
Interview
The interview started well and covered backend concepts, Java, system design, and coding. I answered the questions confidently and had a positive interaction throughout.
After receiving the rejection, I spoke with HR to understand the feedback. I was informed that the interviewer believed I was looking at answers during the interview. This came as a surprise because I was not referring to any external material. I have a habit of looking away while thinking or recalling concepts, which I believe may have been misunderstood.
I wish this concern had been raised during the interview so I could have clarified it immediately. If there are concerns about a candidate’s behavior, discussing them in real time or asking for a room scan can help avoid misunderstandings.
Overall, the interview questions were fair, but I feel my evaluation was influenced by this misunderstanding rather than my technical performance.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Sort a nearly sorted array. I was asked for an optimal solution and discussed the time and space complexity.
They care about your skills, rather than your background. They have a template which they provide and you got to fill that, everyone is provided a unique number. You are instructed not to disclose any of your personal details in the due course of your interview.