Applied Online October start and received interview call within a week. Same regular rounds described here in glassdoor:
• HR Round (2nd week of October): One way Video Interview - Same 5 questions
• HackerRank Coding (The week after that): Select from 5 Languages, I selected C/C++ and MATLAB.
22 MATLAB questions: Multiple choice (Both Single Correct and Multiple Correct), some were guess the output or complete the code types, some general simple MATLAB.
6 C++ similar questions
2 C++ coding: Very simple if you know Inheritance and pointers.
Basic knowledge of MATLAB should be fine. I would suggest reading about gca, gcf and matrix indexing (Got a question: Output of A(B>0), A and B both some matrix).
For C++ you should know it completely: from basic function overloading to pointer class inheritance and exception handling. Reading Cplusplus.com tutorial is more than enough.
The test doesn't test proficiency in C++ or MATLAB. Obviously if you have good proficiency (in 2 of the 5 languages) its best but not required for this test. The test is designed to test your knowledge.
Got next round mail within a week.
• Phone Interview with Codeshare by hackerrank (mid november): Now this is what I would say a bit difficult round. I prepared well for this round. You have to schedule an interview after which you will receive an email about the process. It's more of a syllabus that you should prepare. 5 sections: One expertise area, programming concepts, 2 languages and Math.
Interviewer asked my preference at the start. I was interviewed in the following order: Math(Calculus: around 10 question), Programming concepts (4 questions), C/C++ (around 12-15 question including subquestion), MATLAB (5 question) and finally Control Systems (10 question).
Total time taken: 50 mins
Total questions: around 40-42
Interviewer wanted to know my thought process
Math I answered everything correctly with correct explanation, very easy.
Programming Concepts I answered this also correctly but in one question told a different approach than what he wanted so he gave me a hint and I told it correctly.
C/C++: A little difficult for me as I don't use it much. Asked whether code will compile, why it will or will not. If yes Output. This was for every code he displayed which I think were 5 of them. Codes were of pointers, function overloading with dynamic memory, class, pointer to base class with dynamic memory. (I have a friend in CompSci and he is good in his field, he said these are difficult questions even for him).
I answered a lot of it correctly. He gave me hint at some places but they were when he wanted in depth view of my answer.
MATLAB: Very simple same questions given here.
Control Systems: This is where I think I got rejected. None of the questions were the same as given here or asked the seniors of my university previously. I answered only one question completely wrong(though an easy one) and in one said forgot the concept. But by this time I was little exhausted by his rapid fire and the question which I answered wrong took toll I blabbered a little in the rest 3-4 questions but the answer were correct.
Now my correctness which I calculated after interview was more than 90%. Even then got rejected in three days, that too in the same impersonal way in which the interview went. Got the status updated on website. If you are a candidate with mathworks as your dream company you can skip to interview questions as below is my personal opinion about the company.
Now with my accuracy if this company is rejecting me that too for an intern position I see only two possible scenario:
1) The company want an extra ordinary candidate who is a genius, per se. If this is a case Mathworks is a highly underpaid place to work at given other software company are giving a lot more while asking a little less than these people are asking (at least the number of expertise areas). As per glass door interns are paid at 30 per hr and full time at $80-90k.
2) The second scenario I believe is more probable I will explain why.
These people only hire by referral and does not care about the talent. It is because of the two reason which I encountered:
(i) I had a senior whose knowledge lets say was not upto the mark for a graduate student but had a very good referral. This person is working as a full time employee there now.
(ii) These people don't need to care about talent as they cover 99 % of the market as they don't have any competition. Every university, research institute uses their product. So who cares. If you use toolbox in matlab you may note that not all of the products are that good.
Then again these are my personal opinion based on my experience and in no way I am writing this to hurt companies interest.