IBM Software Engineer interview questions

The first round is a coding assessment where you can expect problems focused on key areas such as 2D array manipulations, Gemma-style performance activation problems, and classic Minimum Meeting Rooms type challenges. Problems involving 2D arrays may require skills like traversing grids, finding patterns, matrix transformations, or applying algorithms like BFS/DFS on a grid. Gemma-style performance activation problems usually involve selecting or activating a subset of elements to maximize or optimize a given score under certain constraints, requiring a good understanding of sorting, greedy strategies, and priority queues. Minimum Meeting Rooms type problems test your ability to manage overlapping intervals efficiently, often using techniques like sorting intervals by start times and using a min-heap (priority queue) to track the earliest finishing task or event. Overall, the coding round assesses your ability to think clearly, optimize resource usage, and apply algorithms effectively under time pressure.