HCL Technologies Software Engineer interviews reported by candidates usually combine an aptitude or online assessment, project-heavy technical rounds on Java, SQL and OOP, and an HR conversation. Group discussions appear in several reports.
$100K
Avg. Base Comp
$130K
Avg. Total Comp
3-6 rounds
Typical Rounds
Not reported
Process Length
Candidates describe the HCL Software Engineer process as fundamentals-first. Most reports begin with an online or aptitude assessment, and several add a group discussion before the technical interviews. The assessments vary. One candidate saw a 52-question HackerRank test with a Java coding problem, a SQL query and many MCQs. Another reported verbal, logical, quantitative and pseudocode sections.
In the technical rounds, project walkthroughs come up again and again. Candidates were asked what they built, which stack they chose and why, what challenges they faced and how they handled them. Follow-ups tended to dig into whatever was named, so only list technologies you can discuss in depth. Reported topics include:
Coding questions were generally basic: reversing a number, palindromes, a stack-based problem and simple DSA.
The final stage is typically HR, covering salary, relocation, expectations and fit. A few candidates also reported a business HR round or a discussion with HR and a sales manager. Experiences differ by role, hiring channel and year. Outcomes were mixed, and some candidates described slow or unclear communication between stages, so keep your own follow-ups organized.
Synthesized from 20 candidate reports by our editorial team.
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Real interview reports from people who went through the Hcl Technologies process.
The process was pretty straightforward and moved fast, but it still felt a little inconsistent in what they emphasized. I had one screening round first, then a technical interview, and after that it went to HR. The whole thing was virtual and wrapped up in about 10 to 12 days, which I appreciated because there wasn’t much waiting around between stages. In the screening, they kept it basic and checked communication, attitude, and whether I was willing to learn. The technical round was more about core engineering fundamentals than anything deeply advanced. I was asked a mix of basic programming MCQs, a SQL program, and one coding question in my language of choice. There was also a communication round in the process, which felt more like they were checking how clearly I could explain my thinking than testing any hard technical skill.
What stood out to me was that they seemed to care a lot about memorized concepts and standard answers. I got questions on Java, Spring Boot, streams, database basics, and project discussion, plus a simple DSA-style problem around target sum pairs. There was also a design question, but nothing too heavy. Overall, I’d call the difficulty easy to moderate, mostly because the questions were direct and familiar rather than tricky. My biggest surprise was that even though the interview felt like it went well, the outcome wasn’t guaranteed. I was also asked a behavioral question about my biggest weakness and what I need to correct, so they did include HR-style evaluation alongside the technical parts. In the end, I didn’t get an offer from this process, even though it felt smooth on the surface. My takeaway is to be ready for very basic coding, SQL, and Java/Spring fundamentals, and to answer project and behavioral questions crisply without overcomplicating them.
Prep tip from this candidate
Be ready for basic programming MCQs, a SQL coding question, and a simple DSA problem like target sum pairs. Also review Java, Spring Boot, streams, and database fundamentals, since the technical round seemed to lean heavily on those core topics.
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Sourced from candidate reports and verified by our team.
Topics based on recent interview experiences.
Featured question at Hcl Technologies
Given two sorted lists, write a function to merge them into one sorted list.
| Question | |
|---|---|
| Tower of Hanoi | |
| Concurrent LLM Serving | |
| VLAN 2 Connectivity Issue | |
| Client Solution Pushback | |
| 2nd Highest Salary | |
| Top Three Salaries | |
| Empty Neighborhoods | |
| Employee Salaries | |
| Closest SAT Scores | |
| Subscription Overlap | |
| Monthly Customer Report | |
| Prime to N | |
| Top 3 Users | |
| Random SQL Sample | |
| Find the Missing Number | |
| Largest Salary by Department | |
| Rolling Bank Transactions | |
| String Shift | |
| Customer Orders | |
| Size of Joins | |
| Comments Histogram | |
| Find the First Non-Repeating Character in a String | |
| Raining in Seattle | |
| Bagging vs Boosting | |
| Retailer Data Warehouse | |
| Minimum Change | |
| Flight Records | |
| Upsell Transactions | |
| Lowest Paid |
Synthesized from candidate reports. Individual experiences may vary.
Candidates report an online screen that varies by hiring channel. One described a HackerRank test with a Java problem, a SQL query and many MCQs. Others reported verbal, logical, quantitative and pseudocode sections. Revise Java, SQL and web basics, and practice timed aptitude questions.
Several candidates mention an online or in-person group discussion on a general topic, such as social media and fake news. It was described as testing how clearly you speak and take part rather than technical depth. It does not appear in every report, so treat it as likely but not guaranteed.
Candidates report one or two technical rounds focused on Java OOP, collections, SQL, DBMS, OS and a detailed walkthrough of resume projects. Some also saw Spring Boot, React or JavaScript fundamentals depending on their resume. Coding questions were usually simple, such as reversing a number, palindromes or a stack-based problem. Interviewers may keep probing whatever technology you mention.
The final conversation typically covers background, expectations, salary, relocation and role fit. Some candidates also described a business HR round or a discussion with HR and a sales manager before the end. Prepare a clear self-introduction and examples from your projects. Candidates report that gaps between stages can be long, with one waiting close to a month for confirmation.
