Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG®) is a renowned global hospitality company, celebrated for its commitment to exquisite service and a diverse portfolio of hotel brands. With a presence in nearly 100 countries, IHG® continually seeks to offer memorable experiences for its guests.

As a Data Scientist at IHG®, you'll play a pivotal role in enhancing guest experiences through advanced analytics and data-driven insights. The position demands proficiency in statistical modeling, machine learning, data manipulation, and advanced analytical techniques. Working within the dynamic and thriving hospitality industry, you'll be harnessing data to drive innovative solutions and strategic decisions that elevate the guest experience.

At Interview Query, we're here to guide you through the IHG® interview process, provide insights into commonly asked Data Scientist interview questions, and offer expert tips to bolster your preparation. Let's embark on this journey to help you land your dream job at IHG®!

Submitting Your Application

The first step in securing a Data Scientist position at Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG®) is to submit a comprehensive application that showcases your technical expertise and enthusiasm for the role. Whether you were approached by an IHG recruiter or applied independently, ensure to thoroughly review the job description and tailor your resume to meet the specific requirements.

Adjusting your CV may involve identifying essential keywords the hiring manager might be looking for and composing a targeted cover letter. Additionally, highlight your relevant skills and experience.

Recruiter/Hiring Manager Call Screening

If your application is shortlisted, an IHG recruiter will reach out to verify key aspects of your background, such as your experience and skill level. Expect behavioral questions during this round as well.

In some instances, the hiring manager may be present during this initial screening to answer questions about the role and the company. They might also engage in preliminary technical and behavioral discussions.

The recruiter call usually takes about 30 minutes.

Technical Virtual Interview

Passing the recruiter round will lead to an invitation for a technical screening interview, which typically happens virtually via video call and screen sharing. This 1-hour long interview may cover questions related to IHG’s data infrastructure, ETL processes, and SQL queries.

Data Scientist candidates might receive take-home assignments focusing on product metrics, analytics, and data visualization. The interview may also evaluate your understanding of hypothesis testing, probability distributions, and fundamental machine learning concepts.

Depending on the role's seniority, you might also face case studies and real-world problem scenarios.

Onsite Interview Rounds

After a follow-up call from the recruiter outlining the next steps, you'll be invited to the onsite interview loop. During your visit to the IHG office, multiple interview rounds will assess your technical skills, including programming and machine learning modeling capabilities, against other candidates.

If given take-home assignments, you may also need to present your work during the onsite interview.

Quick Tips For IHG Data Scientist Interviews

• Focus on the Travel Industry: IHG’s data science roles often involve travel data. Understand the unique challenges and metrics relevant to the hospitality sector.
• Use Real-World Examples: Practice explaining your past projects clearly and concisely, focusing on your role, the challenges, and the impact of your work.
• Prepare for Behavioral Questions: Highlight your problem-solving skills and ability to work collaboratively, aligning your answers with IHG’s core values and mission.

Typically, interviews at Intercontinental Hotels Group (Ihg®) vary by role and team, but commonly Data Scientist interviews follow a fairly standardized process across these question topics.

• What retention rate is needed for Smart Sales Incorporated to break even with a two-year contract? Smart Sales Incorporated is considering a subscription model for its POS systems. Given a two-year contract duration, calculate the retention rate required to break even with the traditional one-time sale model.

• What retention rate is needed to break even in four and six years if the two-year target is missed? If the company does not break even within the initial two-year contract period, determine the retention rate required to break even in the subsequent four years and in the next six years. Assume the costs for subscription and one-time sales are equivalent.

• What retention rate is needed for Smart Sales Incorporated to break even with a two-year contract? Smart Sales Incorporated is considering switching from a one-time sale model to a subscription-based model for their POS systems. Given a two-year contract duration, calculate the retention rate required to break even with the traditional one-time sale model.

• What retention rate is needed to break even in four and six years if the two-year target is missed? If the company does not break even within the initial two-year contract period, determine the retention rate required to break even in the subsequent four years and in the next six years. Assume the cost for subscription and one-time sales are equivalent.

• Write a SQL query to select the 2nd highest salary in the engineering department. Write a SQL query to select the 2nd highest salary in the engineering department. If more than one person shares the highest salary, the query should select the next highest salary.

Note: If more than one person shares the highest salary, the query should select the next highest salary.

Example:

Input:

employees table

|Column|Type| |---|---| | id | INTEGER | | first_name | VARCHAR | | last_name |VARCHAR| | salary | INTEGER | |department_id| INTEGER |

departments table

|Column|Type| |---|---| | id | INTEGER | | name | VARCHAR |

Output:

|Column|Type| |---|---| | salary | INTEGER |

• How do we deal with missing square footage data to construct a housing price prediction model? You have scraped 100K sold listings in Seattle over the past three years, but 20% of the listings are missing square footage data. How would you handle this missing data to build an accurate housing price prediction model?

• What kind of model and features would you use to predict restaurant food preparation time? You want to build a model to predict the time taken for a restaurant to prepare food from the moment an order is received until it is ready. What type of model would you use, and what features would you consider?

Embarking on a journey with Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG®) as a Data Scientist promises a dynamic and fulfilling career, filled with insightful data challenges and innovative projects. If you’re eager to gain an in-depth understanding of the company and prepare for your interview, explore our main Intercontinental Hotels Group Interview Guide. There, you'll find a wealth of interview questions and useful resources tailored to IHG®.

At Interview Query, we are committed to providing you with the right tools and strategies to excel in your interview. Our comprehensive guides and expert tips equip you for every stage of the process, ensuring you approach each question with confidence and insight.

Dive into all our company interview guides to enhance your preparation, and don't hesitate to reach out with any questions.

Best of luck with your IHG® interview!