Company : Barclays
Role : Summer Technology Intern
Drive : Barclays Hack-o-Hire 2025
Batch : 2027
Application Process
I got selected for an internship through Barclays Hack-O-Hire 2025.
The process had mainly three stages:
PPT Round
24-Hour Hackathon
Interview Round
Round 1: PPT Round
Type:
Ideation / Presentation
Description:
The process started with a PPT round.
We were given 4 problem statements, out of which we had to choose one. We then had to come up with a solution and create a PPT explaining our idea.
We had around 2 weeks to prepare and submit the PPT. The results came after around a week or so.
Some tips for this round:
Choose a problem statement that you actually understand and are interested in.
Don't just focus on making the PPT look good.
Clearly explain the problem and your proposed solution.
Think about whether your solution is actually practical.
Try to make your idea easy to understand.
Round 2: 24-Hour Hackathon
Type:
Hackathon / Problem Solving / Development
Location:
Barclays Pune Campus
After getting shortlisted, we were invited to the Barclays Pune campus for a 24-hour hackathon.
There were 4 problem statements, and teams worked on their respective problem statements during the hackathon.
Around an hour into the hackathon, we were given an additional requirement related to the problem statement. So it was important to understand the complete expectations before getting too deep into development.
We also had mentors guiding us throughout the hackathon. They were helpful and regularly checked in to understand our progress and the direction in which we were taking our solution.
One of my biggest tips here would be to ask the mentors whenever you have doubts about the requirements or expectations. It's better to clarify things early and make sure you are building what is actually expected, rather than spending hours working on something based on an incorrect understanding.
The hackathon lasted for 24 hours and was heavily monitored.
At the end of the hackathon, every team had to give an initial presentation of their solution before a panel of judges.
After the presentations, the Top 8 teams were announced.
The Top 8 teams then moved on to another presentation round.
They had to present their solutions again, this time in front of everyone across two campuses, including senior leadership such as VPs, MDs, and others.
This was essentially the final stage of the hackathon, where the shortlisted teams pitched their solutions on a much bigger stage.
Tips for the hackathon:
Make sure you understand the entire project, not just the part you personally worked on.
During the hackathon, use the mentors properly and ask questions whenever the expectations are unclear.
Keep enough time towards the end for testing and preparing your presentation.
For the final presentation, focus on explaining the problem, solution, implementation, and impact clearly.
Round 3: Technical Interview
Type:
Technical / Resume and Project-Based
Description:
The technical interview was different for different candidates.
In my case, the interview was mostly focused on my resume and the projects I had worked on.
The discussion was less about random technical questions and more about understanding the work I had actually done.
I was asked about:
Projects on my resume
The choices I made while building them
The reasoning behind certain technical or design decisions
Some tips for this round:
My biggest advice for this round would be to know your resume properly.
Don't just be able to explain what you built. Be prepared to explain:
Why you built it that way
Why you chose a particular technology
Why you made certain design decisions
What alternatives you considered
The technical interview can vary from person to person, so it's difficult to predict exactly what will be asked. But being confident about your projects and resume will definitely help.
Round 4: HR Interview
Type:
HR / Behavioural
Description:
The second interview round was an HR round and mainly involved behavioural questions.
This was more focused on you as a person, your experiences, and how you approach different situations.
Tips:
Prepare for common behavioural and HR questions.
Try to give genuine answers instead of memorizing responses.
Have examples from your own experiences ready.
I would also recommend doing a little research about Barclays before the interviews. The interviewers seemed to appreciate candidates who had taken the effort to learn about the company.
