General Mills Interview Experience

Hello everyone, my name is Anas Khan, and I'm a final-year student at TSEC. I recently completed a 2-month summer internship at General Mills and bagged a Pre-Placement Offer (PPO) too. I'm writing this blog to help you navigate the General Mills interview process.

I had planned to write a blog about this topic, but my current internship limits my time online, so I've put together this document instead.

Let me provide some context: This document is meant to give you an overview of how the interview process and shortlisting worked. It’s a quick summary based on my experience, along with some tips that might help improve your chances. Your results may vary, of course. I put this together quickly and used some language models to refine it, so if you spot any mistakes, please let me know so I can fix them. I’ve included various numbers and details that might help you evaluate your chances better.

For a different perspective, you can also check out Abhigyan's blog. He received a PPO as well and has written extensively about his experience.

I've organised this document into two sections:

Gemini’s Version: This is a concise overview designed for a quick glance.
The “10 Minute Version”: This section provides a more detailed, in-depth look with thorough and less polished information.

Gemini’s Version:

Timeline

October 25th: General Mills formally reached out to our campus.
November 9th: Pre-placement talk and online test.
November 10th: Technical and Leadership Interviews for shortlisted candidates.

Day 1: Pre-Placement Talk and Online Assessment

Presentation

My Experience: The Pre Placement Talk covered the company, its products, the Early Career Program (ECP), and the role after graduation.
Actionable Items: Research the company, its products, and the ECP.
Tips: Ask insightful questions during the Pre Placement Talk to demonstrate your interest and preparation.

Online Assessment (OA)

My Experience: The OA was divided into technical and non-technical sections. The technical section focused on core computer science concepts, while the non-technical section covered logical reasoning, mathematics, and English grammar.
Actionable Items:
- Technical: Review core CS concepts, including OOPs, SQL, DBMS, OS, CN, and DSA.
- Non-technical: Practice aptitude questions on websites like IndiaBix.
Tips:
- Manage your time effectively during the OA.
- Don't spend too much time on any single question.
- Make educated guesses if necessary.

Day 2: Interviews

Interview 1

My Experience: This interview was heavily focused on technical and leadership skills. I was asked in-depth questions about my resume, projects, and technical knowledge.
Actionable Items:
- Know your resume inside out.
- Be prepared to discuss your projects in detail, including the tech stack, architecture, and your contributions.
- Review core CS concepts and be able to apply them to real-world scenarios.
- Prepare examples of your leadership experiences.
Tips:
- Practice your communication skills.
- Be confident and enthusiastic.
- Demonstrate your passion for technology and your eagerness to learn.

7 were shortlisted for the second round.

Interview 2

My Experience: This interview was conducted by a senior leader and HR. It focused on leadership, communication, and cultural fit. I was asked about my family background, interests, and ability to handle pressure.
Actionable Items:
- Prepare examples of your leadership and teamwork skills.
- Articulate your career goals and how they align with General Mills' values.
- Practice answering behavioural interview questions.
Tips:
- Be yourself and let your personality shine through.
- Demonstrate your passion for the company and the role.
- Ask thoughtful questions about the company culture and the team you'd be joining.

Results

Out of over 300 applicants, only 2 were finally shortlisted and received offers.
The selection process is highly competitive, so don't be discouraged if you're not selected.
Learn from the experience and use it to improve your performance in future interviews.

Words of Wisdom

Don't give up! There are plenty of other great opportunities out there.
Statistically, it’s 1 in 150, a lot of you will go home disappointed, that’s part of growing up.
Keep learning and growing. The more you invest in yourself, the better your chances of success in the future.

The “10 Minute Version”:

This section provides a more detailed, in-depth look with thorough and less polished information.

So starting off, as I can see General Mills reached out to us on campus last year on Oct 25th formally.

The email mentioned:

We are looking for:

Strong analytical skills

Technical Domain flexibility

Learning agility

Communication skills

Ability to influence

And I can say the entire shortlisting process was very much aligned in this direction. Continue reading on to know more.

On 9th November 2023 - the pre-placement talk and online test

Reporting Time: 1:30 pm Sharp
Pre Placement Talk to start at 1:30 pm
Test to start at 2:30 pm (College Campus)

10th November 2023 - Technical and Leadership Interviews for the shortlisted candidates

Pre Placement Talk

We started with a Pre-Placement Talk presentation. This covered what General Mills does and gave an overview of their Early Career Program (ECP), which is a new initiative similar to those at other Fortune 200 companies and common in Global Information Centers (GIC).

We were part of the first pilot batch for this program. While the specifics of this program might not be relevant to you right now, I recommend paying close attention to the presentation. It will give you valuable insights into the company—its operations, the FMCG industry, its global impact, the countries it operates in, and its products. Most importantly, it will outline the ECP and what you can expect after graduation. This will help you understand whether the company and the program align with your career goals.

For me, it did make sense to get into a Fortune 200 and global leader in food company FMCG and I decided for summer it would be a good use of my time. During the presentation, I would encourage you to ask the right questions and how do you do that? Well, you should be prepared and have researched about what the company does. So a few videos on YouTube, a Wikipedia page of the company history, on top of it a few brands that they serve in the country and how they want to portray themselves on their official website. Once you see all of it, you'll get a better understanding and it will give you better judgement.

I didn’t focus on the stipend or other details because my research indicated that the overall opportunity was solid. The decision is yours.

Once the presentation talk is over, be ready for the fact that every round of the process is an elimination round. With over 300 people registered and shortlisted, we were given rooms for the subsequent stages. You’ll need to bring your laptop and complete the assignments on the Hire Pro platform within a college-proctored environment. Make sure you have the test link handy.

Carry your laptop for the exam; the lab setup will be communicated to you the day before. If you encounter issues like your Windows shutting down, battery problems, or pop-ups that disrupt your session, contact an in-charge immediately. Some candidates faced problems and left without seeking help, so it’s better to reach out and get your access reset if needed. This might be one of your first experiences with an online interview platform, and such technical issues can occur. Keep your laptop battery charged, disable notifications, and avoid changing tabs or engaging in any suspicious activity, as the platform is designed to detect and flag such actions.

Online Assessment

The assessment is divided into two main sections: technical and non-technical.

Technical Section: This part will focus on your core technical knowledge. While you’re unlikely to encounter coding problems, you should prepare for debugging problems, database management systems (DBMS), data structures and algorithms (DSA), computer networks (CN), operating systems (OS), object-oriented programming (OOP), and language syntax. Make sure you review these topics thoroughly.

Non-Technical Section: This section will cover a range of areas including logical reasoning, mathematics, permutation and combination, English grammar, and brain teasers. You’ll also find standard problems like reading comprehension, family relations, and interest calculations. Practising these areas will help you tackle the variety of questions in this part of the assessment.

You can practice aptitude-type questions on websites like IndiaBix, as recommended by my senior.

Tips :

For the technical section, having a solid grasp of the basics of a programming language is essential. If you’re familiar with C++ and understand pointers, memory addressing, and program compilation, you’ll be well-prepared. Additionally, ensure you’re comfortable with computer networks (CN), operating systems (OS), database management systems (DBMS), SQL, and data structures and algorithms (DSA).

Keep in mind that it’s impossible to master everything overnight. It’s helpful to have concise notes for quick reference. Some questions may be straightforward, like recalling a sorting algorithm, while others will require quick, critical thinking. This is where your knowledge will be most tested.

Time management is crucial during the assessment. If you’re stuck on a question, mark it and move on, then revisit it when you have more time or are able to solve it. If needed, make an educated guess. Given your background from JEE and CET, handling multiple-choice questions (MCQs) should be manageable.

In my experience, there were no coding-related DSA questions. I later learned from an ECP team member that this was intentional, and it made sense later for what they were looking for in a candidate.

Out of over 300 applicants, 29 were shortlisted for the next round.

Results were typically released by night, so be patient. The following day, you’ll be expected to come to campus for the interview rounds.

Day 2: Interviews

First Interview: Tech + Leadership

There were three panels, I was the first candidate interviewed on my panel, and my interview lasted nearly an hour. I faced two panellists who typed out everything I said, likely to evaluate and compare later. Their rapid typing might be a bit intimidating, but try to maintain eye contact with both of them to stay engaged.

The interview began with basic questions like “What do you do?” and “How are you?” and moved on to discuss the projects I had worked on. As the interview progressed, the questions became more standard and in-depth, covering various topics I will discuss next.

It was heavily focused on both technical skills and leadership qualities, as well as the attributes mentioned in the email—analytical skills, technology domain expertise, learning agility, communication skills, and leadership ability. They assessed exactly these parameters during the interview.

Here’s a golden rule of advice: know every detail of your resume inside out and be prepared to discuss each line for about ten minutes. For resume formatting, consider using popular templates like Deedy’s or Jake’s on Overleaf. If you haven’t created your resume yet, make sure to write it concisely in bullet points.

Your resume should include descriptions of your internship and project experiences. Be prepared to discuss every aspect, including tech stacks, the reasons for choosing MongoDB over SQL or relational versus non-relational databases, OOPS and Data Structures implementation in your project, the EER diagram of your project, the architecture, and your specific contributions. If you worked on only the front end of a project, and understand the entire project thoroughly, you’ll be expected to talk about it. I’ve seen candidates get eliminated for not knowing basic details about projects they claimed to have worked on because they only worked on front end and the rest is a black box to them. Don’t be that person.

There are a few key areas you should focus on:

Object-Oriented Programming (OOP): This is crucial, so make sure you’re comfortable with it.
SQL: Understand joins, different types of indexes, and views. Be solid on basic DBMS concepts and writing SQL queries.
Operating Systems: Know about scheduling algorithms and OS fundamentals.
Computer Networks: Be familiar with the OSI 7-layer model, IPv4, IPv6, and how DNS works.
Your Project: Know everything about the tech stack you used and the language, whether it’s compiled or interpreted, dynamic or static.

In addition to showcasing your technical skills, your resume should also highlight your leadership experience. During my interview, I focused on this aspect in the second half by discussing my hackathon wins and my role as a team leader. This demonstrated my leadership abilities.

You should be ready to talk about your learning experiences, the challenges you faced during these events, and how you solved problems under pressure. They’re interested in how you handle complicated situations, what you built, and what you achieved. Expect questions that explore these HR-type topics, as they’re keen to see how you manage real-world problems and lead effectively.

When discussing your projects, it's important to convey more than just the technical details. You should explain the motivation behind creating the project, not simply that you used a particular technology because it was taught to you or because you're familiar with it.

For example, detail why you selected a particular technology stack over another, what alternatives you considered, and why you ultimately chose this. Describe the problem you aimed to solve and the impact of your solution. Discuss how you built the project, including handling auth, the database used and how you deployed the project. It’s also valuable to explain how the application is used and what you learned from the process. This depth of understanding demonstrates not just your technical skills but also your ability to think critically and make informed decisions.

One insight I can mention is that because General Mills is an MNC, they also have a lot of legacy code. So when people come with Gen AI and more and web3 stuff, they seem to be quite fascinated, but because those are experienced people, they can easily identify if you are bluffing or you know the deal, stick to basics, but right ones. If you know fancy stuff, make sure you understand it well. One feedback I got after the hiring was done was that our college students were good with tech stuff.

Interviews for others typically lasted between 30 to 40 minutes, which was a good sign that I had a chance of moving forward.

About 20 minutes after my interview, the results were announced and updated in real time. Some candidates were put on the waitlist, some were rejected, and many were shortlisted. The second round of interviews began just 20 minutes after the first round concluded. It all happened so quickly that I didn’t even have time to call my mom and share the news before the next stage began.

7 were shortlisted for the next round.

Second Interview: Senior Management + HR

The second round of interviews is conducted by a senior leader from the DnT (Digital and Technology) team, along with an HR representative. Expect a mix of HR and technical questions.

This round will delve into various aspects, everything from tech before and now including your family background, your 10th and 12th-grade results, and your interests outside of tech. They’ll also assess your ability to handle pressure, your learning agility, and your leadership skills. You can demonstrate these through your committee work, hackathon experiences, or any other relevant activities.

Be prepared to discuss a broad range of topics, not just in-depth knowledge in one area. For example, despite my experience being primarily in web development, I was asked about Flutter and app development because it was part of my curriculum. My second-round interview lasted about an hour. The results were announced about an hour later, and it was quite tense.

After the second round of interviews, they announced the results with a small celebration. There were banners, and everyone got some gifts and goodies. It felt like a special moment as they revealed the final selections. I was thrilled to be among the chosen ones, along with Abhigyan. It really felt like a victory after all the hard work.

Some more stuff:

From what I’ve seen after talking to other interns at General Mills, the selection ratio remains consistent. Typically, around 2 or 3 people are shortlisted from each campus, and I expect that trend to continue.

For actionable advice, focus on improving your communication skills. While that’s something that takes time, you can prepare for standard questions right away. Practice your responses to questions about your introduction, hobbies, experiences, technical skills, projects, and leadership roles. Rehearse in front of a mirror, do mock interviews with friends, and reach out to others who have been through the process—they might offer valuable insights.

General Mills focused on key attributes in their hiring process, as outlined in their job description: strong analytical skills, technical domain flexibility, learning agility, communication skills, and the ability to influence. They weren't just looking for top competitive programmers; instead, they valued candidates who could make an impact, lead effectively, and contribute to a positive work culture. As a People-First organization, General Mills emphasizes these critical qualities over technical skills alone, recognizing that while technical abilities can be developed, behaviours and interpersonal skills are fundamental to their culture and success.

Believe in yourself and stay positive. Even if things don’t work out this time, remember there are always other opportunities, and they might even turn out to be better. For example, I was rooting for a guy who didn’t make it but ended up landing a fantastic position elsewhere. You never know what might come your way.

The key is to give it your best shot, learn from the experience, and prepare yourself for future interviews. Even if you make mistakes or feel like you didn’t perform well, it’s okay. Each experience will teach you something and better prepare you for the next opportunity. So stay diligent, work hard, and remember that every step in the process is valuable.

fin ~

Lastly, if you have any questions, need further advice, or want to discuss anything that I might have missed in this blog, feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn or Twitter. Whether you need a 1:1 connect, a resume review, or just some additional insights, I'm here to help. I found that connecting with others and seeking help was beneficial in my journey, and I encourage you to do the same. Don’t hesitate to get in touch—I’m more than happy to help over the weekend!