I applied online. The process took 3 weeks. I interviewed at Rakuten (Singapore) in Feb 2015
Interview
I applied for the position through Rakuten career website. They response in about 2 weeks. First round interview is via Skype by an staff (not manager) in data science team. This position requires proficiency in programming language, like python, java etc. However, I am only familiar with R. The guy is very nice. Finally, they recommended another market research position which is more suitable for me. I didn't pass the second interview as they need someone with more than 5 years experience in market research agency, while I only got 3.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Normal interview questions, like why Rakuten? why are you eligible for the position?
this interview process had 5 rounds
2 was a tech test
３ were conversational in nature
with various managers from direct and indirect to the department manager mostly in Japan but also outside Japan.
1st Interview was simple leetcode task and some questions about Kubernetes. 2nd interview - classical ML and DL questions, Final interview is mostly informal, but there may appear some questions about specific experience and problem solving
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
What is the difference between random forest and boosting?
Initial LeetCode coding test, hiring manager interview for profile and role fit, multiple technical rounds covering statistics, machine learning, SQL, Python, and case studies, concluding with behavioral interviews evaluating teamwork, communication, and cultural alignment.