Booking.com Job Interview Experience

Last month I had an opportunities to visit Amsterdam for the first time. I went there to attend onsite interview in Booking.com. Booking.com provide very great facility during recruitment process.

That experience was started when I see and booking.com Perl developer vacancy in stackoverflow career website. Actually the position is for Perl developer. Honestly I don't have professional experience in Perl yet. But the job post didn't ask such requirement. Although I spent most of my professional career use Java, but I am language agnostic person that always happy to try and learn new thing.

Back to the interview story. After submitting my resume, I didn't receive any immediate reply. Couple of weeks from that suddenly I received a missed call from strange number. The country code is +31. I asked to my wife which country code is that. Then she goggled it and reply her finding, "Netherlands". I didn't know exactly who probably try to call me that night.

Few days later another phone call was coming in at the time I go home from office. Same country code, but not sure whether it was the same number. I picked up the called and the girl was on the phone. She greeted me and introduced as a recruiter from Booking.com. Since my phone was low battery I asked her to call me back in couple of minutes so that I could reach my room and plug the charger.

Couple of minutes later I was standby in my room. Looking my phone waiting the recruiter to call me back. The phone was ringing again and I picked up. Fast forward, we were talking about HR thing. Her main question was about my interesting to do a technical phone interview about the job that I applied. Of course I said I interest. Later she asked several information about my profile. Time availability, the reason to change job, salary expectation, etc. At the end of phone called she said will arrange phone interview schedule  At the next day I got the schedule about two weeks forward from that day.

Then within 2 weeks I did some preparation. I went to library and lend several books, specially Perl and algorithm book. Read the book and did coding practice. Finally the phone interview schedule was coming. I did the interview at 10 PM Singapore time which is around 4 PM Amsterdam time. There was two interviewer. I spent about 45 minutes for the interview. The questions include algorithm, database and one business process. The interviewer are so nice. Like usual at the end they let me ask question regarding the company or the job. They said I will got the result withing 2 days.

The day after I was on the bus from office to go home. Another Netherlands number was calling. She introduced as another recruiter in booking.com and immediately congratulate me for passing phone interview phase so that I was invited to go to Amsterdam for onsite interview. Wow it was an awesome call. For the first time in my life I will go to Europe for free. She gave me 6 weeks time preparation so that I can apply visa while she would prepare another things for my travel preparation. In the same time that 6 weeks also very useful for me to do technical preparation as well by more reading and coding practice.

I applied my visa through Netherlands embassy in Singapore. The process was very straightforward  First we need to make appointment through the website. The visa requirement are application form, photo, invitation letter, travel insurance, recommendation letter from our current company, last 3 months bank account statement and visa fee. The current fee for Schengen visa is 60 Euro which is equivalent to 97.10 SGD at my application time. After all requirement was complete, I went to the embassy according to my appointment time. I submit the whole document and the staff will check it immediately. I pay fee and the visa can be collected withing few days (I forgot how many days). At scheduled collection date I called the embassy and they said the visa is ready. While waiting my departure time at the end of April, I spent the time for reading and coding practice again.

Finally the departure time was coming. I took 3 days leave for this purpose. I went on April 17 Wednesday, just after midnight. I arrived the same day around 7 AM in the morning. But the whole flight was about 14 hours direct! The longest flight I've ever experienced. I spent the time on plane by sleeping and staring flight tracking screen seeing the plane icon moving slowly from Singapore to Amsterdam. The first feeling after landing was cold weather. Actually it was already spring, but the temperature still below 10 Celsius.

From the plane I move fast through Schiphol airport, pass the immigration and then collect my baggage  Later I went outside baggage collection area and found a stall selling phone sim card. I bought Lebara sim card with some data plan. After that I move a while see airport surrounding. Later I bought the train ticket to Amsterdam central from the machine. It cost about 4 Euros something from Schiphol to Amsterdam central. The train station located exactly below the airport. Europe has very complex railway system. In schiphol station itself there are several train platforms. We have to go to correct platform when going to particular destination. The very coplete informartion bords are everywhere but we still need sometime to grasp all the things. Within few minutes the train was coming and jumped in then try to find empty seat. I was asking one passenger just to make sure that I ride the correct train. The train was moving out the station and rise to the street level. Slowly I amazed to have that experience. I am in Europe! I saw the cars at the street, the vehicle is moving at the right lane. I saw many exotic and well maintained building. I saw so many people ride bike.

About half hour later I arrived at Amsterdam Central station. I alighted from the train and directly went down from platform to the station. After observing from internet, I should ride tram to my hotel. But I have to purchase OV chipkaart first. OV chipkaart is a smart card that we can use to pay public transport in Netherlands. For someone who live in Singapore, OV chipkaart more or less is similar with Singapore EZlink card. But OV chipkaart just implemented recently. We can purchase the card from the machine. After purchasing the card I go out and find tram stop with so many trams standby ready to serve passenger to various destination. Exactly after going out from station I was hitted by cold weather. Actually I have used thick jacket and sweater.

Every tram number has their own rail and stop. In every stop there will be a board showing tram destination and the whole stops it will passed. I directly hoped to one of the tram and not forget to tap my OV chipkaart to the ready near the entrance. Tram usually consist two or three cars. The crew are one driver at the front and one assistant in the middle who sit inside one ticket counter. We can pay cash here if we don't have OV chipkaart.

It was about 4 stops from Amsterdam central to my hotel. I alight and walk some minutes to the hotel. I was staying in The Bridge hotel, during my visit to Amsterdam. The hotel located exactly beside the canal. Oh yeah, I forgot to share, Amsterdam is canal city. Canals are everywhere. Boat are everywhere. Bikes also everywhere. I went in to the hotel, checked in, and entered the room. All expenses has been taken care by booking.com.

When entering the room I was amazed, I got the room with canal view. The room was so large. A queen bed, work table, a heater near window and large bathroom. That evening for the first time I can feel how is jet lag. I fall sleep at 5 PM and suddenly woke up in the middle of the night, fresh! My body still think that I am still in South East Asia.

Btw I have shared too many unnecessary detail. Let's fast forward to interview date. My schedule was on Friday 19 April, two days after my departure. Booking.com office located 5 minutes walk from my hotel. So at the d day, I walked 15 minutes before the schedule. I register at the front office, wait some minutes and finally welcomed by another recruiter. The onsite interview was scheduled for 3 hours. 1 hour HR interview plus 2 times 1 hour technical interview.

The HR interview stage actually more to presentation than interview. Because at this opportunities one HR staff will describe a lot of benefits that we will receive if got the offer. The interviewer also again will ask about the reason why we want to move etc.

The first technical interview was coming. There are two developer. Immediately they ask one algorithm about string permutation. I have to admit that I was little bit stuck in this question. But I tried to be cool and keep comminicate with them properly elaborating my thinking process. At the end I can solve their question after they simplify and simplify again the problem. Anyway, likely they are not too satisfy with result.

The second technical interview, another two developers were coming. At this stage I asked little bit more database question and business process. At this stage I was more confidence with all of my answers. Finally 3 hours interview has ended.

That afternoon I was planning to go to Keukenhof. But it was too late for that day, so that I went there the day after. Anyway let just fast forward again to one week later after I go back to Singapore. Finally on Thursday 25 April I receive email from booking.com HR. I just watched Iron Man 3 in cinema with my wife. The email consist of rejection. Honestly I feel so sad that time. I was thinking, if I can got the offer, I can move to Amsterdam, and can stay closer to my wife which is currently studying post graduate in Germany. I just feel so often failed. But this time it is easier for me to try to be positive. Most likely that positive feeling was coming after so many encouragement from my wife. Something is happening and not happening with reason. Event for the worst failure there will be always sweet lesson that we can gain.

Now it has been more than one month since that awesome experience. I will be always looking forward, continuously enhance myself, trying with my best for any opportunities. Destiny is not lie on water surface that is impossible to write. Destiny is written in hard stone. We still need a hard effort but always possible to write any story that we want.

Amsterdam Here I Come

There's no rejected pray. When pray seems not granted immediately, it could mean 3 things:

1. Our pray is suspended to more appropriate time
2. Our pray is replaced with something we need more
3. Our pray is granted at the hereafter with something bigger

About some years ago, I put a simple facebook status. I forgot its detail, but more or less it said something like "Amsterdam here I come!!!". At that time honestly I just babbling. Babbling from the heart.

Since I was child, I always hope can live abroad. At that time, the way that I think could be the path to that dream is through post graduate study. That's why, there was a time when I'd tried to apply several sholarship. Speaking Europe, I was inspired by Edensor novel by Andrea Hirata. Europe is one of my dream land. Anyway, I failed in many sholarships appication about 3 years in the row. Little bit frustrated, but somehow I realize that there are so many lessons from those experiences. I learn to be more persistent, to be more grateful, to be more excellent.

This month I received interesting surprise. I will fly to Amsterdam for one ocassion. Exactly the old dream that come true. For some people flying to Europe is a simple thing. Maybe it just the matter of purchasing the ticket. But for me it was special experience. Unfortunately I cannot see the snow at this time since now has been spring in western Europe. At least perhaps I can see beautiful tulip blomming in a wide garden.

This experience is one simple proof for the prior statement I've mentioned. There is no rejected pray. Never lost your patience, your enthusiasm and at the same time always put your best effort in anything you want to achieve.

Life is short. Life is too precious to be ordinary. World is too beautiful to left it unseen.

Amsterdam, here I come!

Legoland Malaysia Review

This post was half way written since September last year. I just can finish it right now, because my laziness.

This post will share about my first visit to the large newest theme park in South East Asia. It is exactly located in Malaysia. I will talk about Legoland.

Legoland Malaysia is the first Legoland park in Asia. At first time I was little bit reluctant when prepared plan to visit this place. From some review on internet, some of people said that Legoland is child oriented theme park that probably not suitable for adult. This consideration is really matter, because I plan to visit there with my wife. Two adults visits child theme park seems not sound good. But later I decide just to visit there while my wife still here in her summer holiday.

The adult ticket for Legoland is 140 MYR. In Singapore dollar it will be around 56 SGD. It is quite expensive and have small differences with more well known theme park, Universal Studio Singapore at about 68 SGD. But still we just decide to buy and try. After browsing Groupon, we found a nice offer. By paying 52.90 SGD we got one Legoland ticket include return bus coach from and to Singapore. We book departure date on 15 September 2012, exactly at grand opening date of the park.

The Ticket

We went from Singapore Flyer as the starting point. My booking confirmation show our departure at 8.30. But later I realized the tour provider made a mistake. We supposed to depart on 9.00 AM. Several minutes before 9.00 I queue for exchanging my booking confirmation sheet with two tickets. Then several minutes after 9.00 the bus departed. Legoland is located in Johor area. It takes less than 90 minutes travel time from Singapore. So we were arriving before 10.30. First impression when we arrived: It was so hot!!

Actually we were anticipated that in grand opening day there would be a lot people came. Yes they were so many people, but not so many as our expected. In the ticketing counter the queue was so long. Maybe around 100 people were queueing. We were lucky already purchased the ticket so we don't need to queue.

First thing first was to take foto in the front of Legoland logo. Because it was quite hot we just enter the park after scaning ticket barcode. At the entrace we can take a Legoland map. Legoland is divided into several section. I didn't remember exactly all sections. But it about 8 section with around 40 shows, rides and attractions. All section is located arround circle area with one interesting poin that we cannot find in another theme park. It is Miniland. In Miniland we can find a lot of buildings and landmarks miniature from Malaysia and several countries in South East Asia built in Lego. I think this section is best of the best in Legoland. We can spent plenty of time take a photo in this area. The best time to visit this place will be at afternoon when the sun goes down. Beside Landmark made by Lego, in all over park we will see a lot of interesting figure, animal or structure also made by Lego.

Me and Wife at front of Legoland Gate

Bali in Miniland

We don't want to play in rush. So we didn't try too much attractions and rides. Several that we had tried are as follow. First is Legoland express. Simple large train build with structure like Lego that will move slowly around center of Legoland. Second we plan to try Project X. Some kind of 4 seater roller coaster. But we decide to cancel riding after queueing and saw several time that ride was jammed. Third ride we were trying Wave Racer. It was quite interesting ride. We were spinning in the middle of the pool on the ride that we can control to move to or from center. Sometime there will waterbomb that can make us little bit wet. Fourth we were riding a roller coaster. There are two roller coaster in Legoland The Dragon and The Dragon Apprentice(if we count Project X as roller coaster there will be three). The Dragon Apprentice is smaller and less challenged Roller Coaster, that's why we decide to ride it instead of The Dragon. Fifth, we ride some kind of carrosel with name Merlin Challenge. Sixth, we were trying Kids Power Toys. This ride will make some turn and we can pull and release a rope that connected to our sit. Not too special but still quite interesting. We plan to ride viewing tower but it was currently checked for some problem. The viewing tower will move the cabin from bottom to several meters high to the top where we can see suround view of whole Legoland.

Lego Einstein

The next attraction that we try was 4D show. Every hour usually will be played different movie. The show is played for about 10 to 15 minutes. The show is not so uncommon right now. 4D show with 3D movie, wind blow and snow. After watching 4D we ride Dino Island. This is water slider ride. This ride was exciting, although we can find similar ride in other theme park. The next ride is Lost Kingdom. We ride a kind of train with a gun attached there. On the way in we can use that laser gun to shoot a lot of 'evil' object with a censor. Every time we hit the target our score will be incremented on display at front of us.

The time move so fast. Our bus will pick up us around 9 PM to go back to Singapore. Before going out we alocate last time to ride Lego Boating School. Actually this is the most boring ride that we tried that day. Even we have to queue almost one hour. But since I went with my wife, it was still very enjoyable moment.

Finally we going out. Buy some KFC for our dinner on the bus otw back home.

In conclusion, I would like to say with given ticket price and the available ride and experiences that we can get, visiting Legoland is worth to visit.

First Phone Interview for Software Development Engineer Position in Amazon.com

About few months ago, one of amazon.com recruiter asking my CV through Linkedin and invite me for the recruitment that would be conducted in Singapore. The position is for Software Development Engineer that will be based in Seattle, US. With full of interest I decided to sent the CV and answer several question she asked. Unfortunately only few days before recruitment date, she informed me again that cannot proceed me further. At that time they can only proceed Singaporean or Australian citizen because US visa quota limit consideration for other citizenship including me as Indonesian (H-1B visa if I am not mistake). But she promised that in the beginning of 2013 (when visa limit quota will be reset) there will be another recruitment process.

Her promise is right. Just about 2 weeks ago another amazon recruiter contact me and offering one phone interview schedule for AWS Software Development Engineer position. With full enthusiasm I send her my available date and time. I also do some of researches for the preparation. According to the information I have gathered from internet, amazon.com interview will be very technical and involve writing code. Until job offer, candidate have to pass up to 3 phone interview and whole day onsite interview.  I read many books about coding interview, other books about algorithm and some books about cloud computing. I also practiced a lot solving some coding problems.

Finally the interview has been conducted this Saturday morning 6.00 AM GMT+8 (Friday 2.00PM Seattle time). The interview who called me is very nice. He speak very clearly and we discussed a lot while I try to solve some coding problem. At the beginning he introduce himself then start asked some of my background, my project, what I did, etc. Next he asked some basic question about java keyword. Then finally we arrived at the coding challenge.

The first problem is: "Given binary search tree, write a method that will return the next node from given node!". Actually I have been anticipating such questions. But since I have to write in interview nuance, it make me little bit nervous and under pressure. I wrote the code in one online coding collaboration website, so both of us can see what I have written in real-time  After struggling some minutes finally I can finish the solution. I am not sure whether he satisfied or not.

The second problem he just asked me to get element with second most highest occurrences from and array of object.

example:
someArrays = {"xx", "yy", "xx", "yy", "zz", "xx"}
xx shown up 3 times
yy shown up 2 times <-- this is the second most occurances
zz shown up 1 times

Actually this is also not should be too difficult. First, iterate onel time the array and push every object occurrences into a hashtable. Second, iterate hashtable and return the second most occured. But I was struggling how to get the key of most occurred object. I will write the solution in here, later.

Last, finally he asked me if I have any question. I just asked about what he do in Amazon. I also asked how many person inside one team. In conclusion I feel not satisfied with my interview. I supposed to perform better. But I should not be regret. I can use this experience as a trigger to learn more so can be more prepared if face same experience again. Not sure whether I can have next interview or not, but it is enjoying experience.

Fibonacci Sequence With and Without Recursion

Fibonacci sequence is sequence with subsequent number is the sum of the previous two. See snapshot below from wikipedia.

We can implement this algorithm either using recursion or without. Let see both.Before the implementation let see how is the sequence defined for every F(n).

F(0) = 1 or F(0) = 0 in some definition
F(1) = 1
F(n) = F(n-1) + F(n-2)

Now these are implementation using Java

With Recursion

int fibo(int in){
 if(n <= 1){
  return n
 }else{
  return fibo(n-1) + fibo(n-2);
 }
}

Without Recursion

int fibo(int n){
 if(n <= 1){
  return n;
 }
 int fibo = 1;
 int fiboPrev = 1;
 for(int i = 2; i < n; ++i){
  int temp = fibo;
  fibo += fiboPrev;
  fiboPrev = temp;
 }
 return fibo;
}

Update Twitter Using Python Tweepy

I just spending sometime to play with tweepy. This post will show how to use that lib to access Twitter API.

First, install python (obviously). Second, install (if not installed yet) easy_install a tool to install python package easily. Refer to this http://pypi.python.org/pypi/setuptools

Go to console and check if easy_install instalation.

Now install tweepy module if not available yet.

Next create application in twitter so we can access the API. Go to this URL: https://dev.twitter.com/apps and create new application

Please note in there is a configuration to set application type.

After application has been created, we need some special authorization to access API. Twitter use OAuth. There are 4 important values that we have to note:
OAuth Consumer Key
OAuth Consumer Secret

and
Access Token
Access Token Secret

The last two are the token which is granted by our application user later.

Enough for configuration, now go to python console (I am using iPython) evaluate following code:

import tweepy

# provide all the keys and secrets

CONSUMER_KEY = 'the_key'

CONSUMER_SECRET = 'the_secret'

ACCESS_TOKEN = 'the_token'

ACCESS_SECRET = 'the_token_secret'

auth = tweepy.OAuthHandler(CONSUMER_KEY, CONSUMER_SECRET)

auth.set_access_token(ACCESS_TOKEN,ACCESS_SECRET)

api = tweepy.API(auth)



# do anything you want now

api.friends()

api.update_status('Hello world from Tweepy')

A Short Reflection of Age Increment

"Life is beautiful. Be grateful for everything you have but keep fighting to achieve every of your dreams"

Age is nothing rather than just a number increment. However the increment of age should be a great moment to do self evaluation. More mature a person should made him more wise and not the opposite, older but become more childish. Hopefully I can became the first type.

Like several years before, this writing will try to reflect what I feel and what I want to be afterwards. Indirectly it will be a kind of evaluation and resolution.

Start from evaluation. I get married now for more than full year. Although I am having long distance marriage but still, more or less I have to try and be more mature compared at the time I was single. But I think I have to be more expressive to show my love to my wife because at the other side my wife also always give many gifts and surprises. Including this wonderful video for my birthday.

And also an awesome cake surprise

Second I already work in Singapore for more than full year as well. There many things I have learnt for that range time. More demanding job and multicultural environment for instance. All of those things are shaping and improving me more.

Next is about what I want to achieve. I want to make it simple and less material oriented. "I want to be always grateful and humble in life". To do some tangible elaboration, I want to be an expert in my field but at the same time can give significant positive impact  to society, perhaps by being a speaker, writer, teacher or just a good programmer which can make some positive contribution (hopefully not become too cliche) for a better world. More specific, I want to be a good father this year (hopefully Allah can trust me). I want to have some shelter for my family soon. I want to write a book to leave trace that I've never exist in this world. Want to have some more wonderful job and activity.

So different with previous year post I don't want to make too long bullshit explanation bit instead just make small thing become true. "To be more grateful and more humble".

For the closing I just want to make same quote by myself for reminder to myself. "Life is beautiful. Be grateful for everything you have but keep fighting to achieve every of your dreams".