My Selection Journey at MasterCard – From Hackathon to Internship!

“Coding builds the foundation, but communication and leadership define the structure!”

---

How It All Started

It was around August 23rd, 2024 when I had one of the most memorable experiences of my tech journey the Code for Change Hackathon organized by MasterCard. But the road began much before that, with a structured selection process that tested both logic and leadership.

---

📌 1. Registration & Shortlisting

Students registered for the event.

Shortlisting was based on:

• AMCAT scores
• CGPA
• And other academic parameters.

Those shortlisted proceeded to the DSA Round.

---

2. DSA Round

• Date: August 5th
• No. of Questions: 2
  • One on Arrays / Strings
  • One on Trees / Graphs
• Scoring even 1.5 questions (1 full + half of another) was enough.

I’ve never been a daily DSA solver, but I managed to work through the problems and got shortlisted.

---

3. Hackathon Shortlisting & Mentorship

Once selected, we were notified and assigned into random 7-member teams. We had never met before, so building connections and trust was critical.

Each team was also assigned a mentor from MasterCard who conducted:

• Team-building exercises
• Technology discussions
• Progress check-ins

“Your mentor is not just a guide, they are also part of your evaluation panel.”

---

Leadership and Teamwork: My Role

Here’s where things got intense—and interesting.

• I naturally took the lead in our team.
• Assigned and divided tasks based on everyone’s strengths.
• Regularly checked in with each teammate to ensure progress.
• Ensured we had something substantial to show before each mentor sync.

“Taking charge and enabling others to shine is a quality that doesn't go unnoticed.”

I wasn’t the most knowledgeable in AI/ML, but I knew my strengths:

• Flutter Development
• Web and Backend Systems

So, I took responsibility for:

• JWT Authentication
• Backend API development using Django

---

🚀 4. Hackathon Day – Execution and Energy!

• Duration: 7 hours
• Problem Statements: 3 from different NGOs

We were given a Problem statement:

• User Authentication
• Platform development
• Information Management

Our app wasn’t fully complete—because 7 hours isn’t much—but we:

• Made strong backend progress
• Integrated essential APIs
• Kept our mentor updated in real-time

---

5. The Final Presentation

This was my moment to shine.

• I convinced my team that I’d be the best to present.
• Walked the judges through our idea, goals, implementation, and innovation.

Even though we didn’t win the hackathon, our concept, effort, and clarity stood out.

“Good code brings you halfway, but a strong presentation completes the journey.”

---

6. The Result – Internship Offer!

Because of my:

• Technical contribution
• Leadership skills
• Communication and presentation

…I was shortlisted for the SDE role. And now, I’ve officially been offered an internship at MasterCard’s Checkout Services Team!

📅 Joining Date: May 19th, 2025
💼 Role: SDE Intern – Mastercard Checkout Services

---

🗺️ Roadmap to MasterCard Internship

---

📝 Final Tips for Aspirants

• DSA helps, but it’s not the only thing. Strategy matters.
• Know your strengths. Focus on what you’re good at.
• Take initiative. Leading a team is always recognized.
• Keep mentors in the loop. They notice everything.
• Presentation is powerful. Speak up with confidence.

---

✨ Leadership is not just coding the best—it’s about enabling your team and communicating with clarity.

---

💬 Have questions or need guidance?

Feel free to connect with me. Always happy to help juniors crack the Code for Change!