Nick’s previously held Software & Data roles at Facebook, Google, & SafeGraph (a geospatial analytics startup).
Currently, he’s the best-selling author of Ace the Data Science Interview, and Founder & CEO of DataLemur.
Nick’s also active on LinkedIn, where he shares career tips with his 160,000+ followers.
SQL does most of the work at nCino to look for insights in bank data and run the database for their cloud banking operating system. This is likely why nCino often tests candidates for Data Science, Data Engineering, and Data Analytics jobs with SQL coding questions.
So, to help you prepare for the nCino SQL interview, we’ll go over 8 questions. Are you ready to answer them all?
You need more than technical skills to get your dream job at nCino, a top provider of cloud-based banking software. To do this, you need to know a lot about the company’s culture, values, and problems. To help you do great on your interview, we’ve put together a full guide with insider tips and example answers to common nCino interview questions.
Unveiling the nCino Interview Process
The nCino interview process typically follows a multi-stage approach, starting with an initial phone screening with a recruiter. If you successfully navigate this first hurdle, you’ll move on to one or more in-depth interviews with the hiring manager and team members. Depending on the role, you might also be asked to complete a technical assessment or work sample. Finally, a panel interview with several individuals from the company might be conducted to assess your overall fit.
While the process can vary depending on the position you’re applying for it’s generally described as well-managed and friendly. The interviewers ask relevant questions and maintain a casual atmosphere putting you at ease and allowing you to showcase your skills and personality. However, some candidates have reported delays in receiving feedback and concerns about diversity within the company.
Navigating Common nCino Interview Questions
Now let’s delve into some of the most frequently asked nCino interview questions and provide you with sample answers to help you prepare effectively
1, Explain the role of a bank operating system like nCino and its importance for financial institutions
Sample Answer:
“A bank operating system like nCino plays a pivotal role in the financial industry by streamlining operations, increasing efficiency, and enhancing customer experiences. It’s a comprehensive platform that integrates various banking functions, such as loan origination, account management, and regulatory compliance, into a single, unified system. This integration allows financial institutions to reduce manual processes, minimize errors, and make data-driven decisions. By adopting a modern and robust bank operating system, financial institutions can stay competitive, improve their customers’ satisfaction, and ultimately achieve their business goals.”
2. How would you go about fixing a problem with our software platform that affects a lot of people?
Sample Answer:
“When there is a software problem that affects many customers, it’s important to know how it affects their experience and overall happiness.” I would focus on finding the problem’s root cause and putting in place a quick solution while keeping lines of communication open with customers and other important people. To find the source of the problem, I would look at error messages, logs, and user reports. Once I found it, I would work on a fix, test it thoroughly in a number of different situations, and then put it into use. After deployment, I think it’s important to keep the lines of communication open with customers to let them know about the solution and tell them what they need to do next. Lastly, I would do a root cause analysis to figure out why the problem happened in the first place and put in place measures to make sure it doesn’t happen again. “.
3. In your opinion, what are some essential features every cloud-based banking software should have to ensure smooth operations?
Sample Answer:
“In my opinion, cloud-based banking software should have robust security features as a top priority. This includes encryption for data at rest and in transit, multi-factor authentication, intrusion detection systems, and regular vulnerability assessments. The software should also comply with regulatory standards like GDPR, CCPA, and PCI DSS to ensure data privacy and protection. Another essential feature is scalability. As the bank grows or experiences peak transaction periods, the software needs to scale seamlessly without affecting performance. It should be able to handle increased workloads efficiently while maintaining high availability and speed. Lastly, an intuitive user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) are vital. Banking operations can be complex, so having a clear and easy-to-navigate UI can reduce errors and increase efficiency. Furthermore, providing a positive UX can enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.”
4. Describe a time when you had to collaborate with a cross-functional team to deliver a project successfully.
Sample Answer:
“In a previous project, I was part of a team tasked with implementing a new customer relationship management (CRM) system for our company. This required close collaboration between the IT department, sales and marketing teams, and customer service representatives to ensure all needs were addressed. My role involved liaising between these departments, understanding their specific requirements, and translating them into technical specifications for the IT team. The challenge lay in balancing the diverse needs of each department while maintaining focus on the overall project goal. By facilitating open communication channels and fostering an environment that encouraged idea sharing, we were able to align everyone’s objectives and create a comprehensive plan. Regular meetings and progress updates ensured transparency and kept everyone on track. Ultimately, the CRM implementation was successful and resulted in improved efficiency across all departments. This experience reinforced my belief in the power of cross-functional collaboration and its ability to drive successful outcomes.”
5. Explain how APIs play a crucial role in integrating nCino’s platform with other systems within a client’s infrastructure.
Sample Answer:
“APIs, or Application Programming Interfaces, are essential in connecting various software applications and systems. By allowing different platforms to communicate with each other and exchange data, APIs enable seamless integration and enhance overall functionality. In the context of a powerful banking platform, APIs play a critical role in ensuring that the platform can smoothly interact with a client’s existing infrastructure, streamlining processes and providing a more efficient and user-friendly experience. This question aims to assess your understanding of the importance of APIs in system integration and your ability to apply that knowledge in a practical scenario.”
6. What is your experience working with Salesforce, and why do you think it’s a suitable foundation for nCino’s products?
Sample Answer:
“I have extensive experience working with Salesforce, particularly in developing and customizing solutions for financial institutions. I’ve leveraged its robust features to create efficient workflows, automate processes, and enhance customer relationship management. Salesforce is a suitable foundation for nCino’s products because of its flexibility, scalability, and integration capabilities. It allows for the seamless creation of industry-specific applications like nCino’s Bank Operating System while providing an intuitive user interface. Furthermore, being built on Salesforce means that nCino can leverage the platform’s advanced security measures, ensuring data integrity and compliance which are critical aspects in the banking sector.”
7. How would you prioritize feature requests from different stakeholders, such as product managers, clients, and engineers?
Sample Answer:
“Prioritizing feature requests involves good communication and negotiation skills. I would discuss my strategy to balance the needs of various stakeholders, such as understanding business goals from product managers, resolving technical constraints with engineers, and addressing client feedback. I would highlight my experience in data-driven decision making and using tools for project management. I would show how I’ve successfully mediate conflicting interests in past roles while maintaining focus on strategic objectives. If new to this scenario, I would outline an approach based on sound judgement, collaboration, and a focus on delivering value.”
8. Discuss a situation where you had to analyze complex data to identify trends or patterns that helped improve a product or process.
Sample Answer:
“In my previous experience, I was part of a team that was tasked with improving the user engagement for a mobile application. We had access to vast amounts of data but weren’t quite sure where to start. So, we decided to use a combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis. Firstly, we used analytics tools to track user behavior within the app and identified key metrics such as session duration, bounce rate, and feature usage. This helped us understand which parts of the app were performing well and which ones needed improvement. Additionally, we conducted surveys and interviews to gather feedback directly from users. Upon analyzing this complex data, we noticed a pattern – users who completed the onboarding process engaged more frequently with the app than those who didn’t. However, our drop-off rates during onboarding were high. Based on these insights, we redesigned the onboarding process to make it more engaging and less time-consuming. This led to a significant increase in user engagement and retention rates. Thus, by effectively analyzing complex data, we could identify trends and patterns that facilitated an important product improvement.”
9. Describe your understanding of Agile methodologies and their relevance to developing high-quality software solutions quickly.
Sample Answer:
“Agile methodologies have become a cornerstone in modern software development, emphasizing collaboration, flexibility, and rapid delivery of high-quality products. I’m familiar with the principles and practices of Agile, such as iterative development, daily stand-ups, and sprint planning. I understand how these techniques enable quick responses to changes in requirements, enhancing productivity and quality. If I’ve used Agile in previous roles, I would share specific examples demonstrating its effectiveness. If not, I would discuss how I plan on applying it in future projects.”
10. How would you assess the effectiveness of a newly implemented solution within a customer’s environment?
Sample Answer:
“Evaluating the success of a recently implemented solution is essential to ensure it meets the client’s needs and contributes to their overall business objectives. I would assess its effectiveness by using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. First, I’d establish key performance indicators (KPIs) relevant to the solution. These could be metrics like reduced processing time, increased sales, or improved customer satisfaction scores. By comparing these KPIs before and after the implementation, we can quantify the impact of our solution. Additionally, it’s crucial to gather feedback directly from the users interacting with the solution daily. Surveys, interviews, or focus groups can provide valuable insights into user experience, potential issues, and areas for improvement. This qualitative data enhances our understanding of the solution’s effectiveness beyond what numbers
SQL Question 5: How do you select records without duplicates from a table?
The keyword added to a statement can be used to get records without duplicates.
For example, say you had a table of nCino customers:
| name | city |
|---|---|
| Akash | SF |
| Brittany | NYC |
| Carlos | NYC |
| Diego | Seattle |
| Eva | SF |
| Faye | Seattle |
If you wanted to find out which cities the customers lived in without getting too many results, you could write a query like this:
Your result would be:
| city |
|---|
| SF |
| NYC |
| Seattle |
SQL Question 6: Average Duration of Loan Processing
There is a table called Loans in the bank operating system nCino. It has columns for, which show how long it took to process the loan, and Your job is to find out how long it takes to process each type of loan on average in January 2022.
| loan_id | customer_id | application_date | loan_type | processing_days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 101 | 123 | 01/05/2022 | Personal | 20 |
| 102 | 456 | 12/25/2021 | Personal | 30 |
| 103 | 789 | 01/15/2022 | Mortgage | 25 |
| 104 | 456 | 01/30/2022 | Car | 15 |
| 105 | 123 | 01/20/2022 | Mortgage | 30 |
| month | loan_type | avg_processing_days |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Personal | 20.00 |
| 1 | Mortgage | 27.50 |
| 1 | Car | 15.00 |
This query first filters the data to include only loans applied for in January 2022. It then groups the data by and calculates the average processing days for each group. The use of the function allows us to separate the month and year from the .
nCino Small Business Banking Solution – Demo
FAQ
What questions are asked in a CAM programmer interview?
What questions are asked at the builder IO interview?
What is the interview process like at nCino?
I interviewed at nCino (Wilmington, NC) in Jun 2022 Consisted of an initial phone interview followed up by a Zoom meeting with the department hiring manager. After this, applicants are given an online assessment to gauge the developers skillset (through CodeSignal).
How many nCino interview questions are there?
nCino interview questions. Prepfully has 348 interview questions asked at nCino. All interview questions are submitted by recent nCino candidates, labelled and categorized by Prepfully, and then published after verification by current and ex- nCino employees.
How does nCino support its customers?
Led by Sean Desmond, these teams support our customers through every step of their nCino journey. This department is comprised of project managers, implementation consultants, integration advisors, support engineers, trainers and customer success managers who collectively possess decades of banking, technology and Salesforce experience.
Why should you work at nCino?
At nCino, employees are empowered to do their best work and be their best self. nCino is home to over 1,200 employees working in 7 offices across 5 countries, and every team member brings unique skills, talents and perspectives to the company. Learn more about each department at nCino and how you can contribute.
