Everything you should know about Code For Good by JP Morgan Chase & Co.

It all started on March 18, 2024, when our KL University placement cell announced the JP Morgan Chase and Co. Code for Good hackathon and asked us to register for it(BTW I am in my 3rd year at this point).

Initially, I thought it was like a regular hackathon, but it was an opportunity to land in a internship role for 3rd-year students and a full-time employment role for final-year students at JPMC. There is a CGPA cutoff of 8.5 to be eligible for it (don’t trust those who say CGPA won’t matter). I am a person who takes any opportunity related to my field, so I applied by creating a good resume.

In the first week of April, some of my friends received an online technical assessment (HackerRank) link, but I didn’t receive it. I thought I had missed the opportunity and felt it wasn’t my day or even my year. However, on April 8, I received the link. The test contained two DSA problems: one with a low-medium difficulty level and the other with a medium-high difficulty level. You may get any combination, so make sure you brush up on your DSA skills.

On April 19, I received a HireVue video interview link for a behavioral assessment. Don’t panic; it is not a face-to-face interview. The interview contained two behavioral questions that you can answer in general. For each question, there will be two attempts, so if you mess up the first time, you can try again. Make sure to brush up on your communication skills.

On May 30, I received three emails about Zoom meetings. I thought they were some random newsletters from JPMC, so I screenshotted them and asked a few seniors about them. Everyone started congratulating me. This was the moment I felt so happy and excited at the same time. The meetings were:

• Code for Good Hyderabad Office Hours (Ask the program team any questions or doubts) on June 4

• GitHub — How it will be used at the hackathon on June 11

• Hackathon Survival Guide (How to set yourself up for success at Code for Good) on June 12

Make sure to attend each meeting and ask any questions you have about the hackathon. Anshuman Magal , Program Manager at JPMC and famous for his “No Worries!” phrase, held the meetings and answered each query with patience. These meetings provide details about the hackathon and travel reimbursement (yes, they do provide it).

The hackathon was conducted on June 22–23, 2024. There was plenty of time to brush up on your web development or app development skills (yes, you need them). The agenda of the hackathon, Code for Good, is part of JPMC’s Tech for Social Good. Some NGOs present their problems, which can be solved by technology, and it also serves as a platform for JPMC to filter candidates for summer internships (for pre-final year students) and full-time employment (for final-year students).

They divide the shortlisted candidates into teams by placing candidates from different institutions together. There is a low probability that two members from the same institute will end up on the same team. The team mapping will be sent to you in the week of the hackathon via SLACK, and you can try connecting with your teammates beforehand to build rapport (trust me, it helps).

I went to Hyderabad a day before the hackathon and stayed at my sister’s place. Our team consisted of 7 members, 4 of whom were based in Hyderabad. Another member from Vizag also went to Hyderabad a day before, and a girl from Rajasthan came to Hyderabad a day before the hackathon and stayed in a hotel (accommodation expenses are not reimbursed by JPMC). Once the team mapping was released on SLACK, we contacted each other, created a dedicated group to introduce ourselves, and identified our strengths and weaknesses.

JP Morgan Tower, Hitech City, Hyderabad

We all met on the day of the hackathon, June 22, at 9:30 AM at JP Morgan Towers in Hitech City. You need a government ID proof to enter the office, so keep one handy. After entering, you will be given a T-shirt and ID card, followed by brunch. After that, there will be an opening ceremony where the NGOs present their challenges or problem statements. After the presentations, you will have a very short time, say 3–5 minutes, to decide which problem statement your team will solve based on your tech stack skills. The problem statements are allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis, so you may not get the one you wanted. However, this will not hinder your winning chances, as many teams have won the hackathon with their last preferred problem statement. Don’t get disappointed if you don’t get the problem statement you wanted.

After the challenge alignment, the NGOs and aligned teams will have a face-to-face Q&A session to gather more information about the requirements. During the opening ceremony, your team will also be assigned a mentor. After that, you will be directed to the workspace where you will work for the next 24 hours. Start brainstorming and working on your project. Make sure to convey your thought process to your mentor because they can help you if you are lagging. JPMC has the coolest employees who will not insist on how you should work. Ultimately, it’s your team who has to come to a conclusion and start working on the project.

There will be activities throughout the hackathon to help you learn more about JPMC beyond just being a tech company. You will have snack sessions and continue working. From the night, you will get another mentor. This process continues until morning, and there will be a cut-off time relative to your batch. After that, you are not allowed to code anymore. You also have to make a presentation before the deadline and go through reviews. There will be two panels for each problem statement, and each team will go through two reviews. Two teams will face each other in the finals. After the reviews, you will have a lunch break, and the final judging round will commence. In the finals, the judges are the NGOs and higher-level authorities of JPMC, and they will pick one winner for each problem statement and give them prizes. The timings may vary for Batch 1 and Batch 2.

Warning: These timelines and schedules are based on my experience at CFG Hyderabad 2024 and may vary from location to location and year to year.

Tips:

1. Attend all the sessions if you get shortlisted.

2. Start honing your development skills as soon as you know you are shortlisted.

3. Build rapport with your team and avoid being dominant as it can destroy teamwork.

4. Be flexible and take informed decisions.

5. Communicate with your teammates and your team mentor about any changes.

6. Be respectful and friendly to others.

7. Don’t take photos outside the designated areas.

Don’t get demotivated if you don’t make it to the finals. All you can do is give your best. Sometimes you may feel you have the best solution but may not get into the finals. It’s not about us; it’s about the NGO picking the best solution that fits their needs. Make as many contributions as you can during the hackathon, and trust me, you can make the best memories and friends if you are selected.

Edit : Almost a month after the hackathon, the results were announced. I received an email from my placement cell informing me that I secured a summer internship for 2025 (Huhhhh!!! Finallyyyy) . I will share my internship experience once it is over. Stay tuned.

CFG Hyderabad 2024 — Team 55 (Spidev Society)

Feel free to ask anything by connecting with me on LinkedIn.