Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG®) is a global hospitality leader, offering an array of popular hotel brands including InterContinental, Holiday Inn Express, and Crowne Plaza. Known for providing exceptional guest experiences across more than 100 countries, IHG focuses on innovation and excellence in the hospitality industry.

Stepping into a role as a Data Engineer at IHG means working on large datasets, optimizing data pipelines, and contributing to the overall data strategy. This position demands a solid foundation in data warehousing, ETL processes, and proficiency in various data-related technologies. As a Data Engineer, you will play a crucial role in leveraging data to drive business insights and operational efficiency.

If you are aiming to join IHG in this pivotal role, Interview Query has created this guide to help you navigate the interview process. We’ll cover common interview questions, essential practices, and valuable tips to prepare you for success. Let's dive in!

Submitting Your Application

The first step in joining Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG®) as a Data Engineer is to submit a compelling application that reflects your technical skills and enthusiasm for the role. Whether you were contacted by an IHG recruiter or applied proactively, it’s crucial to carefully review the job description and tailor your CV according to the specific requirements.

Tailoring your CV involves identifying the keywords that the hiring manager might be looking for and crafting a targeted cover letter. Make sure to highlight relevant skills and mention your previous work experiences that align with the job description.

Recruiter/Hiring Manager Call Screening

If your CV makes it to the shortlist, an IHG recruiter will contact you to discuss your experience and skill levels. This initial call serves to verify key details and may include some behavioral questions.

In some instances, the hiring manager for the Data Engineer role may also be present during this screening round to provide insights into the role and the company. They may also ask some surface-level technical and behavioral questions. The recruiter call usually lasts around 30 minutes.

Technical Virtual Interview

If you successfully navigate the recruiter round, you'll be invited to a technical screening round. This stage often involves video conferencing and screen sharing. During this 1-hour interview, expect questions revolving around IHG’s data systems, ETL pipelines, and SQL queries.

For the Data Engineer role, you might also be given take-home assignments focusing on data pipelines, data manipulation, and optimization problems. Your proficiency in data architectures and big data technologies like Hadoop or Spark may also be assessed.

Onsite Interview Rounds

Once you pass the technical screening, you'll receive an invitation for the onsite interview loop. This stage involves multiple rounds of interviews at an IHG office, where you will be evaluated on your technical skills, including programming, data engineering principles, and problem-solving abilities.

If you were assigned take-home exercises, you might be required to present your solutions during one of the onsite rounds. Expect to be questioned on your thought process, implementation, and optimization techniques.

Quick Tips For IHG® Data Engineer Interviews

• Study IHG’s Data Ecosystem: Be prepared to answer questions on data systems and ETL processes specific to IHG’s infrastructure. Research their data architecture and understand how it aligns with your experience.
• Practice Technical Skills: Brush up on your SQL, Python, and data pipeline skills. Use platforms like Interview Query to practice relevant problems and prepare for technical questions.
• Understand the Business: Having a good grasp of IHG’s core business and how data engineering can contribute to improving hotel operations could impress interviewers. Be ready to discuss how your skills can add value to the company's goals.

Typically, interviews at Intercontinental Hotels Group (Ihg®) vary by role and team, but commonly Data Engineer interviews follow a fairly standardized process across these question topics.

• What retention rate is needed to break even with a two-year contract under a subscription model? Smart Sales Incorporated is considering switching from a one-time sale model to a subscription-based model for its POS systems. Calculate the retention rate required to break even with the traditional model over a two-year contract period.

• What retention rate is needed to break even in four and six years if the two-year target is missed? If the company does not break even within the initial two-year contract period, determine the retention rates required to break even in the subsequent four years and six years. Assume the costs for subscription and one-time sales are equivalent.

• What retention rate is needed for Smart Sales Incorporated to break even with a two-year contract? Smart Sales Incorporated is considering switching from a one-time sale model to a subscription-based model for its POS systems. Given a two-year contract duration, calculate the retention rate required to break even with the traditional one-time sale model.

• What retention rate is needed to break even in four and six years if the two-year target is missed? If the company does not break even within the initial two-year contract period, determine the retention rate required to break even in the subsequent four years and in the next six years. Assume the cost for subscription and one-time sales are equivalent.

• Write a SQL query to select the 2nd highest salary in the engineering department. Write a SQL query to select the 2nd highest salary in the engineering department. If more than one person shares the highest salary, the query should select the next highest salary.

• How do we deal with missing square footage data to construct a housing price prediction model? You have scraped 100K sold listings in Seattle over the past three years, but 20% of the listings are missing square footage data. How would you handle this missing data to build your housing price prediction model?

• What kind of model and features would you use to predict restaurant food preparation time? You want to predict the time a restaurant takes to prepare food from the moment an order comes in until it is ready. What type of model would you build, and what features would you consider?

What is the average salary for a Data Engineer at Intercontinental Hotels Group (Ihg®)?

Q: What is the interview process for a Data Engineer position at Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG®) like?

A: The interview process at IHG® for a Data Engineer role typically includes an initial phone screen, followed by one or more technical interviews focusing on your data engineering skills and problem-solving abilities. Finally, there may be an on-site or virtual panel interview to assess your cultural fit within the company.

Q: What technical skills are important for the Data Engineer position at IHG®?

A: Essential technical skills for the Data Engineer role at IHG® include proficiency in SQL, ETL processes, data warehousing solutions, and cloud platforms like AWS or Azure. Additionally, experience with data modeling, big data technologies, and Python or other programming languages is highly valuable.

Q: What can you tell me about the company culture at IHG® for Data Engineers?

A: IHG® fosters a collaborative, innovative, and inclusive workplace culture. As a Data Engineer, you'll be working in a dynamic environment that encourages continuous learning, creativity, and teamwork. The company places a strong emphasis on diversity and work-life balance.

Q: What type of projects do Data Engineers at IHG® typically work on?

A: Data Engineers at IHG® work on a variety of projects, including designing and implementing data pipelines, optimizing data workflows, and developing scalable data solutions. They play a crucial role in leveraging data to drive business insights and enhance customer experiences across numerous IHG® properties worldwide.

Q: How can I best prepare for a Data Engineer interview at IHG®?

A: To prepare for an interview at IHG®, it is important to understand the company's core values and its data engineering needs. Practice common technical questions and real-world data engineering problems using Interview Query. Additionally, brush up on your knowledge of relevant tools and technologies, and be ready to discuss your past project experiences in detail.

If you want more insights about the company, check out our main Intercontinental Hotels Group Interview Guide, where we have covered many interview questions that could be asked. We’ve also created interview guides for other roles, such as software engineer and data analyst, where you can learn more about Intercontinental Hotels Group's interview process for different positions.

At Interview Query, we empower you to unlock your interview prowess with a comprehensive toolkit, equipping you with the knowledge, confidence, and strategic guidance to conquer every Intercontinental Hotels Group Data Engineer interview question and challenge.

You can check out all our company interview guides for better preparation, and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Good luck with your interview!