Samsara

Role: SSE (Senior Software Engineer)

College: Not Specified

Interview Date: Not Specified

Interview Type: Full-Time

Result: Rejected

Difficulty: Easy (DSA), Hard (System Design)

Rounds: 4 rounds

Topics Asked: Data Structures, Algorithms, System Design, Behavioral, String Parsing

Experience:

This interview experience for a Senior Software Engineer (SSE) role at Samsara involved four rounds.

The first round was a DSA (Data Structures and Algorithms) round where the candidate was asked to convert markdown to HTML. The feedback was positive, with the only minor negative point being that the code was run only after complete implementation.

The second round was a managerial round, which included general behavioral questions such as "tell me a time when...". The interviewer was receptive and discussed the responsibilities of the role in depth.

The third round was another DSA round, focusing on implementing a library for command-line commands. This problem was considered "very easy," requiring basic string parsing, with some tricky follow-up questions.

The fourth round was a System Design Round. The task was to design a system where users could upload CSV files containing transaction lists, and then view relevant information on a UI. The discussion involved designing the high-level flow, explaining each component and technology choice, and delving into details about the database, querying logs, and detecting fraud.

The candidate was ultimately rejected, with the feedback indicating a need for improvement in design skills.