SDE-2 Backend
Interview Date
August 2024
Result
Rejected
Difficulty
Medium-Hard
Rounds
5 rounds
Drive Type
Full-Time, Remote
Topics asked
Detailed experience
College: Not Specified (Current company: Microsoft)
Interview Date: August 2024
Interview Type: Full-Time, Remote
Result: Rejected
Difficulty: Medium-Hard
Rounds: 5 rounds
Topics Asked: Data Structures, Algorithms (LeetCode Medium), Deep Dive on past work, Code Review, System Design
The candidate applied directly on LinkedIn and was contacted by a recruiter for a screening round. All interviewers were from the USA, so interviews were conducted during IST night time due to Coursera's expansion in India.
Round 1: Screening Round
The problem asked was similar to one previously discussed on LeetCode (link provided in source). The feedback was positive, leading to the scheduling of the next four rounds.
Round 2: DSA
The exact problem could not be shared due to an NDA, but it was described as a LeetCode Medium level problem. The interviewer was helpful during this round.
Round 3: Deep Dive
This round involved a detailed discussion of past work. The candidate had to explain a project where they had a significant impact at scale while solving an engineering problem. The candidate felt these rounds are tricky as it's hard to balance detail without losing impact or running out of time.
Round 4: Code Review Round
The candidate was expected to perform a code review of a backend Pull Request (PR). They could choose the language (e.g., JS/Java). The interviewer would then reply to some of the review comments and ask for additional details.
Round 5: System Design
Again, the exact problem statement was under NDA, but it was related to extending existing functionalities of a Coursera feature. The interviewer was described as super helpful and kind.
Verdict and Feedback:
The candidate was rejected after five rounds, which was disappointing, especially with a generic rejection email. Upon contacting the recruiter multiple times, feedback was received: the interviewer in the "Deep Dive" round did not find the past work impactful enough, and the coding standards in the "Code Review" round did not meet expectations.
Tips: The candidate suggested that DSA problems often get repeated, so reviewing interview experiences on Glassdoor and tagged problems on LeetCode is beneficial.