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Software Engineer interview questionsCoding round
A 60 min interview plan with a time-boxed script, what each question is for, and the signals to score against. Key skills: Problem-solving, algorithmic thinking, and coding skills..
Coding Challenge
50 min
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Problem 1: Two Sum Given an array of integers nums and an integer target, return indices of the two numbers such that they add up to target. You may assume that each input would have exactly one solution, and you may not use the same element twice. You can return the answer in any order. Examples: vbnet Copy code Input: nums = [2,7,11,15], target = 9 Output: [0,1] Explanation: Because nums [0] + nums [1] == 9, we return [0, 1]. Input: nums = [3,2,4], target = 6 Output: [1,2] Follow-Up Questions: What is the time complexity of your solution? Can you find a solution with better time complexity? How would your approach change if the array is sorted?
What this question is for, and what to listen for
Purpose
Assess problem-solving, algorithmic thinking, and coding skills.
Signals to score
- Understands the problem correctly
- Explains approach before coding
- Writes correct code
- Uses appropriate data structures
- Considers edge cases
- Provides time and space complexity
- Optimizes the solution
- Tests the code with examples
Follow-up questions
- How can we keep track of the numbers we've seen so far?
- Is there a way to achieve this in a single pass?
- What data structure allows for constant-time lookups?
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Problem 2: Merge Two Sorted Lists Merge two sorted linked lists and return it as a new sorted list. The new list should be made by splicing together the nodes of the first two lists. Example: makefile Copy code Input: l1 = [1,2,4], l2 = [1,3,4] Output: [1,1,2,3,4,4] Follow-Up Questions: What is the time complexity of your solution? How would you handle large lists that might not fit in memory?
What this question is for, and what to listen for
Purpose
Assess ability to work with linked lists and algorithms.
Signals to score
- Understands how to merge lists
- Writes correct code
- Explains approach clearly
- Considers edge cases (e.g., empty lists)
- Provides time and space complexity
Follow-up questions
- How do you decide which node to add next?
- What happens when one list is exhausted before the other?
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If you had more time, what would you improve in your solutions?
What this question is for, and what to listen for
Purpose
Assess the candidate's ability to reflect on their work and consider improvements.
Signals to score
- Identifies possible optimizations
- Mentions code readability
- Considers additional edge cases
- Thinks about testing and validation
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Good job on the coding problems.
What this section is for
Purpose
Provide positive feedback and transition to closing.
Closing
5 min
What this section is for
Purpose
Thank the candidate and provide next steps.
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Do you have any questions for me?
What this question is for, and what to listen for
Purpose
Gauge the candidate's interest and provide information.
Signals to score
- Asks thoughtful questions
- Shows interest in the role and company
- Inquires about team dynamics or projects
- Engages in the conversation
Software Engineer interviews — common questions
- Who is this Software Engineer interview plan for?
- It is written for the interviewer, not the candidate: the hiring manager, engineer or panel member running the Coding round for a Software Engineer role. It gives you a 60 min script to follow in the conversation — 4 questions with what each one is for and the signals to score against — so you are not writing the round from scratch the night before.
- What does the Coding round assess?
- This round is focused on: Problem-solving, algorithmic thinking, and coding skills.. It works through Coding Challenge and Closing, scoring against 19 observable signals, with follow-up prompts on 2 of the 4 questions for going deeper where an answer is thin.
- How is the 60 min split up?
- Coding Challenge (50 min), Closing (5 min). The timings are there so the round stays on schedule and every candidate gets the same shape of interview — which is what makes two candidates comparable afterwards.
- What other rounds should I run for a Software Engineer?
A single round does not cover a whole role. The other rounds in this library for a Software Engineer: