Staff Engineer Interview Questions

5,885 staff engineer interview questions shared by candidates

Questions were simple (same as described in glassdoor). Interviewer called on time, but didn't introduce himself. Directly jumped into questions (lags professionalism). There was no NDA. So, I think I can share the questions, 1) Search for "WordDistanceFinder linkedin". http://www.careercup.com/question?id=5725709041401856 2) Search for "TwoSum with test()/store()" methods. https://github.com/fcarriedo/algorithms/blob/master/exercises/twosumtest/TwoSumTest.java I discussed and coded more than two solutions for both problems. Wrote bug free code (verified my code after the interview in other websites). My mistakes: 1) I explained that we can use Set instead of HashMap verbally. I didn't type it in the editor. Looks like the lazy interviewer didn't make a note on that. Seems hiring committee raised concern on data structures (actually I used HashMap to support future enhancement - again didn't type that in the editor). 2) I didn't add comments in the code - Its an interview, don't expect someone to type comments - thats why I was explaining. 3) Used short variable names (asked interviewer is short notation fine with him... i.e., Used "idx" instead of "index". He was fine with that). Again I didn't mention that in the editor. Based on above three mistakes, the hiring committee said they'll consider me for Sr. software engineer. but definitely not for Staff Engineer. That too after another PS. Now I'm wondering whether I've to proceed my candidature with LinkedIn (I've an offer for a director level position with another $3B company). I've taken more than 100 interviews for my company. But this experience disappoints me. Advice to LinkedIn: Please give trainings to your interviewers. Make sure you collect right data points about your candidates (either ask your interviewer type a detailed feedback, or you talk to the interviewer). Because what you see is not the complete picture of the truth. My advice: Whatever you want to convey in a phone screen, make sure you type them in the editor.
avatar

Staff Engineer

Interviewed at LinkedIn

3.8
Sep 22, 2015

Questions were simple (same as described in glassdoor). Interviewer called on time, but didn't introduce himself. Directly jumped into questions (lags professionalism). There was no NDA. So, I think I can share the questions, 1) Search for "WordDistanceFinder linkedin". http://www.careercup.com/question?id=5725709041401856 2) Search for "TwoSum with test()/store()" methods. https://github.com/fcarriedo/algorithms/blob/master/exercises/twosumtest/TwoSumTest.java I discussed and coded more than two solutions for both problems. Wrote bug free code (verified my code after the interview in other websites). My mistakes: 1) I explained that we can use Set instead of HashMap verbally. I didn't type it in the editor. Looks like the lazy interviewer didn't make a note on that. Seems hiring committee raised concern on data structures (actually I used HashMap to support future enhancement - again didn't type that in the editor). 2) I didn't add comments in the code - Its an interview, don't expect someone to type comments - thats why I was explaining. 3) Used short variable names (asked interviewer is short notation fine with him... i.e., Used "idx" instead of "index". He was fine with that). Again I didn't mention that in the editor. Based on above three mistakes, the hiring committee said they'll consider me for Sr. software engineer. but definitely not for Staff Engineer. That too after another PS. Now I'm wondering whether I've to proceed my candidature with LinkedIn (I've an offer for a director level position with another $3B company). I've taken more than 100 interviews for my company. But this experience disappoints me. Advice to LinkedIn: Please give trainings to your interviewers. Make sure you collect right data points about your candidates (either ask your interviewer type a detailed feedback, or you talk to the interviewer). Because what you see is not the complete picture of the truth. My advice: Whatever you want to convey in a phone screen, make sure you type them in the editor.

Interviewer: Have you had any conflicts at all? Question posed in a way that assumed that I likely wouldn't have any conflicts to talk about, it felt like a rhetorical question because the interviewer was looking for reasons to cut the interview short.
avatar

Senior Staff Software Engineer

Interviewed at LinkedIn

3.8
Sep 14, 2023

Interviewer: Have you had any conflicts at all? Question posed in a way that assumed that I likely wouldn't have any conflicts to talk about, it felt like a rhetorical question because the interviewer was looking for reasons to cut the interview short.

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