# Fellow
**Role:** Software Engineer · **Level:** G14
**Company:** [Airbnb](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/airbnb)
**Difficulty:** Hard
**Salary:** US$180000 - US$250000
**Experience:** 10 - 15
**Timeline:** ~21 days
The Airbnb Fellow Software Engineer interview process for the G14 level is a rigorous and comprehensive evaluation designed to identify candidates with exceptional technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and a strong cultural fit with Airbnb's values. The process typically involves multiple rounds, including technical assessments, behavioral interviews, and a final hiring manager discussion. The goal is to assess a candidate's ability to design, build, and maintain scalable and reliable software systems, as well as their capacity to collaborate effectively within a team and contribute to Airbnb's mission.
Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/airbnb/g14-software-engineer
---
## Overall evaluation

- Technical Skills
- Behavioral and Cultural Fit

## Questions asked

- Describe a time you had to make a significant technical decision with incomplete information.
- How would you design a system to handle real-time updates for millions of users?
- Tell me about a project where you had to collaborate with cross-functional teams. What were the challenges and how did you overcome them?
- What are your thoughts on microservices architecture? What are the pros and cons?
- How do you ensure the quality and reliability of the software you build?
- Describe a situation where you disagreed with your manager or a senior engineer. How did you handle it?
- How would you approach debugging a performance issue in a distributed system?
- What are your favorite programming languages and why?
- How do you stay up-to-date with the latest technologies and trends in software engineering?
- Tell me about a time you failed. What did you learn from it?

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Thoroughly review data structures and algorithms, focusing on common patterns and complexities.
- Practice system design problems, considering scalability, reliability, and trade-offs.
- Prepare specific examples from your past experience that demonstrate your skills and align with Airbnb's values (e.g., leadership, collaboration, problem-solving).
- Understand Airbnb's business, products, and engineering challenges.
- Research common interview questions for senior software engineering roles.
- Practice explaining your thought process clearly and concisely.
- Prepare questions to ask the interviewers about the role, team, and company culture.

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Data Structures and Algorithms","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash tables) and algorithms (sorting, searching, dynamic programming, graph traversal). Practice problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, and Cracking the Coding Interview.","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Algorithms fundamentals. Practice coding problems."}
- {"title":"System Design","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Dive into system design concepts. Study topics like distributed systems, databases (SQL vs. NoSQL), caching, load balancing, message queues, and API design. Review common system design interview questions and practice designing systems like Twitter feed, URL shortener, or a ride-sharing service.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: System Design principles. Practice designing scalable systems."}
- {"title":"Behavioral Interview Preparation","longDescription":"Week 5: Prepare for behavioral interviews. Reflect on your past projects and experiences, identifying examples that showcase leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, and alignment with Airbnb's values. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers.","shortDescription":"Week 5: Behavioral interview preparation. Use STAR method."}
- {"title":"Mock Interviews and Final Review","longDescription":"Week 6: Mock interviews and final review. Conduct mock interviews with peers or mentors to simulate the actual interview experience. Review your notes, practice articulating your thoughts, and prepare thoughtful questions for the interviewers.","shortDescription":"Week 6: Mock interviews and final review."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"San Francisco","differences":{"tips":["Emphasize your experience with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure).","Be prepared to discuss your contributions to open-source projects.","Highlight any experience you have with managing or leading technical teams.","Showcase your ability to think about the business impact of technical decisions."],"interviewFocus":["Deep understanding of distributed systems and scalability.","Experience with large-scale data processing and analysis.","Ability to mentor and lead junior engineers.","Strong communication and collaboration skills."],"commonQuestions":["How would you design a distributed caching system for Airbnb's listing service?","Discuss a time you had to deal with a major production incident. What was your role, what did you learn, and how did you prevent it from happening again?","Describe your experience with A/B testing and how you would set up an experiment to test a new feature on the Airbnb platform."]}}
- {"location":"Remote","differences":{"tips":["Brush up on data structures and algorithms.","Be ready to discuss your past projects in detail.","Prepare examples that demonstrate your problem-solving approach.","Research Airbnb's engineering blog and recent technical challenges."],"interviewFocus":["Proficiency in specific programming languages and frameworks relevant to the team.","Problem-solving skills and algorithmic thinking.","Understanding of software development best practices.","Ability to adapt to new technologies and challenges."],"commonQuestions":["How would you design a real-time notification system for Airbnb bookings?","Tell me about a complex technical challenge you faced and how you overcame it.","How do you approach performance optimization in a large-scale web application?"]}}

## Round 1: Recruiter Screen
**Type:** Recruiter Screen · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Initial screening to assess basic qualifications and cultural fit.
The initial screening round is conducted by a recruiter or HR representative to assess your overall fit for the role and Airbnb's culture. They will typically ask about your background, motivations for applying, and general understanding of the company. This round also serves to confirm your eligibility and provide an overview of the interview process.
**Interviewers look for:** Fundamental programming skills.; Ability to solve straightforward coding problems.; Clear communication of logic.
**Evaluation criteria:** Basic coding proficiency.; Understanding of fundamental data structures and algorithms.; Ability to communicate thought process.
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of clarity in explaining technical concepts.; Inability to articulate problem-solving approach.; Poor performance on coding challenges.; Not demonstrating sufficient depth in system design.; Lack of enthusiasm or engagement.
## Questions

- Tell me about yourself.
- Why are you interested in Airbnb?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- What are your salary expectations?

## Preparation tips

- Research Airbnb's mission, values, and recent news.
- Be prepared to talk about your resume and career goals.
- Practice answering common behavioral questions.
- Have thoughtful questions ready to ask the interviewer.

## Round 2: Technical Coding Interview
**Type:** Data Structures and Algorithms Interview · **Difficulty:** Hard · **Duration:** 60 min
Assess coding skills with data structures and algorithms problems.
This round focuses on your technical abilities, specifically your knowledge of data structures and algorithms. You will be asked to solve one or two coding problems, typically on a shared online editor. The interviewer will assess your ability to understand the problem, devise an efficient solution, write clean code, and analyze its time and space complexity. They will also look for how you handle edge cases and test your code.
**Interviewers look for:** Strong coding skills.; Ability to analyze and optimize algorithms.; Attention to detail.; Problem-solving approach.
**Evaluation criteria:** Proficiency in data structures and algorithms.; Ability to write clean, efficient, and correct code.; Understanding of time and space complexity.; Problem-solving skills.
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to solve coding problems efficiently.; Poor time complexity analysis.; Difficulty in translating requirements into code.; Lack of understanding of edge cases.; Unclear or incorrect logic.
## Questions

- Given an array of integers, find the contiguous subarray with the largest sum.
- Implement a function to reverse a linked list.
- Find the kth smallest element in a binary search tree.
- Design a data structure that supports insert, delete, and getRandom in O(1) time.

## Preparation tips

- Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, focusing on medium to hard difficulty.
- Review common data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps) and algorithms (sorting, searching, dynamic programming).
- Understand Big O notation for time and space complexity.
- Practice explaining your thought process while coding.
- Be prepared to discuss trade-offs of different approaches.

## Round 3: System Design Interview
**Type:** System Design Interview · **Difficulty:** Hard · **Duration:** 60 min
Assess ability to design scalable and distributed systems.
This round evaluates your ability to design large-scale, distributed systems. You'll be presented with a broad problem statement (e.g., design a URL shortener, a social media feed, or a ride-sharing service) and expected to design a system that is scalable, reliable, and performant. The interviewer will probe your design choices, ask about trade-offs, and explore potential bottlenecks and failure scenarios.
**Interviewers look for:** System design thinking.; Understanding of scalability and performance.; Knowledge of distributed systems.; Ability to handle ambiguity.; Pragmatic approach to problem-solving.
**Evaluation criteria:** Ability to design complex, scalable, and reliable systems.; Understanding of distributed systems principles.; Consideration of trade-offs and constraints.; Knowledge of various system components (databases, caches, load balancers, etc.).; Ability to communicate design choices clearly.
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to design scalable and reliable systems.; Lack of consideration for trade-offs and constraints.; Poor understanding of distributed systems concepts.; Failure to address potential failure points.; Not thinking about operational aspects like monitoring and logging.
## Questions

- Design a system like Twitter's news feed.
- How would you design a rate limiter for an API?
- Design a distributed key-value store.
- How would you design a system to handle real-time analytics for millions of events?

## Preparation tips

- Study system design concepts: load balancing, caching, databases (SQL vs. NoSQL), message queues, microservices, CAP theorem.
- Practice designing common systems like Twitter, Facebook News Feed, Uber, etc.
- Focus on identifying requirements, estimating scale, designing APIs, data models, and high-level architecture.
- Be prepared to discuss trade-offs between different technologies and approaches.
- Consider aspects like availability, latency, consistency, and fault tolerance.

## Round 4: Behavioral and Cultural Fit Interview
**Type:** Behavioral Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Assess behavioral competencies and cultural fit with Airbnb's values.
This round focuses on your behavioral competencies and cultural fit. You'll be asked questions about your past experiences, focusing on how you've handled various situations related to teamwork, leadership, conflict resolution, and dealing with challenges. The goal is to understand how you operate within a team and if your values align with Airbnb's.
**Interviewers look for:** Demonstration of Airbnb's values.; Effective communication.; Teamwork and collaboration.; Self-awareness.; Passion and drive.
**Evaluation criteria:** Alignment with Airbnb's core values (e.g., Belong Anywhere, Champion the Mission, Embrace the Power of Community, Be a Host).; Communication and interpersonal skills.; Problem-solving approach in non-technical contexts.; Leadership potential and collaboration abilities.; Cultural fit and motivation.
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of alignment with Airbnb's values.; Poor communication or collaboration skills.; Inability to provide specific examples for behavioral questions.; Lack of enthusiasm or passion for the role/company.; Not demonstrating leadership potential.
## Questions

- Tell me about a time you had to work with a difficult colleague. How did you handle it?
- Describe a situation where you took initiative to improve a process or product.
- How do you handle constructive criticism?
- Tell me about a time you failed. What did you learn?
- How do you prioritize your work when you have multiple competing deadlines?

## Preparation tips

- Review Airbnb's core values and prepare examples that demonstrate them.
- Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers.
- Be honest and authentic in your responses.
- Show enthusiasm for the role and the company.
- Prepare questions to ask about team dynamics, culture, and career growth.

## Round 5: Hiring Manager Discussion
**Type:** Hiring Manager Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Final discussion with the Hiring Manager to assess overall fit and discuss the role.
This is typically the final round with the Hiring Manager. They will consolidate feedback from previous rounds, discuss the specific team and projects you would be working on, and assess your overall fit. This is also an opportunity for you to ask in-depth questions about the role, team dynamics, and career growth opportunities at Airbnb.
**Interviewers look for:** Confirmation of skills and experience.; Enthusiasm for the specific role and team.; Alignment with team culture.; Candidate's questions and engagement.
**Evaluation criteria:** Overall assessment of technical and behavioral fit.; Alignment with the specific team's needs and goals.; Potential for growth and impact within the team.; Candidate's enthusiasm and questions.
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of alignment with the team's technical direction.; Unrealistic expectations regarding role or compensation.; Poor fit with the team's working style.; Not demonstrating sufficient leadership or impact.; Overall negative impression from previous rounds.
## Questions

- What are your long-term career goals?
- What are you looking for in your next role?
- What are your thoughts on the challenges facing Airbnb's engineering team?
- Do you have any questions for me?

## Preparation tips

- Be prepared to discuss your career aspirations and how they align with the role.
- Have specific questions about the team's projects, challenges, and culture.
- Reiterate your interest and enthusiasm for the position.
- Be ready to summarize your key strengths and how you can contribute.