# Software Engineer
**Role:** Software Engineer · **Level:** Software Engineer 2
**Company:** [Akamai](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/akamai)
**Difficulty:** Medium to Hard
**Salary:** US$90000 - US$130000
**Experience:** 2 - 5
**Timeline:** ~14 days
This interview process is designed to assess candidates for a Software Engineer position at Akamai, focusing on technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit. The process typically involves multiple rounds, starting with an HR screening, followed by technical interviews, and concluding with a hiring manager interview.
Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/akamai/software-engineer-2-software-engineer
---
## Overall evaluation

- Technical Proficiency
- Communication and Collaboration
- Behavioral and Cultural Fit

## Questions asked

- Given an array of integers, find the contiguous subarray with the largest sum.
- Design a system to shorten URLs.
- Implement a function to reverse a linked list.
- How would you design a rate limiter?
- Explain the difference between processes and threads.
- Describe a situation where you had to deal with a difficult stakeholder.
- What are the advantages of using a NoSQL database over a SQL database?
- How do you approach testing your code?
- Tell me about a time you disagreed with a team member and how you resolved it.
- Design a news feed system similar to Facebook's.

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Review fundamental data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps) and algorithms (sorting, searching, dynamic programming, graph traversal).
- Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or AlgoExpert, focusing on medium to hard difficulty.
- Study system design principles, including scalability, availability, reliability, and common design patterns.
- Understand core computer science concepts such as operating systems, databases, and networking.
- Prepare for behavioral questions by using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers.
- Research Akamai's products, services, and company culture.
- Prepare questions to ask the interviewer about the role, team, and company.

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Data Structures and Algorithms Fundamentals","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures and algorithms. Practice implementing and analyzing the time and space complexity of common algorithms. Solve at least 20-30 problems related to arrays, strings, linked lists, and basic trees.","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Algorithms (Arrays, Strings, Linked Lists, Trees). Solve 20-30 problems."}
- {"title":"Advanced Data Structures and Algorithms","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Deep dive into more complex data structures like graphs, heaps, and hash tables. Practice algorithms such as dynamic programming, graph traversal (BFS, DFS), and sorting algorithms. Aim for 30-40 problems covering these topics.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Advanced DS&A (Graphs, Heaps, Hash Tables, DP, Graph Traversal). Solve 30-40 problems."}
- {"title":"System Design Introduction","longDescription":"Week 5: Begin studying system design. Understand concepts like load balancing, caching, database scaling, message queues, and microservices architecture. Review common system design interview questions and practice designing systems like Twitter feed or URL shortener.","shortDescription":"Week 5: System Design Fundamentals (Load Balancing, Caching, Databases, Microservices). Practice designing systems."}
- {"title":"System Design and Behavioral Preparation","longDescription":"Week 6: Continue system design practice, focusing on trade-offs and scalability. Explore distributed systems concepts. Prepare for behavioral questions by reflecting on past experiences and structuring answers using the STAR method.","shortDescription":"Week 6: System Design Practice & Behavioral Prep (STAR Method)."}
- {"title":"Final Review and Practice","longDescription":"Week 7: Review all topics, focusing on weak areas. Practice mock interviews with peers or online platforms. Research Akamai's specific technologies and business areas. Prepare insightful questions for the interviewers.","shortDescription":"Week 7: Mock Interviews, Review, Akamai Research, Question Preparation."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"North America","differences":{"tips":["Be prepared to discuss specific projects and your contributions in detail.","Research Akamai's core business areas and recent news.","Practice explaining technical concepts clearly and concisely.","Highlight any experience with large-scale distributed systems."],"interviewFocus":["Emphasis on practical application of data structures and algorithms.","Strong focus on system design and scalability for senior roles.","Behavioral questions often probe collaboration and conflict resolution skills."],"commonQuestions":["Discuss a challenging technical problem you solved in a previous role.","How do you approach debugging complex issues?","Describe your experience with cloud computing platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).","What are your thoughts on microservices architecture?","Tell me about a time you had to work under a tight deadline."]}}
- {"location":"Europe","differences":{"tips":["Showcase your understanding of performance optimization techniques.","Be ready to discuss your contributions to open-source projects if applicable.","Demonstrate a proactive approach to learning new technologies.","Prepare examples that highlight your ability to work in a global team environment."],"interviewFocus":["Greater emphasis on distributed systems and cloud-native technologies.","Problem-solving questions may involve more abstract or theoretical scenarios.","Behavioral questions might explore adaptability and learning agility."],"commonQuestions":["Explain the concept of eventual consistency.","How would you design a caching system for a high-traffic website?","Describe your experience with containerization technologies like Docker and Kubernetes.","What are the trade-offs between SQL and NoSQL databases?","Tell me about a time you mentored a junior engineer."]}}
- {"location":"Asia","differences":{"tips":["Be prepared to discuss your understanding of Akamai's role in content delivery and cybersecurity.","Highlight any experience with performance testing and monitoring tools.","Showcase your ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.","Emphasize your problem-solving approach and attention to detail."],"interviewFocus":["Focus on software development lifecycle and best practices.","Questions may assess understanding of specific programming languages and frameworks relevant to the team.","Behavioral questions often assess teamwork and communication skills."],"commonQuestions":["How do you ensure the security of a web application?","Describe your experience with CI/CD pipelines.","What are the key principles of Agile development?","How do you handle code reviews?","Tell me about a time you failed and what you learned from it."]}}

## Round 1: HR Screening
**Type:** HR Screening · **Difficulty:** Easy · **Duration:** 30 min
An initial call with HR to discuss your background, interest in Akamai, and basic qualifications.
The initial HR screening call is a brief conversation to understand your background, career aspirations, and motivation for applying to Akamai. The recruiter will assess your general fit for the role and the company culture, and discuss salary expectations and availability. This is also an opportunity for you to ask initial questions about the company and the role.
**Interviewers look for:** Clear communication; Basic understanding of software development; Cultural fit
**Evaluation criteria:** Basic understanding of programming concepts; Communication skills; Enthusiasm for the role and company
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to articulate thought process; Poor communication skills; Lack of fundamental programming knowledge; Inability to solve basic coding problems
## Questions

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

## Preparation tips

- Be ready to talk about your resume and why you are interested in Akamai.
- Have a clear understanding of your career goals.
- Prepare questions about the role, team, and company culture.
- Be enthusiastic and professional.

## Round 2: Technical Coding Interview
**Type:** Technical Interview (Coding) · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 60 min
A coding challenge to assess your problem-solving and algorithmic skills.
This technical interview focuses on your ability to solve coding problems using data structures and algorithms. You will be asked to write code, typically in a shared online editor, to solve one or two problems. The interviewer will assess your problem-solving approach, your understanding of algorithms and data structures, and your coding style.
**Interviewers look for:** Correctness of the solution; Efficiency of the solution (time and space complexity); Clean and readable code; Ability to communicate the thought process
**Evaluation criteria:** Problem-solving skills; Data structure and algorithm knowledge; Coding proficiency; Ability to explain approach
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to solve coding problems efficiently; Poor time complexity analysis; Incorrect or incomplete solutions; Difficulty explaining the thought process
## Questions

- Given a binary tree, find its inorder traversal.
- Implement a function to find the kth smallest element in an unsorted array.
- Write a function to check if a string is a palindrome.

## Preparation tips

- Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, focusing on medium difficulty.
- Be prepared to explain your thought process step-by-step.
- Discuss time and space complexity of your solutions.
- Write clean, well-structured code.
- Ask clarifying questions if the problem is unclear.

## Round 3: System Design Interview
**Type:** Technical Interview (System Design) · **Difficulty:** Hard · **Duration:** 60 min
An assessment of your ability to design scalable and distributed systems.
This round focuses on your ability to design scalable and robust systems. You will be presented with a high-level problem (e.g., design Twitter, design a URL shortener) and expected to discuss various aspects of the design, including data storage, APIs, scalability, and potential bottlenecks. The interviewer will probe your understanding of trade-offs and your ability to make informed design decisions.
**Interviewers look for:** Ability to design scalable and reliable systems; Understanding of trade-offs; Knowledge of various system components (databases, caches, load balancers); Clear communication of design choices
**Evaluation criteria:** System design skills; Scalability and performance; Trade-off analysis; Understanding of distributed systems
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of understanding of system design principles; Inability to handle scalability and performance considerations; Poor trade-off analysis; Difficulty in designing a robust and scalable system
## Questions

- Design a system like TinyURL.
- Design a distributed cache.
- How would you design a news feed for a social media platform?

## Preparation tips

- Study system design concepts thoroughly.
- Practice designing common systems.
- Be prepared to discuss trade-offs for different design choices.
- Understand concepts like CAP theorem, eventual consistency, and database sharding.
- Think about scalability, availability, and reliability.

## Round 4: Hiring Manager Interview
**Type:** Behavioral / Hiring Manager Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
A discussion with the hiring manager to assess your behavioral competencies and team fit.
The hiring manager interview is a crucial step to assess your overall fit for the team and the company. This round typically involves behavioral questions designed to understand your past experiences, how you handle challenges, your motivation, and your career aspirations. The hiring manager will also provide insights into the team's dynamics and projects.
**Interviewers look for:** Examples of past behavior that predict future performance; Teamwork and collaboration skills; Problem-solving and decision-making abilities; Alignment with company values
**Evaluation criteria:** Behavioral competencies; Teamwork and collaboration; Problem-solving approach in real-world scenarios; Cultural alignment with Akamai values
**Common rejection reasons:** Poor cultural fit; Lack of enthusiasm or motivation; Inability to articulate past experiences effectively; Negative attitude or lack of teamwork
## Questions

- Tell me about a time you faced a significant technical challenge and how you overcame it.
- Describe a situation where you had to work with a difficult team member.
- What motivates you in a work environment?
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

## Preparation tips

- Prepare specific examples using the STAR method for common behavioral questions.
- Research Akamai's values and culture.
- Be ready to discuss your career goals and how this role aligns with them.
- Show enthusiasm and genuine interest in the team and the work.
- Prepare thoughtful questions for the hiring manager.