Scale Engineer

Software Engineer

Software EngineerSoftware Engineer IIMedium to Hard

This interview process for a Software Engineer II at American Express is designed to assess a candidate's technical proficiency, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within the company. It typically involves multiple rounds, starting with an initial screening and progressing to more in-depth technical and behavioral assessments.

Rounds·4

Timeline·~14d

Experience·2 - 5 yrs

Comp band·US$100000 - US$130000

Interview time·210 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Technical Skills (Data Structures, Algorithms, System Design)
  • Problem-Solving Approach
  • Coding Proficiency
  • Communication Skills
  • Teamwork and Collaboration
  • Adaptability and Learning Agility
  • Cultural Fit

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Thoroughly review fundamental computer science concepts, including data structures, algorithms, and complexity analysis.
  2. Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or similar, focusing on medium to hard difficulty.
  3. Understand core software design principles and patterns.
  4. Prepare to discuss your past projects in detail, highlighting your contributions, challenges, and learnings.
  5. Research American Express's mission, values, and recent technological initiatives.
  6. Prepare STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) answers for common behavioral questions.
  7. Familiarize yourself with system design concepts, especially for scalable and distributed systems.
  8. Practice explaining technical concepts clearly and concisely.

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 04 phases

01 / 04
01

Phase 01 of 04

Data Structures and Algorithms

Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Algorithms Fundamentals. Practice implementations and complexity analysis.

Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps) and algorithms (sorting, searching, dynamic programming, graph traversal). Practice implementing these and analyzing their time and space complexity. Cover Big O notation thoroughly.

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Write a function to reverse a linked list.
  • Design a system to handle real-time notifications for a large user base.
  • Tell me about a time you had to deal with a difficult stakeholder.
  • Explain the difference between a process and a thread.
  • How would you optimize a slow database query?
  • Describe a situation where you failed and what you learned from it.
  • What are the trade-offs between using a relational database and a NoSQL database?
  • How do you stay updated with new technologies?
  • Given an array of integers, find the contiguous subarray with the largest sum.
  • Describe your experience with cloud computing platforms.

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 03 locations

01 / 03

Location

New York

Interview focus

Adaptability to local market trendsUnderstanding of regional compliance and regulations

Common questions

  • Tell me about a challenging project you worked on.
  • How do you handle tight deadlines?
  • Describe a time you disagreed with a team member.

Tips

  • Research common business challenges in this region.
  • Be prepared to discuss how your skills align with local industry needs.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

Expand a step for evaluation criteria, sample questions, and prep notes.

DSA

Coding questions at American Express.

Frequently reported on American Express loops

View all at American Express

Other guides

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