L1

Software EngineerSoftware EngineerMedium

This interview process is designed to assess candidates for a Software Engineer role at Arcesium, focusing on foundational technical skills and problem-solving abilities.

Rounds·2

Timeline·~7d

Experience·0 - 3 yrs

Comp band·US$80000 - US$120000

Interview time·75 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Problem-solving approach
  • Code quality and efficiency
  • Understanding of fundamental computer science concepts
  • Ability to articulate technical solutions

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Review fundamental data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps) and algorithms (sorting, searching, graph traversal).
  2. Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or GeeksforGeeks, focusing on medium-difficulty problems.
  3. Understand basic object-oriented programming (OOP) concepts.
  4. Brush up on your chosen programming language's syntax and standard libraries.
  5. Prepare to discuss your past projects in detail, highlighting your contributions and the challenges you faced.
  6. Research Arcesium's business, products, and company culture.
  7. Prepare answers to common behavioral questions, using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 05 phases

01 / 05
01

Phase 01 of 05

Data Structures

Weeks 1-2: Data Structures (Arrays, Lists, Trees, Heaps, Hash Tables). Practice problems.

Weeks 1-2: Focus on Data Structures. Cover arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, trees (binary trees, BSTs, AVL trees), heaps, and hash tables. Understand their time and space complexities for common operations. Practice problems related to each.

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Write a function to reverse a linked list.
  • Find the kth smallest element in a binary search tree.
  • Implement a basic LRU cache.
  • Explain the difference between a process and a thread.
  • Describe a situation where you had to deal with a difficult stakeholder.
  • What are your strengths and weaknesses as a software engineer?

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 02 locations

01 / 02

Location

India

Interview focus

Problem-solving skillsUnderstanding of core data structures and algorithmsBasic coding proficiency

Common questions

  • Tell me about a challenging project you worked on.
  • How do you approach debugging a complex issue?
  • Describe a time you had to learn a new technology quickly.

Tips

  • Be prepared to explain your thought process clearly.
  • Practice coding on a whiteboard or a simple text editor.
  • Research Arcesium's tech stack and recent projects.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

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

Med

Technical Interview (Data Structures & Algorithms) · 45 min · Software Engineer / Senior Software Engineer

This round focuses on assessing your core technical skills through coding challenges. You will be asked to solve 1-2 problems related to data structures and algorithms. The interviewer will evaluate your ability to understand the problem, devise an efficient solution, write clean code, and explain your reasoning. Expect questions that test your knowledge of arrays, strings, linked lists, trees, graphs, and common algorithms like sorting and searching.

What they look for

A systematic approach to problem-solving.Clean, efficient, and correct code.Understanding of trade-offs in different solutions.Clear communication of thought process.

Evaluation

  • Correctness of the solution
  • Efficiency (time and space complexity)
  • Code readability and maintainability
  • Problem-solving approach and logical thinking
  • Ability to communicate the solution

Sample questions

  • Given an array of integers, return indices of the two numbers such that they add up to a specific target.

    ArrayHash TableTwo Pointers
  • Implement a function to check if a binary tree is a valid Binary Search Tree.

    TreeRecursionBinary Search Tree

Prep for this round

  1. 01Practice coding on a whiteboard or a shared editor.
  2. 02Think out loud and explain your approach before coding.
  3. 03Consider edge cases and test your code mentally.
  4. 04Be prepared to discuss time and space complexity.

Common rejection reasons

  • ×Inability to solve coding problems within the given time.
  • ×Poor understanding of fundamental data structures and algorithms.
  • ×Code that is inefficient, incorrect, or not well-structured.
  • ×Difficulty explaining their thought process.

DSA

Coding questions at Arcesium.

Frequently reported on Arcesium loops

Other guides

More at Arcesium.