# Software Engineer I
**Role:** Software Engineer · **Level:** L2
**Company:** [Chime](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/chime)
**Difficulty:** Medium
**Salary:** US$90000 - US$120000
**Experience:** 1 - 3
**Timeline:** ~7 days
The Software Engineer I (L2) interview at Chime is designed to assess a candidate's foundational software engineering skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within the company. It typically involves a mix of technical and behavioral assessments to ensure the candidate can contribute effectively to Chime's engineering teams.
Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/chime/l2-software-engineer
---
## Overall evaluation

- Technical Skills
- Behavioral and Cultural Fit

## Questions asked

- Write a function to reverse a linked list.
- Given an array of integers, find the two numbers that add up to a specific target.
- Explain the difference between a process and a thread.
- Describe a situation where you had to deal with ambiguity in a project.
- How would you design a URL shortening service?
- Tell me about a time you failed and what you learned from it.
- What are the trade-offs between SQL and NoSQL databases?
- How do you stay updated with new technologies?

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Review fundamental data structures and algorithms (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps, sorting, searching).
- Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or Coderbyte, focusing on medium-difficulty problems.
- Understand basic system design concepts, such as scalability, availability, and trade-offs.
- Prepare for behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
- Research Chime's mission, values, and recent product developments.
- Be ready to discuss your past projects and technical contributions in detail.
- Practice explaining your thought process clearly and concisely.

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Data Structures and Algorithms Fundamentals","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures (arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, trees, graphs, hash tables) and their common operations. Practice problems related to these structures. Review time and space complexity analysis (Big O notation).","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Complexity Analysis. Cover arrays, lists, trees, graphs, hash tables. Practice Big O."}
- {"title":"Algorithmic Problem Solving","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Dive into algorithmic techniques such as sorting (quicksort, mergesort), searching (binary search), recursion, dynamic programming, and greedy algorithms. Solve problems that require applying these techniques.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Algorithmic Techniques. Focus on sorting, searching, recursion, DP, greedy. Solve related problems."}
- {"title":"Introduction to System Design","longDescription":"Week 5: Begin exploring basic system design principles. Understand concepts like client-server architecture, databases (SQL vs. NoSQL), caching, load balancing, and APIs. Practice designing simple systems.","shortDescription":"Week 5: System Design Basics. Learn client-server, databases, caching, load balancing. Design simple systems."}
- {"title":"Behavioral and Cultural Fit","longDescription":"Week 6: Prepare for behavioral questions. Identify key experiences from your past that demonstrate Chime's core values (e.g., collaboration, customer focus, innovation). Practice articulating these experiences using the STAR method.","shortDescription":"Week 6: Behavioral Preparation. Use STAR method for past experiences. Align with Chime's values."}
- {"title":"Mock Interviews and Final Review","longDescription":"Week 7: Conduct mock interviews, focusing on both technical and behavioral aspects. Refine your communication skills and ability to explain your thought process. Review any areas you feel less confident in.","shortDescription":"Week 7: Mock Interviews & Review. Practice technical and behavioral questions. Refine communication."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"Remote","differences":{"tips":["Ensure a stable internet connection and a quiet environment.","Be prepared to share your screen and use virtual whiteboarding tools.","Clearly articulate your thought process verbally."],"interviewFocus":["Adaptability to remote collaboration tools and practices.","Communication skills in a distributed environment."],"commonQuestions":["Describe a challenging bug you fixed and your approach.","How do you handle code reviews?","Tell me about a time you disagreed with a teammate."]}}
- {"location":"On-site","differences":{"tips":["Be prepared for whiteboard sessions.","Showcase your ability to engage in spontaneous discussions.","Highlight any experience with in-office mentorship or knowledge sharing."],"interviewFocus":["Collaboration and teamwork within a physical office space.","Understanding of in-person communication dynamics."],"commonQuestions":["How do you approach learning new technologies in an office setting?","Describe your experience with pair programming.","What are your thoughts on agile methodologies in a team environment?"]}}

## Round 1: Coding Challenge
**Type:** Technical Interview (Coding) · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Solve 1-2 coding problems focusing on data structures and algorithms. Assess problem-solving and coding skills.
This round focuses on your core programming skills. You will be asked to solve one or two coding problems, typically involving data structures and algorithms. The interviewer will assess your ability to understand the problem, devise a solution, write clean code, and analyze its time and space complexity. You'll be expected to communicate your thought process throughout the exercise.
**Interviewers look for:** A systematic approach to problem-solving.; Clean, readable, and efficient code.; Correct implementation of data structures and algorithms.; Ability to explain the solution and its complexity.
**Evaluation criteria:** Problem-solving skills; Coding proficiency; Understanding of data structures and algorithms; Communication of technical concepts
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to articulate thought process clearly.; Lack of fundamental data structure knowledge.; Poor problem-solving approach.; Inefficient or incorrect code.
## Questions

- Given a binary tree, determine if it is a valid binary search tree.
- Implement a function to find the kth smallest element in an unsorted array.

## Preparation tips

- Practice coding problems on a whiteboard or a shared editor.
- Focus on explaining your approach before coding.
- Test your code with edge cases.
- Be prepared to discuss alternative solutions and their trade-offs.

## Round 2: System Design
**Type:** System Design Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Design a scalable system. Assess architectural thinking and trade-off analysis.
This round evaluates your ability to think about software systems at a higher level. You might be asked to design a familiar application (e.g., a URL shortener, a social media feed) or discuss architectural patterns. The focus is on your understanding of scalability, reliability, trade-offs, and the components that make up a distributed system.
**Interviewers look for:** A structured approach to designing systems.; Consideration of various components and their interactions.; Ability to justify design choices and discuss trade-offs.; Understanding of how to scale a system.
**Evaluation criteria:** System design thinking; Understanding of scalability and performance; Ability to handle trade-offs; Knowledge of common system components (databases, caches, load balancers)
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to explain past technical decisions.; Lack of understanding of system design principles.; Poor handling of trade-offs.; Not considering scalability or reliability.
## Questions

- Design a system to track the top N trending items on a platform like Twitter.
- How would you design a rate limiter for an API?

## Preparation tips

- Study common system design patterns and concepts.
- Practice designing systems, focusing on requirements gathering and trade-offs.
- Be prepared to draw diagrams and explain your design choices.
- Consider different aspects like data storage, APIs, caching, and load balancing.

## Round 3: Behavioral and Cultural Fit
**Type:** Behavioral Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 30 min
Discuss past experiences and work style. Assess behavioral competencies and cultural fit.
This round focuses on your past experiences and how they relate to the role and Chime's culture. You'll be asked behavioral questions designed to understand your work style, how you handle challenges, collaborate with others, and learn from your experiences. Using the STAR method is highly recommended here.
**Interviewers look for:** Honesty and self-awareness.; Clear communication and active listening.; Examples of collaboration and conflict resolution.; Enthusiasm and alignment with Chime's mission.
**Evaluation criteria:** Behavioral competencies; Teamwork and collaboration; Problem-solving in past experiences; Cultural fit and alignment with Chime's values
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of self-awareness.; Poor communication or interpersonal skills.; Inability to provide specific examples.; Not demonstrating alignment with company values.
## Questions

- Tell me about a time you had to work with a difficult colleague. How did you handle it?
- Describe a project you are particularly proud of and your role in it.
- How do you prioritize your work when faced with multiple deadlines?

## Preparation tips

- Prepare specific examples using the STAR method for common behavioral questions.
- Reflect on your strengths, weaknesses, and career goals.
- Think about why you are interested in Chime and this specific role.
- Be ready to ask thoughtful questions about the team and company culture.