This interview process is for a Software Engineer, Grade 6, at Cisco, focusing on assessing technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit for a Software Engineer 2 level position.
Rounds·3
Timeline·~14d
Experience·2 - 5 yrs
Comp band·US$110000 - US$140000
Interview time·150 min
Evaluation
Preparation
Tips
Study plan
Fig · Study plan — 04 phases
01 / 04Phase 01 of 04
Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Algorithms fundamentals. Practice coding.
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 in your preferred language and analyze their time and space complexity.
Phase 02 of 04
Weeks 3-4: System Design principles and practice.
Weeks 3-4: Dive into system design. Study concepts like scalability, availability, consistency, load balancing, caching, databases (SQL vs. NoSQL), and microservices architecture. Work through common system design interview questions.
Phase 03 of 04
Week 5: Behavioral questions preparation using STAR method.
Week 5: Prepare for behavioral questions. Reflect on your past experiences and identify examples that showcase your problem-solving, teamwork, leadership, and communication skills. Practice articulating these using the STAR method.
Phase 04 of 04
Week 6: Cisco research and question preparation.
Week 6: Research Cisco thoroughly. Understand their business, products, recent news, and company values. Prepare questions to ask the interviewer that demonstrate your interest and understanding.
Questions
Locations
Fig · Regions — 02 locations
01 / 02Location
Interview focus
Common questions
Tips
Location
Interview focus
Common questions
Tips
Rounds
Expand a step for evaluation criteria, sample questions, and prep notes.
Technical Screening (Coding) · 45 min · Software Engineer / Technical Screener
This initial round typically involves a coding challenge, often conducted via a shared online editor. The interviewer will assess your ability to translate a problem into working code, focusing on fundamental data structures, algorithms, and problem-solving techniques. Expect questions that test your understanding of time and space complexity.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Given an array of integers, return indices of the two numbers such that they add up to a specific target.
Reverse a linked list.
Implement a function to check if a binary tree is a Binary Search Tree (BST).
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
System Design Interview · 60 min · Senior Software Engineer / Architect
This round focuses on your ability to design complex software systems. You'll be presented with a high-level problem (e.g., design Twitter, design a URL shortener) and expected to break it down, discuss requirements, propose an architecture, and justify your design decisions, considering aspects like scalability, performance, and fault tolerance.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Design a system like TinyURL.
Design a news feed system.
How would you design a distributed cache?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
Behavioral And Managerial Interview · 45 min · Hiring Manager / Team Lead
This round assesses your behavioral and cultural fit. The interviewer will ask questions about your past experiences, how you handle challenges, work in teams, and your career aspirations. The goal is to understand how you operate and if you align with Cisco's culture and the team's dynamics.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Tell me about a time you failed and what you learned from it.
Describe a situation where you had to work with a difficult colleague.
Why are you interested in this role at Cisco?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
DSA
Frequently reported on Cisco loops
Other guides
