# Software Engineer
**Role:** Software Engineer · **Level:** MTS5
**Company:** [Cohesity](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/cohesity)
**Difficulty:** Hard
**Salary:** US$140000 - US$180000
**Experience:** 5 - 8
**Timeline:** ~14 days
The interview process for a Software Engineer (MTS5) at Cohesity is designed to assess a candidate's technical proficiency, problem-solving abilities, system design skills, and cultural fit. The process typically involves multiple rounds, starting with an HR screening, followed by technical interviews focusing on data structures, algorithms, and coding, and culminating in a system design and behavioral interview with senior engineers and hiring managers.
Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/cohesity/mts5-software-engineer
---
## Overall evaluation

- Technical Skills
- Communication Skills
- Behavioral and Cultural Fit

## Questions asked

- Given an array of integers, find the contiguous subarray with the largest sum.
- Design a URL shortening service like bit.ly.
- How would you design a distributed cache?
- Describe a time you disagreed with a teammate and how you resolved it.
- What are the trade-offs between monolithic and microservices architectures?
- Implement a function to reverse a linked list.
- Explain the concept of eventual consistency.
- Tell me about a project you are particularly proud of.
- How do you handle production issues under pressure?
- Design a system to count unique visitors to a website.

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Review fundamental data structures and algorithms (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, sorting, searching).
- Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or similar.
- Study system design principles, including scalability, availability, reliability, and consistency.
- Understand distributed systems concepts (e.g., CAP theorem, consensus algorithms, message queues).
- Prepare for behavioral questions by reflecting on past experiences using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
- Research Cohesity's products, mission, and values to understand how your skills align.
- Practice explaining your thought process clearly and concisely.
- Prepare questions to ask the interviewer about the role, team, and company culture.

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Data Structures and Algorithms","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Focus on Data Structures and Algorithms. Cover arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, trees (binary, BST, AVL), heaps, hash tables, graphs. Practice implementing these and solving problems related to them. Aim for 2-3 LeetCode medium problems per day.","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: DSA fundamentals and practice (LeetCode medium)."}
- {"title":"System Design","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Dive into System Design. Study concepts like load balancing, caching, databases (SQL vs NoSQL), message queues, microservices architecture, API design, and distributed system patterns. Work through system design case studies and practice designing common systems like Twitter feed or URL shortener.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: System Design principles and case studies."}
- {"title":"Behavioral and Mock Interviews","longDescription":"Week 5: Behavioral preparation and mock interviews. Reflect on past projects and experiences using the STAR method. Prepare answers for common behavioral questions related to teamwork, leadership, conflict resolution, and problem-solving. Conduct mock interviews to simulate the actual interview environment.","shortDescription":"Week 5: Behavioral questions (STAR method) and mock interviews."}
- {"title":"Company Research and Final Review","longDescription":"Week 6: Company-specific research and final review. Understand Cohesity's business, products, and culture. Review key concepts from previous weeks. Prepare insightful questions for the interviewers.","shortDescription":"Week 6: Cohesity research and final review."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"USA","differences":{"tips":["Be prepared to discuss specific projects and their impact.","Highlight experience with CI/CD pipelines and infrastructure as code.","Showcase your ability to lead and influence technical decisions."],"interviewFocus":["Emphasis on practical experience with cloud technologies (AWS, Azure, GCP).","Deeper dive into distributed systems concepts and real-world application.","Strong focus on leadership and mentorship potential."],"commonQuestions":["Discuss a challenging technical problem you solved at your previous role.","How do you approach debugging a complex distributed system?","Describe a time you had to mentor a junior engineer."]}}
- {"location":"India","differences":{"tips":["Brush up on fundamental algorithms and data structures.","Practice explaining complex technical concepts clearly.","Be ready to discuss your approach to learning new technologies."],"interviewFocus":["Strong emphasis on core computer science fundamentals.","Assessment of problem-solving skills in a more theoretical context.","Evaluation of adaptability and learning agility."],"commonQuestions":["Explain the trade-offs between different database technologies.","How would you design a scalable API for a microservices architecture?","Describe your experience with agile development methodologies."]}}

## Round 0: HR Screening
**Type:** HR Screening · **Difficulty:** Easy · **Duration:** 30 min
Initial screening to assess fit and discuss logistics.
This initial screening call with HR is to understand your background, career goals, and motivation for applying to Cohesity. They will also provide an overview of the role, the interview process, and answer any initial questions you might have. This is also a chance to discuss salary expectations and logistics.
**Interviewers look for:** Basic understanding of the role and Cohesity.; Clear communication regarding expectations.; Enthusiasm for the opportunity.; Logistical feasibility (start date, location, etc.).
**Evaluation criteria:** Candidate's understanding of the role and company; Alignment of expectations; Candidate's interest and enthusiasm; Logistical fit
**Common rejection reasons:** Mismatch in expectations regarding role or compensation.; Lack of clarity on career goals.; Not asking relevant questions about the team or role.
## Questions

- Why are you interested in Cohesity?
- What are your salary expectations?

## Preparation tips

- Be prepared to talk about your resume and career aspirations.
- Have a clear understanding of why you are interested in Cohesity.
- Prepare questions about the role, team, and company culture.
- Be ready to discuss your salary expectations.

## Round 1: Coding and Algorithms
**Type:** Technical Interview - Coding · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Assess core coding skills with data structures and algorithms problems.
This round focuses on assessing your core programming skills. You will be given one or two coding problems that require knowledge of data structures and algorithms. The interviewer will evaluate your ability to understand the problem, devise an efficient solution, write clean and correct code, and explain your approach. Expect to write code in a shared editor or on a whiteboard.
**Interviewers look for:** Strong grasp of fundamental algorithms and data structures.; Ability to translate a problem into code.; Logical thinking and systematic approach to problem-solving.; Clear communication of thought process.
**Evaluation criteria:** Correctness of the solution; Efficiency of the solution (time and space complexity); Code quality and readability; Problem-solving approach; Ability to explain the solution
**Common rejection reasons:** Poor communication of thought process.; Inability to write clean, working code.; Fundamental misunderstanding of data structures or algorithms.; Not asking clarifying questions.
## Questions

- Given a binary tree, determine if it is a valid binary search tree.
- Find the kth smallest element in a sorted matrix.

## Preparation tips

- Practice coding problems regularly.
- Focus on understanding the time and space complexity of your solutions.
- Be prepared to discuss edge cases and test your code.
- Practice explaining your thought process out loud.

## Round 2: System Design
**Type:** System Design Interview · **Difficulty:** Hard · **Duration:** 60 min
Assess ability to design scalable and reliable software systems.
This round evaluates your ability to design and architect software systems. You will be presented with a high-level problem (e.g., design Twitter, design a ride-sharing service) and asked to propose a solution. The focus is on scalability, reliability, performance, and the trade-offs involved in different design choices. You'll need to discuss various components, data models, APIs, and potential bottlenecks.
**Interviewers look for:** Ability to design complex, scalable, and reliable systems.; Understanding of distributed systems concepts.; Proficiency in evaluating and choosing appropriate technologies.; Ability to articulate design decisions and trade-offs.
**Evaluation criteria:** System design approach; Scalability considerations; Reliability and availability; Trade-off analysis; Understanding of various system components (databases, caches, load balancers, etc.); Ability to handle constraints and requirements
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of understanding of distributed systems principles.; Inability to design scalable and reliable systems.; Poor trade-off analysis.; Not considering edge cases or failure scenarios.
## Questions

- Design a system like Instagram.
- Design a rate limiter.

## Preparation tips

- Study common system design patterns and architectures.
- Understand concepts like CAP theorem, consistency models, and fault tolerance.
- Practice designing various types of systems.
- Be prepared to justify your design choices and discuss alternatives.

## Round 3: Behavioral and Cultural Fit
**Type:** Behavioral Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Assess behavioral competencies and cultural fit.
This round focuses on your behavioral aspects and how you fit within the team and company culture. You'll be asked questions about your past experiences, how you handle challenges, work with others, and your career aspirations. The interviewer will use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to probe your responses and understand your capabilities beyond technical skills.
**Interviewers look for:** Alignment with Cohesity's values and culture.; Evidence of teamwork, collaboration, and leadership.; Ability to learn from past experiences.; Strong communication and interpersonal skills.; Enthusiasm for the role and company.
**Evaluation criteria:** Behavioral competencies (teamwork, leadership, problem-solving); Cultural fit with Cohesity; Motivation and passion for the role; Past experiences and accomplishments; Self-awareness
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of alignment with company values.; Poor collaboration or teamwork skills.; Inability to articulate past experiences effectively.; Negative attitude or lack of enthusiasm.
## 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.

## Preparation tips

- Prepare examples using the STAR method for common behavioral questions.
- Reflect on your strengths, weaknesses, and career goals.
- Research Cohesity's values and culture.
- Be genuine and enthusiastic in your responses.