Cohesity

Software Engineer

Software EngineerMTS6Medium to Hard

This interview process is for a Software Engineer position at Cohesity, specifically for the MTS6 level. It is designed to assess a candidate's technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within the company.

Rounds

3

Timeline

~14 days

Experience

5 - 10 yrs

Salary Range

US$140000 - US$180000

Total Duration

150 min

Overall Evaluation Criteria

Technical Skills

Technical proficiency in relevant programming languages (e.g., Go, Python, Java).
Strong understanding of data structures and algorithms.
Ability to design scalable and robust systems.
Problem-solving and analytical skills.
Communication and collaboration abilities.
Cultural fit and alignment with Cohesity's values.

Problem Solving

Demonstrated ability to tackle complex technical challenges.
Logical thinking and systematic approach to problem-solving.
Creativity in finding solutions.

Communication

Clear and concise communication of technical concepts.
Ability to articulate thought processes during coding and design discussions.
Active listening and responsiveness to feedback.

Teamwork and Collaboration

Experience working effectively in a team environment.
Willingness to mentor junior engineers.
Positive attitude and collaborative spirit.

Cultural Fit

Alignment with Cohesity's mission and values.
Passion for technology and continuous learning.
Proactiveness and ownership.

Preparation Tips

1Review core computer science concepts, including data structures, algorithms, and operating systems.
2Practice coding problems, focusing on efficiency and edge cases.
3Study system design principles, focusing on scalability, reliability, and distributed systems.
4Prepare to discuss your past projects in detail, highlighting your contributions and challenges.
5Research Cohesity's products, technologies, and company culture.
6Prepare behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
7Formulate thoughtful questions to ask the interviewers.

Study Plan

1

Data Structures and Algorithms

Weeks 1-2: DSA fundamentals and practice (Easy/Medium).

Weeks 1-2: Focus on Data Structures and Algorithms. Cover arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash tables, sorting, searching, dynamic programming, and greedy algorithms. Practice problems on platforms like LeetCode (Easy/Medium).

2

System Design

Weeks 3-4: System Design principles and practice.

Weeks 3-4: Dive into System Design. Study concepts like load balancing, caching, databases (SQL/NoSQL), message queues, microservices, and CAP theorem. Review common system design interview questions and practice designing systems.

3

Behavioral and Company Research

Week 5: Behavioral questions (STAR method) and Cohesity research.

Week 5: Focus on Behavioral and Situational Questions. Prepare examples using the STAR method for common questions related to teamwork, leadership, conflict resolution, and handling failure. Also, research Cohesity's values and recent news.

4

Mock Interviews and Refinement

Week 6: Mock interviews and final preparation.

Week 6: Mock Interviews and Refinement. Conduct mock interviews to simulate the actual interview environment. Get feedback on your technical explanations, problem-solving approach, and communication. Refine your answers and strategies based on feedback.

Commonly Asked Questions

Design a URL shortening service.
Implement a function to find the k-th largest element in an unsorted array.
Explain the difference between TCP and UDP.
Describe a time you disagreed with a teammate and how you resolved it.
How would you design a distributed cache?
What are the trade-offs of using microservices?
Write a function to reverse a linked list.
How do you handle concurrency issues?
Tell me about a challenging bug you fixed.
What are your thoughts on test-driven development (TDD)?

Location-Based Differences

USA

Interview Focus

Deep dive into system design and distributed systems concepts.Problem-solving skills with a focus on scalability and performance.Experience with cloud-native technologies (e.g., Kubernetes, Docker).Understanding of data structures and algorithms in practical scenarios.

Common Questions

Discuss a challenging project you worked on and how you overcame obstacles.

How do you approach debugging complex issues?

Describe your experience with distributed systems.

What are your thoughts on microservices architecture?

How do you ensure code quality and maintainability?

Tips

Be prepared to discuss large-scale system design challenges.
Highlight experience with cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, or GCP.
Showcase your ability to write clean, efficient, and well-tested code.
Emphasize collaboration and teamwork skills.

India

Interview Focus

Core computer science fundamentals (data structures, algorithms).Problem-solving and analytical thinking.Coding proficiency and ability to translate requirements into code.Teamwork and communication skills.

Common Questions

Tell me about a time you had to work with a difficult stakeholder.

How do you handle tight deadlines and pressure?

What are your strengths and weaknesses as a software engineer?

Describe your experience with agile methodologies.

How do you stay updated with new technologies?

Tips

Brush up on fundamental data structures and algorithms.
Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank.
Be ready to articulate your thought process clearly.
Show enthusiasm for learning and contributing to the team.

Process Timeline

1
Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA) Round45m
2
System Design Round60m
3
Behavioral and Managerial Round45m

Interview Rounds

3-step process with detailed breakdown for each round

1

Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA) Round

Coding round focusing on data structures and algorithms.

Technical - CodingMedium
45 minSoftware Engineer / Senior Software Engineer

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 write clean, efficient, and correct code, as well as your problem-solving approach and communication skills.

What Interviewers Look For

Strong grasp of fundamental data structures and algorithms.Ability to translate a problem into code.Clear explanation of the thought process.Consideration of edge cases and optimizations.

Evaluation Criteria

Correctness of the solution.
Efficiency of the algorithm (time and space complexity).
Code clarity and readability.
Ability to handle edge cases.
Problem-solving approach and communication.

Questions Asked

Given a binary tree, find its inorder traversal.

Data StructuresTreesAlgorithms

Find the median of two sorted arrays.

ArraysAlgorithmsBinary Search

Implement a function to check if a string is a palindrome.

StringsAlgorithms

Preparation Tips

1Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or GeeksforGeeks.
2Focus on understanding the time and space complexity of your solutions.
3Be prepared to explain your approach and justify your choices.
4Practice coding in a collaborative editor or whiteboard environment.

Common Reasons for Rejection

Inability to articulate thought process.
Poor coding practices (e.g., inefficient code, lack of error handling).
Fundamental misunderstanding of data structures or algorithms.
Inability to solve the given problem within the time limit.
2

System Design Round

System design round focusing on scalability and architecture.

Technical - System DesignHard
60 minSenior Software Engineer / Engineering Manager

This round assesses your ability to design scalable, reliable, and maintainable software systems. You will be presented with a high-level problem statement and asked to design a system to address it. The focus is on your architectural thinking, understanding of distributed systems, and ability to make informed design choices.

What Interviewers Look For

Experience in designing complex, distributed systems.Ability to think about system architecture at scale.Understanding of trade-offs and ability to justify design decisions.Knowledge of various technologies and their applications.

Evaluation Criteria

System design principles (scalability, reliability, availability).
Understanding of trade-offs in design choices.
Ability to handle large-scale data and traffic.
Knowledge of various system components (databases, caches, load balancers).
Clarity and structure of the design proposal.

Questions Asked

Design a system like TinyURL.

System DesignScalabilityDatabases

Design a news feed system.

System DesignScalabilityDistributed Systems

How would you design a rate limiter?

System DesignAlgorithmsDistributed Systems

Preparation Tips

1Study common system design patterns and architectures.
2Understand concepts like load balancing, caching, database scaling, and message queues.
3Practice designing systems like Twitter's feed, a URL shortener, or a distributed key-value store.
4Be prepared to discuss trade-offs and justify your design decisions.

Common Reasons for Rejection

Lack of understanding of distributed systems concepts.
Inability to design a scalable and reliable system.
Poor trade-off analysis.
Not considering failure scenarios or edge cases in the design.
3

Behavioral and Managerial Round

Behavioral round to assess soft skills and cultural fit.

Behavioral / ManagerialMedium
45 minEngineering Manager / Director

This round focuses on your behavioral and situational responses. The interviewer will ask questions about your past experiences to understand how you handle various work scenarios, such as teamwork, conflict resolution, leadership, and dealing with failure. This helps assess your cultural fit and soft skills.

What Interviewers Look For

How you handle challenges and conflicts.Your ability to work with others.Your motivation and career aspirations.Your understanding of the role and company.

Evaluation Criteria

Communication skills.
Teamwork and collaboration abilities.
Problem-solving approach in past experiences.
Adaptability and learning agility.
Alignment with Cohesity's values and culture.

Questions Asked

Tell me about a time you faced a significant technical challenge and how you overcame it.

BehavioralProblem SolvingTechnical

Describe a situation where you had a conflict with a colleague and how you resolved it.

BehavioralTeamworkConflict Resolution

What are your career goals for the next 3-5 years?

BehavioralCareer Goals

Preparation Tips

1Prepare examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for common behavioral questions.
2Be honest and authentic in your responses.
3Show enthusiasm for the role and the company.
4Think about your strengths and weaknesses and how they relate to the job.

Common Reasons for Rejection

Poor communication skills.
Lack of self-awareness.
Inability to provide specific examples.
Negative attitude or lack of enthusiasm.
Poor cultural fit with the team or company values.

Commonly Asked DSA Questions

Frequently asked coding questions at Cohesity

View all
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