# Software Engineer
**Role:** Software Engineer · **Level:** SE 2
**Company:** [eBay](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/ebay)
**Difficulty:** Medium to Hard
**Salary:** US$110000 - US$150000
**Experience:** 2 - 5
**Timeline:** ~14 days
This interview process for a Software Engineer (SE 2) at eBay is designed to assess a candidate's technical proficiency, problem-solving skills, and cultural fit within the company. The process typically involves multiple rounds, starting with an initial HR screening, followed by technical interviews focusing on data structures, algorithms, and system design, and concluding with a behavioral and managerial interview.
Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/ebay/se-2-software-engineer
---
## Overall evaluation

- Technical Proficiency
- System Design
- Coding and Algorithms
- Behavioral and Teamwork

## 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.
- Design a system to handle Twitter's feed.
- How would you implement a Least Recently Used (LRU) cache?
- Describe a time you disagreed with a teammate. How did you resolve it?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- Explain the concept of polymorphism.
- How do you ensure the quality of your code?
- Design an API for a simple e-commerce product catalog.
- Tell me about a project you are particularly proud of.

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Review fundamental computer science concepts, including data structures and algorithms.
- Practice coding problems regularly, focusing on efficiency and clarity.
- Study system design principles and common architectural patterns.
- Prepare to discuss your past projects and technical challenges in detail.
- Research eBay's products, services, and company culture.
- Prepare behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
- Understand the specific technologies and tools mentioned in the job description.

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Data Structures and Algorithms","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures (Arrays, Linked Lists, Stacks, Queues, Trees, Graphs, Hash Tables) and their common operations. Review fundamental algorithms like sorting (Merge Sort, Quick Sort), searching (Binary Search), and graph traversal (BFS, DFS). Practice implementing these from scratch and analyze their time and space complexity.","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Algorithms Fundamentals. Practice implementations and complexity analysis."}
- {"title":"System Design","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Dive into system design concepts. Study topics like scalability, availability, reliability, load balancing, caching, database design (SQL vs. NoSQL), message queues, and API design. Work through common system design problems and practice sketching out architectures.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: System Design Principles. Study scalability, databases, caching, and API design."}
- {"title":"Behavioral and Cultural Fit","longDescription":"Week 5: Prepare for behavioral questions. Reflect on your past experiences and identify examples that showcase your problem-solving skills, teamwork, leadership, and ability to handle challenges. Use the STAR method to structure your answers. Also, research eBay's company values and mission.","shortDescription":"Week 5: Behavioral Preparation. Use STAR method and research company values."}
- {"title":"Final Preparation","longDescription":"Week 6: Mock interviews and final review. Conduct mock interviews with peers or mentors to simulate the actual interview environment. Review key concepts, practice articulating your thoughts clearly, and refine your answers based on feedback.","shortDescription":"Week 6: Mock Interviews and Final Review. Practice articulating thoughts and refine answers."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"San Jose, USA","differences":{"tips":["Research eBay's tech stack and recent projects.","Be prepared to discuss your experience with large-scale systems.","Practice explaining your thought process clearly and concisely.","Familiarize yourself with common system design patterns.","Understand the specific challenges of e-commerce platforms."],"interviewFocus":["System Design: Emphasis on scalability, reliability, and distributed systems.","Problem-solving: Ability to break down complex problems into smaller, manageable parts.","Coding proficiency: Clean, efficient, and well-documented code.","Understanding of distributed systems and cloud technologies (AWS, Azure, GCP)."],"commonQuestions":["How would you design a URL shortener service?","Explain the difference between SQL and NoSQL databases.","Describe a challenging technical problem you solved and how you approached it.","What are the trade-offs between microservices and monolithic architecture?","How do you handle concurrency in your applications?"]}}
- {"location":"Berlin, Germany","differences":{"tips":["Brush up on common data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps) and algorithms (sorting, searching, dynamic programming).","Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank.","Prepare examples from your past experience that demonstrate problem-solving and collaboration.","Understand eBay's values and how they align with your own.","Be ready to discuss your career goals and aspirations."],"interviewFocus":["Data Structures & Algorithms: Strong understanding of fundamental concepts and their application.","Coding skills: Ability to write efficient and maintainable code in a chosen language.","Behavioral aspects: Teamwork, communication, and adaptability.","Understanding of software development lifecycle and best practices."],"commonQuestions":["How would you design a real-time notification system?","Discuss the CAP theorem and its implications.","Explain the concept of eventual consistency.","How do you optimize database queries for performance?","Describe your experience with agile development methodologies."]}}

## Round 1: Data Structures and Algorithms
**Type:** Technical Interview - Coding · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Coding problems focusing on data structures and algorithms.
This round focuses on assessing your fundamental programming skills. You will be asked to solve coding problems, typically involving data structures and algorithms. The interviewer will evaluate your ability to write clean, efficient, and correct code, as well as your approach to problem-solving and your communication of your thought process.
**Interviewers look for:** Correctness of the solution.; Efficiency of the code (time and space complexity).; Readability and maintainability of the code.; Candidate's approach to debugging and testing.
**Evaluation criteria:** Coding proficiency; Problem-solving approach; Understanding of data structures and algorithms; Ability to explain code and logic
**Common rejection reasons:** Poor communication of thought process.; Inability to write clean or efficient code.; Lack of understanding of fundamental data structures or algorithms.; Failure to consider edge cases or constraints.
## Questions

- Given a binary tree, find its inorder traversal.
- Implement a function to find the median of a stream of numbers.
- Write a function to check if a string is a palindrome.

## Preparation tips

- Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or Coderbyte.
- Focus on understanding the time and space complexity of your solutions.
- Be prepared to explain your code line by line.
- Practice thinking out loud and articulating your approach.

## Round 2: System Design
**Type:** Technical Interview - System Design · **Difficulty:** Hard · **Duration:** 60 min
Design scalable and reliable software systems.
This round assesses your ability to design and architect complex software systems. You'll be presented with a high-level problem (e.g., designing a social media feed, a URL shortener, or an e-commerce platform) and expected to propose a scalable, reliable, and maintainable solution. The focus is on your understanding of distributed systems, databases, caching, and trade-offs.
**Interviewers look for:** Ability to design complex systems from scratch.; Understanding of trade-offs between different design choices.; Knowledge of various system components (databases, caches, load balancers, etc.).; Ability to handle scale and high availability.
**Evaluation criteria:** System design principles; Scalability and performance considerations; Trade-off analysis; Understanding of distributed systems; Clarity of design and communication
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to design scalable and reliable systems.; Lack of understanding of distributed system concepts.; Poor trade-off analysis.; Not considering failure scenarios or edge cases.
## Questions

- Design a system like TinyURL.
- Design a rate limiter.
- Design a news feed system.

## Preparation tips

- Study common system design patterns and architectures.
- Understand concepts like load balancing, caching strategies, database sharding, and message queues.
- Practice designing systems for scale and high availability.
- Be prepared to discuss trade-offs and justify your design decisions.

## Round 3: Behavioral Interview
**Type:** Behavioral and Managerial Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Behavioral questions to assess teamwork, problem-solving, and cultural fit.
This round focuses on your behavioral and cultural fit. You'll be asked questions about your past experiences, how you handle specific situations, your strengths and weaknesses, and your motivations. The goal is to understand how you work in a team, how you approach challenges, and whether you align with eBay's values and culture.
**Interviewers look for:** Evidence of teamwork and collaboration.; Ability to handle conflict and difficult situations.; Motivation and passion for technology and eBay.; Alignment with eBay's core values.; Self-awareness and ability to learn from mistakes.
**Evaluation criteria:** Behavioral competencies; Teamwork and collaboration skills; Communication skills; Problem-solving approach in past experiences; Cultural fit with eBay
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of alignment with company values.; Poor communication or interpersonal skills.; Inability to provide specific examples for behavioral questions.; Lack of enthusiasm or interest in the role/company.
## Questions

- Tell me about a time you failed. What did you learn from it?
- Describe a situation where you had to work with a difficult colleague. How did you handle it?
- Why are you interested in working at eBay?

## Preparation tips

- Prepare examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
- Research eBay's mission, values, and culture.
- Be ready to discuss your career goals and why you're interested in this role.
- Practice answering questions honestly and thoughtfully.

## Round 4: Hiring Manager Discussion
**Type:** Managerial Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 30 min
Final discussion with the hiring manager to assess overall fit.
This is typically the final round with the hiring manager. It's an opportunity for the manager to get a holistic view of the candidate, discuss career aspirations, and ensure alignment with the team's goals and the role's expectations. It's also a chance for the candidate to ask any remaining questions about the team, projects, or company.
**Interviewers look for:** Enthusiasm for the role and team.; Clear understanding of the role and responsibilities.; Thoughtful questions about the team and projects.; Confirmation of key skills and experiences.
**Evaluation criteria:** Overall fit for the team and role.; Alignment with manager's expectations.; Candidate's questions and engagement.; Final assessment of technical and behavioral aspects.
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of alignment with team goals.; Poor fit with the specific team's technical needs.; Concerns raised by previous interviewers that were not addressed.; Overall lack of enthusiasm or fit for the role.
## Questions

- What are your career aspirations for the next 3-5 years?
- What kind of projects are you most excited about?
- Do you have any questions for me?

## Preparation tips

- Prepare insightful questions about the team, projects, and growth opportunities.
- Reiterate your interest and enthusiasm for the role.
- Be prepared to summarize your key strengths and how they align with the role.
- Ensure you have a clear understanding of the day-to-day responsibilities.