Scale Engineer

Software Engineer

Software EngineerSDE 1Medium

The Software Engineer (SDE 1) interview at Groupon is designed to assess a candidate's foundational programming skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within the company. It typically involves multiple rounds, starting with an HR screening, followed by technical interviews focusing on data structures, algorithms, and coding, and concluding with a behavioral or managerial interview to gauge teamwork and alignment with Groupon's values.

Rounds·3

Timeline·~7d

Experience·0 - 2 yrs

Comp band·US$85000 - US$110000

Interview time·120 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Problem-solving skills
  • Coding proficiency
  • Data structures and algorithms knowledge
  • System design thinking (basic)
  • Communication skills
  • Teamwork and collaboration
  • Adaptability and learning agility
  • Cultural fit

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Review fundamental data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps) and algorithms (sorting, searching, dynamic programming, recursion).
  2. Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or Coderbyte, focusing on medium-difficulty problems.
  3. Understand Big O notation for time and space complexity.
  4. Brush up on object-oriented programming (OOP) principles.
  5. Prepare to discuss your past projects, highlighting your contributions and the challenges you faced.
  6. Research Groupon's products, services, and company culture.
  7. Prepare answers to common behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
  8. Have a list of thoughtful questions to ask the interviewer about the role, team, and company.

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 05 phases

01 / 05
01

Phase 01 of 05

Data Structures Fundamentals

Weeks 1-2: Data Structures (Arrays, Linked Lists, Hash Maps) & Basic Algorithms (Sorting, Searching).

Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures like arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, and hash maps. Practice problems related to these structures, emphasizing time and space complexity analysis. Cover basic sorting and searching algorithms.

Questions

Commonly 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 a difficult stakeholder.
  • How would you design a URL shortener (high-level)?
  • What are your favorite programming languages and why?
  • Tell me about a time you made a mistake and how you handled it.

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 02 locations

01 / 02

Location

Remote

Interview focus

Understanding of core Java/Python/etc. concepts.Ability to write clean, efficient, and testable code.Problem-solving approach and logical thinking.

Common questions

  • Tell me about a challenging project you worked on.
  • How do you handle disagreements within a team?
  • Describe a time you had to learn a new technology quickly.

Tips

  • Be prepared to discuss your projects in detail.
  • Emphasize collaboration and communication skills.
  • Showcase your eagerness to learn and adapt.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

Expand a step for evaluation criteria, sample questions, and prep notes.

Med

Technical Interview - Coding · 45 min · Software Engineer

This round focuses on assessing your core programming skills. You will be asked to solve one or two 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 problem-solving approach and how you communicate your thought process.

What they look for

A candidate who can translate a problem into working code.Someone who can think critically and break down complex problems.A candidate who can explain their reasoning clearly.Someone who considers edge cases and potential improvements.

Evaluation

  • Correctness of the solution
  • Efficiency of the solution (time and space complexity)
  • Code clarity and readability
  • Problem-solving approach
  • Ability to communicate the solution

Sample questions

  • Given a binary tree, determine if it is a valid binary search tree.

    Data StructuresTreesRecursion

  • Find the kth smallest element in a sorted matrix.

    AlgorithmsArraysBinary Search

Prep for this round

  1. 01Practice coding on a whiteboard or a shared editor.
  2. 02Talk through your solution as you write it.
  3. 03Ask clarifying questions about the problem statement.
  4. 04Consider different approaches and their trade-offs.
  5. 05Test your code with various inputs, including edge cases.

Common rejection reasons

  • ×Inability to articulate thought process.
  • ×Poor code quality (not readable, inefficient).
  • ×Fundamental misunderstanding of data structures or algorithms.
  • ×Failure to handle edge cases.

DSA

Coding questions at Groupon.

Frequently reported on Groupon loops

View all at Groupon

Other guides

More at Groupon.