Scale Engineer

Software Engineer

Software EngineerSDE 3Hard

The Software Engineer (SDE 3) interview at Groupon is a comprehensive process designed to assess a candidate's technical expertise, problem-solving abilities, system design skills, and cultural fit. It typically involves multiple rounds, including technical screenings, coding challenges, system design discussions, and behavioral interviews.

Rounds·3

Timeline·~14d

Experience·5 - 10 yrs

Comp band·US$140000 - US$180000

Interview time·150 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Problem-solving skills
  • Algorithmic thinking
  • Data structure knowledge
  • Code quality and efficiency
  • Testing and debugging abilities

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Review fundamental data structures and algorithms.
  2. Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or AlgoExpert.
  3. Study system design concepts, including scalability, databases, caching, and load balancing.
  4. Prepare for behavioral questions by reflecting on past experiences using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
  5. Research Groupon's products, services, and company culture.
  6. Understand common software development best practices and design patterns.
  7. Be ready to discuss your past projects in detail, focusing on your contributions and learnings.

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 04 phases

01 / 04
01

Phase 01 of 04

Data Structures and Algorithms

Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Algorithms (Medium/Hard LeetCode)

Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps) and algorithms (sorting, searching, dynamic programming, graph traversal). Practice medium to hard difficulty problems on LeetCode.

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Given a binary tree, find the lowest common ancestor of two given nodes.
  • Design a URL shortening service like bit.ly.
  • How would you design a system to handle real-time notifications for a social media platform?
  • Tell me about a time you disagreed with a technical decision and how you handled it.
  • Describe a complex bug you encountered and how you debugged it.
  • What are the trade-offs between microservices and a monolithic architecture?
  • How do you ensure the scalability of a web application?
  • Explain the concept of eventual consistency.
  • Describe a situation where you had to lead a project or initiative.
  • How do you stay updated with new technologies and trends?

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 03 locations

01 / 03

Location

North America

Interview focus

Emphasis on collaborative problem-solving and communication skills.Assessment of experience with local market trends and customer needs.

Common questions

  • Discuss a challenging project you worked on and how you overcame obstacles.
  • How do you handle disagreements within a team?
  • Describe a time you had to mentor a junior engineer.

Tips

  • Research Groupon's presence and impact in the specific region.
  • Be prepared to discuss how your skills can benefit the local user base.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

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

DSA

Coding questions at Groupon.

Frequently reported on Groupon loops

View all at Groupon

Other guides

More at Groupon.