Scale Engineer

Software Engineer I

Software EngineerL1Medium

The Software Engineer I interview at Indeed is designed to assess foundational technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit for entry-level engineers. It typically involves a mix of technical rounds focusing on data structures, algorithms, and basic system design, along with behavioral questions to gauge teamwork and communication.

Rounds·3

Timeline·~7d

Experience·0 - 2 yrs

Comp band·US$75000 - US$95000

Interview time·120 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Problem-solving skills
  • Algorithmic thinking
  • Data structure knowledge
  • Coding proficiency
  • Communication skills
  • Teamwork and collaboration
  • Cultural fit

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Review fundamental data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps) and algorithms (sorting, searching, graph traversal).
  2. Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or Coderbyte, focusing on easy and medium difficulty.
  3. Understand basic object-oriented programming (OOP) concepts.
  4. Prepare for behavioral questions by thinking about your past experiences using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
  5. Research Indeed's products, mission, and values.
  6. Be ready to discuss your resume and projects in detail.
  7. Practice explaining your thought process out loud.

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, Stacks, Queues, Hash Maps) & Big O.

Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures like arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, and hash maps. Practice implementing them and solving problems related to their usage. Understand time and space complexity (Big O notation).

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Given an array of integers, find the two numbers that add up to a specific target.
  • Implement a function to reverse a linked list.
  • Explain the difference between a process and a thread.
  • Describe a situation where you had to deal with a difficult teammate.
  • How would you design a URL shortener (high-level)?
  • What are the advantages of using a hash map?
  • Write a function to check if a binary tree is a Binary Search Tree (BST).
  • Tell me about a time you failed and what you learned from it.

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 02 locations

01 / 02

Location

North America

Interview focus

Emphasis on core computer science fundamentals.Assessment of problem-solving approach and clarity of thought.Evaluation of eagerness to learn and adapt.

Common questions

  • Tell me about a challenging project you worked on.
  • How do you approach debugging a complex issue?
  • Describe a time you had to learn a new technology quickly.

Tips

  • Be prepared to explain your thought process clearly.
  • Showcase your ability to break down problems.
  • Highlight any personal projects or contributions to open source.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

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

DSA

Coding questions at Indeed.

Frequently reported on Indeed loops

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Other guides

More at Indeed.