# Software Engineer
**Role:** Software Engineer · **Level:** SDE I
**Company:** [InMobi](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/inmobi)
**Difficulty:** Medium
**Salary:** US$100000 - US$150000
**Experience:** 0 - 2
**Timeline:** ~7 days
The Software Engineer (SDE I) interview at InMobi is designed to assess a candidate's foundational programming skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit for the company. It typically involves multiple rounds, starting with an HR screening, followed by technical rounds focusing on data structures, algorithms, and system design basics, and concluding with a managerial round to evaluate overall fit and career aspirations.
Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/inmobi/sde-i-software-engineer
---
## Overall evaluation

- Technical Skills
- Behavioral and Cultural Fit

## 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.
- Explain the difference between a process and a thread.
- How would you design a URL shortening service?
- Tell me about a time you failed and what you learned from it.
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- Describe a situation where you had to work with a difficult colleague.

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Brush up on fundamental data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps) and algorithms (sorting, searching, dynamic programming, recursion).
- Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or GeeksforGeeks, focusing on medium-difficulty problems.
- Understand basic system design concepts, such as scalability, availability, and common architectural patterns.
- Prepare to discuss your past projects in detail, focusing on your contributions, challenges faced, and lessons learned.
- Review core computer science concepts like operating systems, databases, and networking.
- Research InMobi's products, mission, and values to understand how you can contribute.
- Prepare behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Data Structures","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Focus on Data Structures. Cover arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, trees (binary trees, BSTs, AVL trees), heaps, and hash tables. Practice problems related to each. Understand time and space complexity analysis.","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Data Structures (Arrays, Lists, Trees, HashMaps). Practice problems."}
- {"title":"Algorithms","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Focus on Algorithms. Cover sorting algorithms (bubble, insertion, merge, quick), searching algorithms (binary search), recursion, dynamic programming, graph traversal (BFS, DFS), and greedy algorithms. Solve problems applying these algorithms.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Algorithms (Sorting, Searching, DP, Graphs). Practice problems."}
- {"title":"System Design Fundamentals","longDescription":"Week 5: Introduction to System Design. Understand concepts like load balancing, caching, databases (SQL vs NoSQL), APIs, and microservices. Study common design patterns and how to scale applications. Focus on basic principles relevant to SDE I.","shortDescription":"Week 5: System Design Basics (Load Balancing, Caching, Databases)."}
- {"title":"Behavioral and Project Preparation","longDescription":"Week 6: Behavioral and Project Deep Dive. Prepare to discuss your resume projects in detail. Practice behavioral questions using the STAR method. Research InMobi's culture and values.","shortDescription":"Week 6: Behavioral Questions (STAR method) & Project Discussion. Research InMobi."}
- {"title":"Mock Interviews and Final Review","longDescription":"Week 7: Mock Interviews and Review. Conduct mock interviews focusing on both technical and behavioral aspects. Review weak areas identified during practice and mock interviews. Ensure you are comfortable explaining your thought process clearly.","shortDescription":"Week 7: Mock Interviews & Final Review."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"Bangalore","differences":{"tips":["Research InMobi's presence and projects in this specific region.","Be prepared to discuss how your skills align with local industry needs.","Highlight any experience working in diverse or international teams."],"interviewFocus":["Adaptability to local work culture.","Communication skills in the local language (if applicable).","Understanding of local market trends."],"commonQuestions":["Tell me about a challenging project you worked on.","How do you handle tight deadlines?","Describe a time you disagreed with a team member."]}}
- {"location":"Remote","differences":{"tips":["Emphasize your ability to work autonomously and deliver results remotely.","Showcase your experience with tools like Slack, Jira, and video conferencing platforms.","Be ready to discuss your strategies for maintaining team connection and productivity in a remote setting."],"interviewFocus":["Self-management and proactiveness.","Proficiency with remote collaboration tools.","Ability to work effectively in a distributed team environment."],"commonQuestions":["What are your thoughts on remote work policies?","How do you stay motivated when working independently?","Describe your experience with asynchronous communication."]}}

## Round 0: HR Screening Round
**Type:** HR Screening · **Difficulty:** Easy · **Duration:** 15 min
Initial screening by HR to assess basic fit and motivation.
This initial screening is conducted by the HR team to understand your background, motivation for applying, and basic fit with the company culture and role requirements. They will also discuss salary expectations and the overall interview process. This is a crucial step to ensure mutual alignment before proceeding to technical rounds.
**Interviewers look for:** Genuine interest in the role and InMobi.; Clear communication.; Professionalism.; Alignment of expectations.
**Evaluation criteria:** Candidate's understanding of the role and company.; Candidate's motivation and interest.; Alignment of expectations (role, compensation, career path).; Overall communication and professionalism.
**Common rejection reasons:** Poor communication skills.; Lack of enthusiasm for the role.; Mismatched expectations regarding compensation or role.; Failure to articulate career goals clearly.
## Questions

- Tell me about yourself.
- Why are you looking for a new opportunity?
- What are your salary expectations?

## Preparation tips

- Be prepared to talk about your resume and why you are interested in this specific role at InMobi.
- Have a clear understanding of your salary expectations.
- Be ready to ask questions about the role, team, and company.
- Maintain a positive and professional attitude.

## Round 1: Data Structures and Algorithms Round
**Type:** Technical Interview - Data Structures & Algorithms · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Coding problems focusing on data structures and algorithms.
This round focuses on assessing your core programming skills. You will be asked to solve coding problems, typically involving data structures and algorithms. The interviewer will evaluate your approach to problem-solving, your ability to write clean and efficient code, and your understanding of complexity analysis. Expect to write code either on a shared editor or a whiteboard.
**Interviewers look for:** Clean and efficient code.; Logical thinking and problem-solving skills.; Understanding of time and space complexity.; Ability to communicate the solution clearly.
**Evaluation criteria:** Correctness of the code; Efficiency (time and space complexity); Clarity and readability of the code; Problem-solving approach; Ability to handle edge cases
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to solve basic coding problems.; Poor understanding of fundamental data structures and algorithms.; Lack of clarity in explaining thought process.; Negative attitude or poor communication.
## Questions

- Given a binary tree, check if it is a valid Binary Search Tree.
- Find the kth smallest element in an unsorted array.
- Implement a function to check if a string is a palindrome.

## Preparation tips

- Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank.
- Focus on understanding the underlying data structures and algorithms.
- Be prepared to explain your thought process step-by-step.
- Practice writing code on a whiteboard or a simple text editor.

## Round 2: System Design Round
**Type:** Technical Interview - System Design · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 60 min
High-level system design problem.
This round assesses your ability to think about system design at a high level. You'll be given a problem (e.g., design a URL shortener, a Twitter feed) and asked to design a system to solve it. The focus is on understanding trade-offs, identifying core components, and discussing scalability and reliability, even at a foundational level for an SDE I role.
**Interviewers look for:** A structured approach to problem-solving.; Knowledge of common system design patterns.; Ability to identify bottlenecks and propose solutions.; Consideration of non-functional requirements like performance and reliability.
**Evaluation criteria:** Understanding of system components (databases, caches, load balancers).; Ability to design for scalability and availability.; Trade-off analysis.; Clarity of design choices.; Handling of constraints and requirements.
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to design a basic scalable system.; Lack of understanding of fundamental system components.; Poor trade-off analysis.; Not considering scalability or reliability.
## Questions

- Design a basic rate limiter.
- How would you design a system to count the number of unique visitors to a website?
- Design a simple notification service.

## Preparation tips

- Study common system design concepts (load balancing, caching, databases, APIs).
- Understand trade-offs between different design choices.
- Practice designing simple systems like a URL shortener or a basic social media feed.
- Think about how to scale your design.

## Round 3: Managerial Round
**Type:** Managerial Round · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Behavioral questions and cultural fit assessment.
In this round, the hiring manager will focus on your overall fit within the team and the company culture. They will ask behavioral questions to understand how you handle various workplace situations, your motivations, and your career aspirations. This is also an opportunity for you to ask questions about the team, role, and company.
**Interviewers look for:** Enthusiasm for the role and company.; Ability to work well in a team.; Self-awareness and honesty.; Clear communication of past experiences and future aspirations.; Cultural alignment.
**Evaluation criteria:** Alignment with InMobi's values.; Teamwork and collaboration skills.; Communication and interpersonal skills.; Motivation and career goals.; Problem-solving approach in a team context.
**Common rejection reasons:** Poor cultural fit.; Lack of motivation or enthusiasm.; Unrealistic career expectations.; Inability to articulate past experiences effectively.; Poor communication or interpersonal skills.
## Questions

- Tell me about a time you had to work with a difficult team member. How did you handle it?
- Why are you interested in working at InMobi?
- Describe a situation where you took initiative to solve a problem.

## Preparation tips

- Prepare answers to common behavioral questions using the STAR method.
- Research InMobi's company culture, values, and mission.
- Think about your career goals and how this role aligns with them.
- Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the hiring manager.