The Software Engineer SDE IV interview at InMobi is a rigorous 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 interviews, a system design round, and a behavioral/managerial round. The goal is to identify candidates who can not only solve complex technical challenges but also contribute to the company's growth and collaborative environment.
Rounds·3
Timeline·~7d
Experience·6 - 10 yrs
Comp band·US$150000 - US$200000
Interview time·165 min
Evaluation
Preparation
Tips
Study plan
Fig · Study plan — 04 phases
01 / 04Phase 01 of 04
Weeks 1-2: DSA Fundamentals & Practice (2-3 problems/day).
Weeks 1-2: Focus on core Data Structures and Algorithms. Cover arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, trees (binary, BST, AVL), heaps, hash tables, graphs. Practice problems related to searching, sorting, recursion, dynamic programming. Aim for 2-3 problems per day.
Phase 02 of 04
Weeks 3-4: System Design Concepts & Case Studies.
Weeks 3-4: Dive into System Design. Study concepts like API design, database design (SQL vs. NoSQL), caching strategies, load balancing, message queues, microservices architecture, CAP theorem, and eventual consistency. Work through common system design case studies.
Phase 03 of 04
Week 5: Behavioral & Leadership Preparation (STAR method).
Week 5: Focus on Behavioral and Leadership aspects. Prepare examples using the STAR method for common questions related to teamwork, conflict resolution, leadership, failure, and success. Research InMobi's values and culture.
Phase 04 of 04
Week 6: Mock Interviews & Weakness Review.
Week 6: Mock Interviews and Review. Conduct mock interviews (technical and system design) with peers or mentors. Review weak areas identified during practice and mock interviews. Refine your communication and explanation skills.
Questions
Locations
Fig · Regions — 02 locations
01 / 02Location
Interview focus
Common questions
Tips
Location
Interview focus
Common questions
Tips
Rounds
Expand a step for evaluation criteria, sample questions, and prep notes.
Technical Interview (Data Structures & Algorithms) · 60 min · Senior Software Engineer / Tech Lead
This round focuses on assessing your core computer science fundamentals. You will be presented with 1-2 coding problems that require a deep understanding of data structures and algorithms. The interviewer will evaluate your ability to analyze the problem, devise an efficient solution, write clean and correct code, and discuss the time and space complexity of your approach. Expect follow-up questions on optimizations and alternative solutions.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Given an array of integers, find the contiguous subarray with the largest sum.
Implement a function to find the k-th smallest element in a binary search tree.
Design a data structure that supports insert, delete, and getRandom in O(1) average time.
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
System Design Interview · 60 min · Senior Staff Engineer / Architect
This round evaluates your ability to design and architect complex systems. You will be given an open-ended problem (e.g., design Twitter's feed, design a distributed key-value store) and expected to propose a high-level design. The interviewer will probe into various aspects like data modeling, API design, scalability, performance, consistency, and fault tolerance. You need to demonstrate a strong understanding of trade-offs and justify your design decisions.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Design a system like Instagram.
Design a distributed message queue.
How would you design a system to handle real-time analytics for millions of users?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
Behavioral / Managerial Interview · 45 min · Hiring Manager / Engineering Manager
This round focuses on your behavioral aspects, leadership potential, and overall fit within the team and company culture. The interviewer will ask questions about your past experiences, focusing on how you've handled specific situations, managed projects, worked in teams, and demonstrated leadership. Be prepared to provide concrete examples using the STAR method.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Tell me about a time you had to lead a project from start to finish.
Describe a situation where you had a conflict with a colleague and how you resolved it.
How do you stay motivated when working on challenging or repetitive tasks?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
DSA
Frequently reported on InMobi loops
Other guides
