# L Band
**Role:** Software Engineer · **Level:** SWE I
**Company:** [Nike](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/nike)
**Difficulty:** Medium
**Salary:** US$85000 - US$110000
**Experience:** 1 - 3
**Timeline:** ~10 days
This interview process is for a Software Engineer I (L Band) position at Nike. It is designed to assess a candidate's foundational software engineering skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within the company.
Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/nike/swe-i-software-engineer
---
## Overall evaluation

- Technical Skills
- Behavioral and Cultural Fit
- Process and Methodology

## Questions asked

- Tell me about yourself.
- Why are you interested in Nike?
- Describe a time you faced a technical challenge and how you overcame it.
- How do you approach debugging a complex issue?
- Write a function to reverse a linked list.
- Given an array of integers, find the two numbers that add up to a specific target.
- How would you design a URL shortener?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
- How do you handle constructive criticism?

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Review fundamental data structures and algorithms.
- Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank.
- Understand object-oriented programming principles.
- Prepare to discuss your past projects and technical challenges.
- Research Nike's products, values, and recent news.
- Practice behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
- Prepare questions to ask the interviewer about the role and team.

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Data Structures and Algorithms","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures (Arrays, Linked Lists, Trees, Graphs, Hash Tables) and their common operations and time complexities. Practice implementing these structures and solving problems related to them. Review sorting and searching algorithms.","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Algorithms Fundamentals. Practice implementations and basic algorithms."}
- {"title":"Algorithmic Techniques","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Dive into algorithmic techniques such as recursion, dynamic programming, greedy algorithms, and graph traversal. Work on problems that require applying these techniques. Understand time and space complexity analysis (Big O notation).","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Algorithmic Techniques & Complexity Analysis. Solve problems using DP, recursion, graphs."}
- {"title":"Object-Oriented Design","longDescription":"Week 5: Focus on object-oriented design principles (SOLID) and common design patterns (e.g., Factory, Singleton, Observer). Practice designing simple systems and discussing trade-offs.","shortDescription":"Week 5: Object-Oriented Design & Patterns. Study SOLID and common design patterns."}
- {"title":"Behavioral Preparation","longDescription":"Week 6: Prepare for behavioral questions. Reflect on your past experiences and identify examples that demonstrate teamwork, problem-solving, leadership, and adaptability. Practice articulating these using the STAR method.","shortDescription":"Week 6: Behavioral Preparation. Practice STAR method for common behavioral questions."}
- {"title":"Company Research","longDescription":"Week 7: Research Nike's company culture, values, recent news, and products. Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the interviewers about the team, projects, and company.","shortDescription":"Week 7: Company Research & Question Preparation. Learn about Nike and prepare questions."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"Beaverton, OR (World Headquarters)","differences":{"tips":["Research Nike's recent product launches and marketing campaigns.","Be prepared to discuss how your skills align with Nike's mission.","Emphasize teamwork and communication skills."],"interviewFocus":["Understanding of Nike's brand and values.","Ability to collaborate within a diverse team.","Adaptability to the fast-paced retail environment."],"commonQuestions":["Tell me about a challenging project you worked on at Nike.","How do you handle conflicting priorities with team members?","Describe a time you had to adapt to a new technology or process."]}}
- {"location":"Remote","differences":{"tips":["Be ready to discuss specific technical projects and your contributions.","Prepare to whiteboard solutions to coding problems.","Familiarize yourself with common software design patterns."],"interviewFocus":["Technical depth in relevant programming languages and frameworks.","Understanding of distributed systems and scalability.","Problem-solving approach to complex technical challenges."],"commonQuestions":["How would you approach building a scalable e-commerce feature?","Describe your experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).","How do you ensure code quality and maintainability?"]}}

## Round 1: Data Structures and Algorithms
**Type:** Technical Interview (Coding) · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Coding challenge focusing on data structures and algorithms.
This round focuses on assessing your core technical skills. You will be asked to solve coding problems, typically involving data structures and algorithms. The interviewer will evaluate your problem-solving approach, coding style, and ability to explain your thought process. Expect questions that test your understanding of fundamental computer science concepts.
**Interviewers look for:** Clear and logical thinking.; Ability to translate requirements into code.; Understanding of time and space complexity.; Clean and efficient code.
**Evaluation criteria:** Problem-solving approach; Coding proficiency; Understanding of data structures and algorithms; Communication of technical concepts
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to articulate thought process clearly.; Lack of fundamental data structure knowledge.; Poor coding practices.; Difficulty in solving basic algorithmic problems.
## Questions

- Given a binary tree, find its inorder traversal.
- Implement a function to check if a string is a palindrome.
- Find the kth smallest element in a sorted matrix.

## Preparation tips

- Practice coding on a whiteboard or a shared editor.
- Think out loud and explain your approach before coding.
- Test your code with edge cases.
- Be prepared to discuss the time and space complexity of your solutions.

## Round 2: Technical Experience & System Design
**Type:** Technical Interview (Experience & System Design) · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Discussion on past projects, technical challenges, and system design.
In this round, you'll discuss your past projects and technical experiences in detail. The interviewer will probe into your contributions, the challenges you faced, and how you approached them. This is an opportunity to showcase your technical depth and problem-solving skills in practical scenarios. Be prepared to discuss design choices, trade-offs, and the impact of your work.
**Interviewers look for:** Ability to articulate technical challenges and solutions.; Understanding of the impact of their work.; Proactiveness in problem-solving.; Technical decision-making rationale.
**Evaluation criteria:** Depth of technical experience; Problem-solving skills in real-world scenarios; Communication and explanation abilities; Ownership and impact of past work
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to explain past project contributions.; Lack of clarity on technical decisions made.; Poor communication of problem-solving strategies.; Not demonstrating ownership or initiative.
## Questions

- Tell me about a complex system you designed or contributed to. What were the key challenges and how did you address them?
- Describe a time you had to optimize the performance of a system. What metrics did you use, and what was the outcome?
- Walk me through the process of building a feature from requirements to deployment.

## Preparation tips

- Prepare detailed stories about your most impactful projects.
- Be ready to explain the technical architecture and your role in it.
- Quantify your achievements whenever possible.
- Think about the 'why' behind your technical decisions.

## Round 3: Behavioral and Cultural Fit
**Type:** Behavioral Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 30 min
Assessing behavioral competencies, teamwork, and cultural fit.
This round is focused on understanding your behavioral competencies and how you align with Nike's culture and values. The hiring manager will ask questions about your teamwork, communication, problem-solving approach in non-technical contexts, and your motivation for joining Nike. Use the STAR method to provide specific examples from your past experiences.
**Interviewers look for:** Positive attitude and enthusiasm for Nike.; Ability to work effectively in a team.; Alignment with company values (e.g., innovation, integrity, teamwork).; Self-awareness and reflection.
**Evaluation criteria:** Teamwork and collaboration; Communication skills; Adaptability and learning agility; Cultural fit with Nike's values; Motivation and enthusiasm
**Common rejection reasons:** Poor communication and interpersonal skills.; Lack of alignment with Nike's values.; Inability to provide specific examples for behavioral questions.; Negative attitude or lack of enthusiasm.
## Questions

- Tell me about a time you disagreed with a teammate. How did you handle it?
- Describe a situation where you had to adapt to a significant change at work.
- Why Nike? What excites you about working here?

## Preparation tips

- Research Nike's mission, vision, and values.
- Prepare examples using the STAR method for common behavioral questions.
- Be enthusiastic and genuine in your responses.
- Ask thoughtful questions about the team and role.