The Software Engineer L5 interview at Notion 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 interviews, a system design interview, and behavioral interviews.
Rounds·4
Timeline·~14d
Experience·5 - 8 yrs
Comp band·US$140000 - US$180000
Interview time·210 min
Evaluation
Preparation
Tips
Study plan
Fig · Study plan — 04 phases
01 / 04Phase 01 of 04
Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Algorithms fundamentals. Practice 20-30 problems.
Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps) and algorithms (sorting, searching, dynamic programming, graph traversal). Practice implementing these in your preferred language and analyze their time and space complexity. Solve at least 20-30 problems related to these topics.
Phase 02 of 04
Weeks 3-4: System Design principles and case studies.
Weeks 3-4: Dive into system design. Study concepts like scalability, availability, reliability, load balancing, caching, databases (SQL vs. NoSQL), message queues, and microservices. Work through common system design case studies (e.g., designing Twitter feed, URL shortener, chat system).
Phase 03 of 04
Week 5: Behavioral interview preparation using STAR method. Research Notion's values.
Week 5: Prepare for behavioral interviews. Reflect on your past projects and experiences, identifying examples that demonstrate leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, and handling challenges. Use the STAR method to structure your answers. Research Notion's values and prepare to align your experiences with them.
Phase 04 of 04
Week 6: Mock interviews and feedback. Review weak areas.
Week 6: Mock interviews. Conduct mock interviews with peers or mentors, focusing on both technical and behavioral aspects. Get feedback on your communication, problem-solving approach, and overall presentation. Review any areas where you felt weak during the mock interviews.
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 (Coding) · 60 min · Software Engineer
This round focuses on your fundamental programming skills. You will be asked to solve one or two coding problems, typically involving data structures and algorithms. The interviewer will assess your ability to understand the problem, devise an efficient solution, write clean code, and explain your thought process. Expect questions that test your knowledge of arrays, strings, linked lists, trees, graphs, sorting, searching, and dynamic programming.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Given an array of integers, return indices of the two numbers such that they add up to a specific target.
Implement a function to reverse a linked list.
Find the kth smallest element in a Binary Search Tree.
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
System Design Interview · 60 min · Senior Software Engineer / Engineering Manager
This round evaluates your ability to design and architect software systems. You will be presented with a high-level problem (e.g., design a URL shortener, a social media feed, or a real-time chat application) and expected to design a system that meets the requirements. The focus is on scalability, reliability, performance, and trade-offs. You should be prepared to discuss database choices, API design, caching strategies, load balancing, and potential bottlenecks.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Design a system like Twitter's news feed.
Design a URL shortening service.
How would you design a real-time notification system?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
Behavioral Interview · 45 min · Hiring Manager / Senior Team Member
This round focuses on your past experiences and how they relate to the role and Notion's culture. You'll be asked behavioral questions designed to understand your work style, problem-solving approach in real-world scenarios, teamwork abilities, and how you handle challenges. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to provide clear and concise answers backed by specific examples.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Tell me about a time you faced a significant technical challenge and how you overcame it.
Describe a situation where you had to work with a difficult colleague. How did you handle it?
How do you prioritize your work when you have multiple competing deadlines?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
Managerial Interview · 45 min · Hiring Manager
This final round is typically with the hiring manager. It's an opportunity to discuss your experience in more detail, understand the team's specific needs and projects, and assess your overall fit for the role and team dynamics. The hiring manager will also evaluate your career aspirations and how they align with opportunities at Notion.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
What are your thoughts on the current architecture of our collaboration features?
How would you approach mentoring a junior engineer on our team?
What are your long-term career goals, and how does this role fit into them?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
DSA
Frequently reported on Notion loops
Other guides
