This interview process is designed to assess candidates for a Software Engineer II position at Reddit. It evaluates technical proficiency, problem-solving skills, system design capabilities, and cultural fit within the company.
Rounds·3
Timeline·~14d
Experience·2 - 5 yrs
Comp band·US$120000 - US$160000
Interview time·150 min
Evaluation
Preparation
Tips
Study plan
Fig · Study plan — 04 phases
01 / 04Phase 01 of 04
Weeks 1-2: DSA Fundamentals (Arrays, Lists, Trees, Graphs, Hash Maps, Sorting, Searching, DP, Graph Traversal).
Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps) and algorithms (sorting, searching, dynamic programming, graph traversal). Practice problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, and Cracking the Coding Interview.
Phase 02 of 04
Weeks 3-4: System Design (Databases, Caching, Load Balancing, Message Queues, Microservices, Distributed Systems).
Weeks 3-4: Dive into system design concepts. Study topics like database design, caching, load balancing, message queues, microservices, and distributed systems. Practice designing common systems like Twitter feed, URL shortener, or a chat application.
Phase 03 of 04
Week 5: Behavioral Prep (STAR Method, Teamwork, Problem-Solving, Leadership).
Week 5: Prepare for behavioral questions. Reflect on past experiences related to teamwork, problem-solving, leadership, and conflict resolution. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers.
Phase 04 of 04
Week 6: Company Research & Question Preparation (Reddit's Tech, Products, Culture).
Week 6: Research Reddit's tech stack, products, and company culture. Understand their business model and recent news. Prepare questions to ask the interviewer about the role, team, and company.
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.
Data Structures And Algorithms Interview · 45 min · Software Engineer
This round focuses on your fundamental computer science knowledge. You will be presented with coding problems that require you to apply data structures and algorithms to find efficient solutions. The interviewer will assess your ability to understand the problem, devise a strategy, write clean and working code, and analyze its time and space complexity.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Given an array of integers, find the contiguous subarray with the largest sum.
Implement a function to reverse a linked list.
Find the kth smallest element in an unsorted array.
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
System Design Interview · 60 min · Senior Software Engineer / Architect
This round assesses your ability to design complex, scalable, and reliable systems. You will be given an open-ended problem, such as designing a social media feed or a URL shortener, and expected to discuss various components, data models, APIs, and potential bottlenecks. Emphasis is placed on your ability to reason about trade-offs and justify your design decisions.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Design a system to handle Reddit's front page.
How would you design a real-time analytics dashboard for user engagement?
Design a distributed rate limiter.
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
Behavioral Interview · 45 min · Hiring Manager
This interview focuses on your behavioral and cultural fit. The hiring manager will ask questions about your past experiences, how you handle challenges, work in teams, and your motivations. They are looking for evidence of collaboration, problem-solving, and alignment with Reddit's values. Be prepared to share specific examples using the STAR method.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Tell me about a time you had to work with a difficult teammate.
Describe a challenging technical problem you faced and how you solved it.
Why are you interested in working at Reddit?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
DSA
Frequently reported on Reddit loops
Other guides
