# Associate Member of Technical Staff **Role:** Software Engineer · **Level:** Associate MTS **Company:** [Salesforce](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/salesforce) **Difficulty:** Medium **Salary:** US$75000 - US$95000 **Experience:** 0 - 2 **Timeline:** ~14 days This interview process is for an Associate Member of Technical Staff (Software Engineer) role at Salesforce. It is designed to assess a candidate's foundational technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within the company. Canonical: https://scaleengineer.com/interviews/salesforce/associate-mts-software-engineer --- ## Overall evaluation - Technical Skills - Behavioral Skills - 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. - Describe a situation where you had to deal with a conflict in a team. - How do you stay updated with new technologies? - What interests you about Salesforce? - Tell me about a time you failed and what you learned from it. - Design a basic URL shortener. - What are the principles of object-oriented programming? - How would you debug a performance issue in an application? ## Preparation tips ### lists - Review fundamental data structures and algorithms (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, sorting, searching). - Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or Coderbyte, focusing on easy and medium difficulty. - Understand object-oriented programming (OOP) principles. - Familiarize yourself with common software development concepts like version control (Git), testing, and debugging. - Research Salesforce's products, values (Ohana, innovation, customer success), and recent news. - Prepare to discuss your resume projects in detail, focusing on your contributions and the challenges you faced. - Practice answering behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). - Be ready to explain your thought process clearly during coding challenges. - Prepare questions to ask the interviewer about the role, team, and company culture. ### studyPlan - {"title":"Data Structures and Algorithms - Fundamentals","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures (Arrays, Linked Lists, Stacks, Queues, Hash Tables) and basic algorithms (Sorting, Searching). Practice implementing these from scratch and solving problems involving them. Understand time and space complexity (Big O notation).","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Algorithms Fundamentals (Arrays, Lists, Stacks, Queues, Sorting, Searching, Big O)."} - {"title":"Data Structures and Algorithms - Advanced","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Dive into more advanced data structures like Trees (Binary Trees, BSTs, Tries) and Graphs. Learn graph traversal algorithms (BFS, DFS) and common tree operations. Practice problems related to these structures.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Advanced Data Structures (Trees, Graphs) & Algorithms (BFS, DFS)."} - {"title":"Software Development Fundamentals","longDescription":"Week 5: Focus on Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) concepts (Encapsulation, Inheritance, Polymorphism, Abstraction) and design patterns. Review common software development lifecycle (SDLC) concepts and version control (Git).","shortDescription":"Week 5: OOP Concepts, Design Patterns, SDLC, Git."} - {"title":"Behavioral Preparation and Company Research","longDescription":"Week 6: Dedicate this week to behavioral preparation. Practice answering common behavioral questions using the STAR method. Research Salesforce's values and mission. Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the interviewer.","shortDescription":"Week 6: Behavioral Questions (STAR method), Salesforce Research, Prepare Questions."} - {"title":"Practice and Refinement","longDescription":"Week 7: Mock interviews and timed coding challenges. Simulate the interview environment to improve speed and accuracy. Review any weak areas identified during practice.","shortDescription":"Week 7: Mock Interviews, Timed Coding Practice, Review Weak Areas."} ## Location differences - {"location":"University Recruiting (On-Campus)","differences":{"tips":["Be prepared to discuss academic projects in detail.","Emphasize your eagerness to learn and contribute.","Highlight any leadership or collaborative experiences."],"interviewFocus":["Understanding of core computer science concepts.","Ability to articulate thought process.","Teamwork and communication skills."],"commonQuestions":["Tell me about a challenging project you worked on in college.","How do you approach learning a new technology?","Describe a time you had to collaborate with a team with differing opinions."]}} - {"location":"General Recruiting (Off-Campus)","differences":{"tips":["Research Salesforce's core products and values.","Be ready to discuss your contributions to previous projects.","Showcase your ability to adapt to new challenges."],"interviewFocus":["Practical application of skills in a professional setting.","Problem-solving and system design thinking.","Adaptability and learning from experience."],"commonQuestions":["Describe your experience with [specific Salesforce product/technology].","How would you design a system to handle X concurrent users?","Tell me about a time you received constructive feedback and how you acted on it."]}} ## Round 1: Coding Challenge **Type:** Technical Interview (Coding) · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min Solve 1-2 coding problems focusing on data structures and algorithms. This is typically the first technical round. You will be asked to solve one or two coding problems, often involving data structures and algorithms. The interviewer will assess your ability to understand the problem, devise a solution, write clean and efficient code, and explain your reasoning. You might also be asked conceptual questions related to computer science fundamentals. **Interviewers look for:** A clear and logical approach to problem-solving.; Ability to translate a problem into code.; Understanding of time and space complexity.; Clear communication of their approach and code. **Evaluation criteria:** Problem-solving skills; Coding proficiency; Understanding of data structures and algorithms; Communication of thought process **Common rejection reasons:** Inability to articulate thought process.; Poor understanding of fundamental algorithms.; Difficulty in writing clean, working code.; Lack of enthusiasm or engagement. ## Questions - Given a string, find the first non-repeating character. - Implement a function to check if a binary tree is a Binary Search Tree (BST). - Find the kth smallest element in an unsorted array. ## Preparation tips - Practice coding problems on a whiteboard or shared editor. - Focus on explaining your thought process as you code. - Test your code with edge cases. - Be prepared to discuss the time and space complexity of your solution. ## Round 2: System Design Discussion **Type:** System Design / Architecture · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min Design a scalable system, focusing on core components and trade-offs. This round focuses on your ability to design scalable and robust software systems. You'll be given an open-ended problem (e.g., design Twitter's feed, design a URL shortener) and expected to discuss various aspects like data modeling, API design, component interactions, and scalability challenges. For an Associate MTS, this might be a more focused or simplified design problem. **Interviewers look for:** Ability to break down a complex problem into smaller components.; Understanding of common system design patterns.; Consideration for scalability, reliability, and performance.; Ability to justify design decisions. **Evaluation criteria:** System design thinking; Scalability considerations; Trade-off analysis; Problem decomposition; Communication of design **Common rejection reasons:** Inability to think about system design at a high level.; Lack of consideration for scalability and trade-offs.; Poor communication of design choices.; Not asking clarifying questions. ## Questions - Design a system to count the number of views for a given YouTube video. - Design a rate limiter for an API. ## Preparation tips - Study common system design concepts (load balancing, caching, databases, APIs). - Practice designing common systems. - Focus on clarifying requirements and making reasonable assumptions. - Be prepared to discuss trade-offs of different design choices. ## Round 3: Behavioral and Cultural Fit **Type:** Behavioral Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min Discuss past experiences, teamwork, and cultural fit using the STAR method. This round assesses your behavioral competencies and cultural fit. You'll be asked questions about your past experiences, how you handle challenges, work in teams, and your motivations. The interviewer wants to understand how you align with Salesforce's values and how you would contribute to the team and company culture. Using the STAR method is highly recommended. **Interviewers look for:** Evidence of collaboration and teamwork.; Ability to learn from mistakes and feedback.; Alignment with Salesforce's core values (Ohana, Trust, Innovation, Customer Success).; Enthusiasm and passion for software engineering. **Evaluation criteria:** Teamwork and collaboration; Problem-solving approach in past experiences; Adaptability and learning; Motivation and cultural fit; Communication skills **Common rejection reasons:** Lack of alignment with company values.; Poor communication or interpersonal skills.; Inability to provide specific examples for behavioral questions.; Lack of enthusiasm for the role or company. ## Questions - Tell me about a time you had to work with a difficult teammate. How did you handle it? - Describe a project you are particularly proud of and your role in it. - How do you handle constructive criticism? ## Preparation tips - Prepare specific examples using the STAR method for common behavioral questions. - Research Salesforce's values and culture. - Be ready to talk about your strengths and weaknesses. - Show genuine interest in the role and the company.