# Associate Software Engineer
**Role:** Software Engineer · **Level:** TR7
**Company:** [Thomson Reuters](https://scaleengineer.com/companies/thomson-reuters)
**Difficulty:** Medium
**Salary:** US$65000 - US$85000
**Experience:** 0 - 2
**Timeline:** ~14 days
This interview process is for an Associate Software Engineer (TR7) role at Thomson Reuters. 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/thomson-reuters/tr7-software-engineer
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## Overall evaluation

- Technical Skills
- Behavioral and Cultural Fit
- Foundational Knowledge

## Questions asked

- Write a function to reverse a linked list.
- Explain the difference between a process and a thread.
- Describe a situation where you had to deal with a difficult team member.
- How would you design a URL shortener service?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- Tell me about a time you failed and what you learned from it.
- Given an array of integers, find the two numbers that add up to a specific target.
- What is polymorphism?
- How do you stay updated with new technologies?
- Why are you interested in Thomson Reuters?

## Preparation tips

### lists

- Review fundamental data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps) and algorithms (sorting, searching, recursion, dynamic programming).
- Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or GeeksforGeeks, focusing on medium-difficulty problems.
- Understand core object-oriented programming (OOP) concepts (encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, abstraction).
- Familiarize yourself with common software development methodologies (Agile, Scrum).
- Prepare to discuss your past projects, internships, or academic work in detail, focusing on your contributions and learnings.
- Research Thomson Reuters' products, services, and company culture.
- Practice answering behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
- Be ready to explain your thought process clearly and concisely during technical discussions.

### studyPlan

- {"title":"Data Structures Fundamentals","longDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Focus on foundational data structures like arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, and trees. Practice implementing them and solving problems related to their usage. Understand time and space complexity analysis (Big O notation).","shortDescription":"Weeks 1-2: Data Structures (Arrays, Linked Lists, Trees) & Complexity Analysis."}
- {"title":"Algorithm Practice","longDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Dive into algorithms such as sorting (bubble sort, merge sort, quick sort), searching (binary search), recursion, and basic graph traversal (BFS, DFS). Solve problems that require applying these algorithms.","shortDescription":"Weeks 3-4: Algorithms (Sorting, Searching, Recursion, Graph Traversal) & Problem Solving."}
- {"title":"Object-Oriented Programming","longDescription":"Week 5: Strengthen your understanding of Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) principles and design patterns. Review common programming languages (e.g., Java, Python, C++) and their specific features.","shortDescription":"Week 5: OOP Concepts & Language Proficiency."}
- {"title":"Behavioral Preparation & Company Research","longDescription":"Week 6: Prepare for behavioral questions. Think about examples from your experience that demonstrate teamwork, problem-solving, leadership, and adaptability. Practice articulating these using the STAR method. Research Thomson Reuters.","shortDescription":"Week 6: Behavioral Questions (STAR Method) & Company Research."}

## Location differences

- {"location":"North America","differences":{"tips":["Highlight any open-source contributions or personal projects.","Be prepared to discuss your learning process.","Emphasize teamwork and communication in your answers."],"interviewFocus":["Adaptability to new technologies and team environments.","Understanding of core computer science principles.","Communication and collaboration skills."],"commonQuestions":["Tell me about a challenging project you worked on during your internship.","How do you handle conflicting priorities?","Describe a time you had to learn a new technology quickly."]}}
- {"location":"Europe","differences":{"tips":["Brush up on data structures and algorithms.","Be ready to write code on a whiteboard or shared editor.","Understand the company's core products and services."],"interviewFocus":["Depth of understanding in specific programming languages (e.g., Java, Python).","Problem-solving approach to technical challenges.","Familiarity with software development lifecycle."],"commonQuestions":["Can you explain the concept of polymorphism with a real-world example?","How would you optimize a database query?","Describe your experience with Agile methodologies."]}}
- {"location":"Asia","differences":{"tips":["Review fundamental programming concepts.","Practice explaining your thought process clearly.","Show enthusiasm for continuous learning."],"interviewFocus":["Core programming concepts and best practices.","Analytical and debugging skills.","Attitude towards learning and self-improvement."],"commonQuestions":["What are the key principles of object-oriented programming?","How do you approach debugging a complex issue?","Tell me about a time you received constructive feedback and how you acted on it."]}}

## Round 1: Data Structures and Algorithms Assessment
**Type:** Technical Interview (Data Structures & Algorithms) · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Coding challenges to assess problem-solving and algorithmic skills.
This round focuses on assessing your core technical skills through coding challenges. You will be asked to solve one or two problems related to data structures and algorithms. The interviewer will evaluate your approach to problem-solving, your ability to write clean and efficient code, and your understanding of time and space complexity. You'll typically use a shared coding environment or whiteboard.
**Interviewers look for:** Logical thinking; Ability to translate requirements into code; Understanding of fundamental data structures and algorithms; Clean and maintainable code
**Evaluation criteria:** Correctness of the solution; Efficiency of the solution (time and space complexity); Code clarity and readability; Problem-solving approach; Ability to communicate technical ideas
**Common rejection reasons:** Inability to articulate thought process.; Incorrect or inefficient algorithmic solutions.; Poor coding practices (e.g., lack of comments, poor variable naming).; Failure to handle edge cases.
## 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 check if a binary tree is a valid Binary Search Tree (BST).

## Preparation tips

- Practice coding problems regularly.
- Focus on explaining your thought process as you code.
- Be prepared to discuss trade-offs between different solutions.
- Test your code thoroughly, including edge cases.

## Round 2: Behavioral and Situational Assessment
**Type:** Behavioral Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 30 min
Assessing soft skills, teamwork, and cultural fit.
This round focuses on your behavioral and situational responses. You'll be asked questions about your past experiences, how you handle teamwork, challenges, and learning. The goal is to understand your personality, work ethic, and how well you would integrate into the team and company culture. Use the STAR method to structure your answers.
**Interviewers look for:** How you handle challenges and conflicts.; Your ability to work in a team.; Your learning attitude and adaptability.; Your passion for software development and the company.
**Evaluation criteria:** Communication skills; Teamwork and collaboration; Problem-solving approach in non-technical scenarios; Motivation and enthusiasm; Cultural alignment with Thomson Reuters values
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of clarity in explaining past experiences.; Inability to provide specific examples.; Appearing unenthusiastic or not a good cultural fit.; Not demonstrating teamwork or collaboration skills.
## Questions

- Tell me about a time you faced a significant challenge in a project and how you overcame it.
- Describe a situation where you had to collaborate with someone with a different working style. How did you manage it?
- What are your career aspirations for the next 3-5 years?

## Preparation tips

- Prepare specific examples using the STAR method.
- Be honest and authentic in your responses.
- Show enthusiasm for the role and the company.
- Ask thoughtful questions about the team and work environment.

## Round 3: System Design Fundamentals
**Type:** System Design Interview · **Difficulty:** Medium · **Duration:** 45 min
Assessing ability to design scalable software systems.
This round, often called an Architecture or System Design round, is more common for mid-level roles but can be introduced for strong junior candidates. It assesses your ability to think about how software systems are built at a higher level. You might be asked to design a simplified version of a common application (e.g., a URL shortener, a social media feed). Focus on requirements gathering, component design, data modeling, and identifying potential bottlenecks.
**Interviewers look for:** Ability to think about larger systems.; Understanding of scalability, reliability, and performance.; Pragmatic approach to design.; Ability to break down complex problems.
**Evaluation criteria:** Understanding of system design concepts; Ability to design scalable and reliable systems; Consideration of trade-offs; Communication of design decisions; Problem decomposition
**Common rejection reasons:** Lack of understanding of basic system design principles.; Inability to scale solutions.; Poor communication of design choices.; Not considering trade-offs effectively.
## Questions

- Design a URL shortening service like bit.ly.
- How would you design a system to count the number of unique visitors to a website?

## Preparation tips

- Study common system design patterns and concepts.
- Practice designing various types of systems.
- Focus on clarifying requirements and making reasonable assumptions.
- Discuss trade-offs for different design choices.