Scale Engineer

Software Engineer

Software EngineerL3Medium

The Software Engineer L3 interview process at Whatnot is designed to assess a candidate's foundational technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit. It typically involves multiple rounds focusing on data structures, algorithms, system design fundamentals, and behavioral aspects.

Rounds·4

Timeline·~7d

Experience·1 - 3 yrs

Comp band·US$90000 - US$130000

Interview time·135 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Problem-solving approach
  • Code quality and efficiency
  • Understanding of data structures and algorithms
  • Ability to communicate technical concepts clearly

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Review fundamental data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps) and algorithms (sorting, searching, dynamic programming, graph traversal).
  2. Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or Coderbyte, focusing on medium-difficulty problems.
  3. Understand basic system design concepts such as databases, caching, load balancing, and APIs.
  4. Prepare examples for common behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
  5. Research Whatnot's products, mission, and recent news.
  6. Prepare questions to ask the interviewer about the role, team, and company culture.

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 05 phases

01 / 05
01

Phase 01 of 05

Data Structures Fundamentals

Weeks 1-2: Data Structures (Arrays, Lists, Trees, Hash Maps) & Complexity Analysis.

Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures like arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, trees (binary trees, BSTs, AVL trees), and hash maps. Practice problems related to insertion, deletion, traversal, and searching for each. Understand time and space complexity analysis.

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Given an array of integers, find the contiguous subarray with the largest sum.
  • Implement a function to reverse a linked list.
  • Design a system to shorten URLs.
  • Tell me about a time you faced a technical challenge and how you overcame it.
  • How would you design a notification system for a social media platform?
  • What are your strengths and weaknesses?
  • Describe a situation where you had to work with a difficult team member.

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 02 locations

01 / 02

Location

Remote

Interview focus

Adaptability to remote collaboration tools and practices.Communication clarity in a distributed environment.

Common questions

  • Tell me about a challenging project you worked on.
  • How do you handle disagreements within a team?
  • Describe a time you had to learn a new technology quickly.

Tips

  • Ensure a stable internet connection and a quiet environment.
  • Be prepared to share your screen and use virtual whiteboarding tools.
  • Articulate your thought process clearly, as non-verbal cues might be less apparent.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

Expand a step for evaluation criteria, sample questions, and prep notes.

DSA

Coding questions at Whatnot.

Frequently reported on Whatnot loops

View all at Whatnot

Other guides

More at Whatnot.