Whatnot

Software Engineer

Software EngineerL7Hard

The Software Engineer L7 interview at Whatnot 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 a behavioral/managerial interview. The focus is on evaluating a candidate's ability to design, build, and scale complex systems, mentor junior engineers, and contribute to a collaborative team environment.

Rounds

4

Timeline

~14 days

Experience

8 - 15 yrs

Salary Range

US$180000 - US$250000

Total Duration

195 min

Overall Evaluation Criteria

Technical Skills

Technical proficiency in relevant programming languages and frameworks.
Ability to write clean, efficient, and maintainable code.
Strong understanding of data structures, algorithms, and complexity analysis.
Problem-solving skills and analytical thinking.
System design capabilities, including scalability, reliability, and maintainability.
Communication skills and ability to articulate technical concepts clearly.
Collaboration and teamwork abilities.
Leadership potential and ability to mentor others.
Cultural fit and alignment with Whatnot's values.

Problem Solving

Ability to break down complex problems into smaller, manageable parts.
Creativity and innovation in finding solutions.
Logical reasoning and critical thinking.
Ability to evaluate trade-offs and make informed decisions.

System Design

Experience in designing scalable, reliable, and maintainable systems.
Understanding of architectural patterns and best practices.
Ability to consider various aspects like performance, security, and cost.
Capacity to anticipate future needs and design for extensibility.

Behavioral and Leadership

Demonstrated leadership qualities and ability to influence others.
Experience in mentoring and guiding junior engineers.
Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
Proactiveness in identifying and addressing challenges.
Alignment with Whatnot's company culture and values.

Preparation Tips

1Review fundamental computer science concepts, including data structures and algorithms.
2Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or similar.
3Study system design principles and common architectural patterns.
4Prepare examples of your past projects and technical challenges you've overcome.
5Research Whatnot's products, services, and company culture.
6Practice behavioral interview questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
7Understand the specific technologies and tools used at Whatnot.
8Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the interviewer about the role, team, and company.

Study Plan

1

Data Structures and Algorithms

Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Algorithms. Practice coding problems.

Weeks 1-2: Focus on Data Structures and Algorithms. Cover arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash tables, heaps, sorting, searching, dynamic programming, and graph traversal algorithms. Practice coding problems related to these topics, aiming for optimal time and space complexity.

2

System Design

Weeks 3-4: System Design. Study architectural patterns.

Weeks 3-4: Dive into System Design. Study concepts like scalability, reliability, availability, latency, consistency, load balancing, caching, databases (SQL vs. NoSQL), message queues, microservices architecture, and API design. Work through common system design case studies.

3

Behavioral and Leadership

Week 5: Behavioral & Leadership. Prepare STAR stories.

Week 5: Behavioral and Leadership Preparation. Reflect on your past experiences and prepare stories using the STAR method that demonstrate leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, conflict resolution, and adaptability. Understand Whatnot's values and how your experiences align.

4

Final Preparation

Week 6: Mock Interviews & Review. Final preparation.

Week 6: Mock Interviews and Review. Conduct mock interviews for both technical and behavioral rounds. Get feedback and identify areas for improvement. Review any weak areas identified during practice and mock interviews. Research the company and prepare questions.

Commonly Asked Questions

Design a URL shortening service like bit.ly.
How would you design a news feed for a social media platform?
Describe a time you had to deal with a difficult stakeholder.
What are the trade-offs between monolithic and microservices architectures?
How do you ensure code quality and maintainability in a large codebase?
Tell me about a project you are particularly proud of and your role in it.
How would you optimize the performance of a slow-running database query?
What are your thoughts on testing strategies for distributed systems?
Describe a situation where you had to learn a new technology quickly.
How do you handle production incidents and post-mortems?

Location-Based Differences

San Francisco Bay Area

Interview Focus

Deep dive into distributed systems and scalability challenges relevant to e-commerce.Emphasis on architectural decision-making and trade-offs.Assessment of leadership potential and ability to drive technical initiatives.Understanding of operational excellence and on-call responsibilities.

Common Questions

How would you design a real-time notification system for a platform like Whatnot?

Discuss a challenging technical problem you solved and how you approached it.

Describe a time you had to influence a technical decision within your team or organization.

How do you handle technical debt and prioritize its resolution?

What are your strategies for ensuring the scalability and reliability of a distributed system?

Tips

Be prepared to discuss large-scale system design patterns and their application.
Highlight experience with cloud-native technologies and microservices architecture.
Showcase leadership qualities and experience mentoring other engineers.
Demonstrate a strong understanding of performance optimization and cost management.
Be ready to articulate your thought process clearly and justify your design choices.

Remote

Interview Focus

Focus on practical application of software engineering principles.Assessment of problem-solving skills in a collaborative setting.Evaluation of coding proficiency and best practices.Understanding of agile methodologies and team collaboration.

Common Questions

Design a system for managing user-generated content and its moderation.

Tell me about a time you disagreed with a technical decision and how you handled it.

How do you approach debugging complex issues in a production environment?

What are your thoughts on different database technologies and when to use them?

Describe your experience with CI/CD pipelines and automated testing.

Tips

Practice coding problems that involve data structures and algorithms.
Be ready to explain your approach to problem-solving and discuss trade-offs.
Prepare examples of successful teamwork and communication.
Familiarize yourself with common software development tools and practices.
Show enthusiasm for learning and adapting to new technologies.

Process Timeline

0
HR / Recruiter Screen30m
1
Technical Round 1: Coding60m
2
Technical Round 2: System Design60m
3
Behavioral and Managerial Round45m

Interview Rounds

4-step process with detailed breakdown for each round

0

HR / Recruiter Screen

Initial or final discussion with HR about role, expectations, and logistics.

HR / Recruiter ScreenEasy
30 minRecruiter / HR

This initial or final round is conducted by the HR or recruiting team. They will discuss the role in more detail, answer any questions you may have about the company culture, benefits, and compensation. This is also where logistical aspects like start dates and offer details are typically discussed. It's an opportunity for both sides to ensure a good mutual fit.

What Interviewers Look For

Enthusiasm for the role and company.Clear understanding of the position and responsibilities.Professionalism and good communication.Alignment on compensation and logistics.

Evaluation Criteria

Candidate's interest in the role.
Alignment of expectations (role, compensation, start date).
Logistical details.
Opportunity for candidate to ask questions.

Questions Asked

What are your salary expectations for this role?

HRCompensation

Why are you interested in Whatnot?

HRMotivation

Do you have any questions for me about the role or the company?

HREngagement

Preparation Tips

1Be prepared to discuss your salary expectations.
2Have questions ready about the role, team, and company.
3Be professional and enthusiastic.
4Confirm your understanding of the role and responsibilities.

Common Reasons for Rejection

Lack of alignment on expectations.
Unrealistic salary demands.
Poor communication regarding availability or other logistics.
1

Technical Round 1: Coding

Coding challenge focusing on data structures and algorithms.

Data Structures And Algorithms InterviewHard
60 minSoftware Engineer (Senior/Staff)

This round focuses on your core computer science knowledge. You will be presented with one or two coding problems that require you to implement solutions using appropriate data structures and algorithms. The interviewer will assess your ability to analyze the problem, discuss different approaches, write clean and efficient code, and test your solution thoroughly. Expect questions on topics like arrays, strings, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash maps, sorting, searching, and dynamic programming.

What Interviewers Look For

Strong grasp of fundamental data structures and algorithms.Ability to translate a problem into efficient code.Clear communication of thought process.Attention to detail and thoroughness.

Evaluation Criteria

Correctness of the solution.
Efficiency (time and space complexity).
Code quality and readability.
Problem-solving approach.
Ability to handle edge cases and constraints.

Questions Asked

Given an array of integers, find the contiguous subarray with the largest sum.

ArrayDynamic ProgrammingAlgorithm

Implement a function to find the k-th smallest element in a binary search tree.

TreeBinary Search TreeAlgorithm

Preparation Tips

1Practice coding problems regularly.
2Understand the time and space complexity of your solutions.
3Be prepared to explain your approach before coding.
4Write clean, well-commented code.
5Test your code with various inputs, including edge cases.

Common Reasons for Rejection

Inability to articulate thought process clearly.
Suboptimal algorithmic solutions.
Poor coding practices (e.g., unreadable code, lack of error handling).
Failure to consider edge cases and constraints.
2

Technical Round 2: System Design

Design a scalable system based on a given problem statement.

System Design InterviewHard
60 minStaff Software Engineer / Engineering Manager

This round assesses your ability to design large-scale, distributed systems. You will be given an open-ended problem, such as designing a specific service or feature (e.g., a URL shortener, a social media feed, a notification system). The interviewer will expect you to clarify requirements, propose a high-level design, dive deep into specific components, discuss trade-offs, and consider aspects like scalability, reliability, and performance. You should be prepared to discuss databases, caching strategies, APIs, load balancing, and potential bottlenecks.

What Interviewers Look For

Ability to design complex, distributed systems.Understanding of architectural patterns.Knowledge of databases, caching, load balancing, and messaging.Pragmatic approach to problem-solving.Clear communication of design decisions.

Evaluation Criteria

Scalability of the proposed design.
Reliability and fault tolerance.
Clarity and justification of design choices.
Consideration of trade-offs.
Understanding of system components and interactions.

Questions Asked

Design a system to handle real-time analytics for a video streaming platform.

System DesignScalabilityDistributed Systems

Design a rate limiter for an API.

System DesignAPIScalability

Preparation Tips

1Study common system design patterns.
2Practice designing various systems.
3Be prepared to whiteboard your design.
4Clearly articulate your assumptions and design decisions.
5Discuss potential bottlenecks and how to address them.

Common Reasons for Rejection

Inability to design a scalable and reliable system.
Lack of consideration for trade-offs.
Overly complex or simplistic solutions.
Failure to address key system requirements.
Poor communication of design choices.
3

Behavioral and Managerial Round

Assesses behavioral competencies, teamwork, and cultural fit.

Behavioral And Managerial InterviewMedium
45 minHiring Manager / Senior Engineering Manager

This round focuses on your past experiences, behavioral competencies, and cultural fit. You will be asked questions about how you've handled specific situations in previous roles, such as dealing with conflict, managing challenging projects, collaborating with others, and demonstrating leadership. The interviewer aims to understand your working style, your ability to contribute to the team, and whether you align with Whatnot's values. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to provide clear and concise answers.

What Interviewers Look For

Evidence of collaboration and teamwork.Ability to handle conflict and challenges constructively.Proactiveness and ownership.Growth mindset and willingness to learn.Enthusiasm for the role and company.

Evaluation Criteria

Behavioral competencies (teamwork, communication, problem-solving).
Alignment with company values.
Leadership potential.
Motivation and career aspirations.
Cultural fit.

Questions Asked

Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a teammate and how you resolved it.

BehavioralConflict ResolutionTeamwork

Describe a challenging project you worked on and what you learned from it.

BehavioralProject ManagementLearning

How do you stay updated with new technologies?

BehavioralLearningGrowth Mindset

Preparation Tips

1Prepare specific examples using the STAR method.
2Reflect on your strengths and weaknesses.
3Understand Whatnot's company culture and values.
4Be honest and authentic in your responses.
5Show enthusiasm for the role and the company.

Common Reasons for Rejection

Lack of self-awareness.
Inability to provide specific examples.
Negative attitude or blaming others.
Poor communication or interpersonal skills.
Misalignment with company values or culture.

Commonly Asked DSA Questions

Frequently asked coding questions at Whatnot

View all
Group AnagramsMEDIUMWord SearchMEDIUMNumber of IslandsMEDIUMSearch a 2D Matrix IIMEDIUMValid Palindrome IIEASYSquares of a Sorted ArrayEASYRemove All Adjacent Duplicates In StringEASY