Scale Engineer

SWE II

Software EngineerP2Medium to Hard

The interview process for a Software Engineer II (P2) at Workday is designed to assess a candidate's technical proficiency, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within the company. It typically involves multiple rounds, including HR screening, technical interviews focusing on data structures, algorithms, and system design, and a final managerial interview to evaluate leadership potential and alignment with Workday's values.

Rounds·4

Timeline·~14d

Experience·3 - 7 yrs

Comp band·US$110000 - US$150000

Interview time·195 min

Evaluation

What they measure.

  • Problem-solving skills
  • Technical knowledge (data structures, algorithms, system design)
  • Coding proficiency and best practices
  • Communication and collaboration skills
  • Cultural fit and alignment with Workday values
  • Experience and impact in previous roles

Preparation

How to prepare.

Tips

  1. Review fundamental data structures and algorithms.
  2. Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, HackerRank, or similar.
  3. Study system design principles and common architectural patterns.
  4. Understand Workday's products and company culture.
  5. Prepare to discuss your past projects and technical contributions in detail.
  6. Practice behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
  7. Research common interview questions for Software Engineer roles at Workday.

Study plan

Fig · Study plan — 05 phases

01 / 05
01

Phase 01 of 05

Data Structures and Algorithms Fundamentals

Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Basic Algorithms

Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures (Arrays, Linked Lists, Stacks, Queues, Trees, Graphs, Hash Tables) and their common operations and time complexities. Practice basic algorithmic techniques like sorting, searching, and recursion.

Questions

Commonly asked.

  • Given an array of integers, find the contiguous subarray with the largest sum.
  • Design a URL shortening service like bit.ly.
  • Explain the difference between a process and a thread.
  • Tell me about a time you disagreed with a teammate and how you resolved it.
  • How would you design a system to handle user authentication and authorization?
  • What are the advantages of using microservices?
  • Describe a situation where you had to deal with ambiguity.
  • Implement a function to reverse a linked list.
  • How do you approach performance optimization in a web application?
  • What are your thoughts on continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD)?

Locations

Regional differences.

Fig · Regions — 02 locations

01 / 02

Location

USA

Interview focus

System Design: Emphasis on scalability, reliability, and distributed systems.Problem-Solving: Ability to break down complex problems and articulate solutions.Collaboration: How candidates work with cross-functional teams.Adaptability: How candidates handle changing requirements and technologies.

Common questions

  • How would you design a system to handle real-time notifications for a large user base?
  • Describe a challenging technical problem you faced and how you solved it.
  • Explain the trade-offs between different database technologies for a specific use case.
  • How do you approach debugging complex distributed systems?
  • Tell me about a time you had to mentor a junior engineer.

Tips

  • For US-based interviews, be prepared for in-depth system design questions and discussions on cloud technologies (AWS, Azure, GCP).
  • Understand Workday's core products and how they operate.
  • Practice explaining your thought process clearly and concisely.
  • Be ready to discuss your experience with agile methodologies.

Rounds

Round-by-round.

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

DSA

Coding questions at Workday.

Frequently reported on Workday loops

View all at Workday

Other guides

More at Workday.