The Zendesk Software Engineer interview process is designed to assess a candidate's technical skills, problem-solving abilities, cultural fit, and potential for growth within the company. It typically involves multiple rounds, starting with an initial screening and progressing through technical assessments and interviews with hiring managers and team members.
Rounds·4
Timeline·~14d
Experience·0 - 10 yrs
Comp band·US$90000 - US$150000
Interview time·210 min
Evaluation
Preparation
Tips
Study plan
Fig · Study plan — 04 phases
01 / 04Phase 01 of 04
Weeks 1-2: Data Structures & Algorithms fundamentals. Practice 20-30 problems.
Weeks 1-2: Focus on core data structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, graphs, hash tables) and algorithms (sorting, searching, dynamic programming, recursion). Practice implementing these from scratch and analyze their time and space complexity. Solve at least 20-30 problems related to these topics.
Phase 02 of 04
Weeks 3-4: System Design principles. Practice designing common systems.
Weeks 3-4: Dive into system design concepts. Study topics like scalability, reliability, availability, databases (SQL vs. NoSQL), caching, load balancing, and API design. Review common system design interview questions and practice designing systems like Twitter feed, URL shortener, etc.
Phase 03 of 04
Week 5: Behavioral questions preparation using STAR method.
Week 5: Prepare for behavioral and situational questions. Reflect on your past experiences and identify examples that showcase your problem-solving, teamwork, leadership, and conflict-resolution skills. Use the STAR method to structure your answers.
Phase 04 of 04
Week 6: Company research and question preparation.
Week 6: Research Zendesk thoroughly. Understand their mission, values, products, and recent news. Prepare insightful questions to ask the interviewers. Review your resume and be ready to discuss any project or experience listed.
Questions
Locations
Fig · Regions — 03 locations
01 / 03Location
Interview focus
Common questions
Tips
Location
Interview focus
Common questions
Tips
Location
Interview focus
Common questions
Tips
Rounds
Expand a step for evaluation criteria, sample questions, and prep notes.
Recruiter Screen · 45 min · Recruiter or HR
This initial round is conducted by a recruiter or HR representative to assess your overall fit with Zendesk's culture and values, understand your career aspirations, and confirm your basic qualifications and interest in the role. They will also provide an overview of the interview process and answer any initial questions you may have.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Tell me about yourself.
Why are you interested in Zendesk?
What are your salary expectations?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
Technical Phone Screen / Coding Interview · 60 min · Software Engineer
This round focuses on your technical abilities. You will be asked to solve one or two coding problems, typically involving data structures and algorithms. The interviewer will assess your approach to problem-solving, your ability to write clean and efficient code, and your understanding of complexity analysis. You might be asked to code in a shared editor or on a whiteboard.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Given an array of integers, find the contiguous subarray with the largest sum.
Implement a function to reverse a linked list.
Find the kth smallest element in a binary search tree.
Given a string, find the length of the longest substring without repeating characters.
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
System Design Interview · 60 min · Senior Software Engineer or Architect
This round evaluates your ability to design complex software systems. You'll be presented with a high-level problem (e.g., design a URL shortener, a Twitter feed, or a chat system) and expected to discuss various aspects like data modeling, API design, scalability, performance, and fault tolerance. The focus is on your thought process and ability to make reasoned design choices.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Design a system like TinyURL.
Design a news feed system similar to Facebook.
How would you design a rate limiter?
Design a system to store and retrieve user sessions.
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
Behavioral / Hiring Manager Interview · 45 min · Hiring Manager
This interview focuses on your behavioral and situational responses. The hiring manager will ask questions designed to understand how you've handled various work situations in the past, such as dealing with conflict, managing deadlines, collaborating with others, and overcoming challenges. They will also assess your motivation for the role and your potential fit within the team and company culture.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Tell me about a time you had to deal with a difficult stakeholder.
Describe a situation where you failed. What did you learn from it?
How do you prioritize your work when you have multiple competing deadlines?
Tell me about a time you went above and beyond what was expected.
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
DSA
Frequently reported on Zendesk loops
Other guides
