This interview process is designed to assess candidates for the Software Engineer 1 role at Zepto. It evaluates technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit.
Rounds·3
Timeline·~7d
Experience·0 - 2 yrs
Comp band·US$60000 - US$75000
Interview time·135 min
Evaluation
Preparation
Tips
Study plan
Fig · Study plan — 05 phases
01 / 05Phase 01 of 05
Weeks 1-2: DSA Fundamentals & Practice (5 problems/topic)
Weeks 1-2: Focus on Data Structures (Arrays, Linked Lists, Trees, Graphs, Hash Tables) and Algorithms (Sorting, Searching, Dynamic Programming, Greedy Algorithms). Practice at least 5 problems per topic. Understand time and space complexity analysis.
Phase 02 of 05
Weeks 3-4: System Design Concepts & Case Studies
Weeks 3-4: Dive into System Design concepts. Study topics like scalability, load balancing, caching, databases (SQL vs NoSQL), message queues, and API design. Work through common system design case studies.
Phase 03 of 05
Week 5: Behavioral Questions & Company Research (STAR Method)
Week 5: Prepare for behavioral and situational questions. Reflect on your past experiences, identify key projects, and prepare stories using the STAR method. Understand Zepto's culture and values.
Phase 04 of 05
Week 6: Core CS Concepts Review
Week 6: Brush up on core CS concepts like Operating Systems (processes, threads, memory management), Databases (ACID properties, indexing), and Networking (TCP/IP, HTTP). Review any specific technologies mentioned in the job description.
Phase 05 of 05
Week 7: Mock Interviews & Final Preparation
Week 7: Mock interviews, review notes, and prepare thoughtful questions to ask the interviewer. Ensure you are comfortable discussing your resume and projects.
Questions
Locations
Fig · Regions — 02 locations
01 / 02Location
Interview focus
Common questions
Tips
Location
Interview focus
Common questions
Tips
Rounds
Expand a step for evaluation criteria, sample questions, and prep notes.
Technical Interview - Coding · 45 min · Software Engineer (Mid-level or Senior)
This round focuses on your fundamental programming skills. You will be asked to solve 1-2 coding problems that test your knowledge of data structures and algorithms. The interviewer will assess your ability to analyze the problem, devise an efficient solution, write clean code, and explain your reasoning.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Given an array of integers, return indices of the two numbers such that they add up to a specific target.
Reverse a linked list.
Implement a function to check if a binary tree is a Binary Search Tree.
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
Technical Interview - System Design · 60 min · Senior Software Engineer / Engineering Manager
This round evaluates your ability to design and architect software systems. You will be presented with a high-level problem (e.g., design Twitter, design a URL shortener) and expected to discuss various components, trade-offs, and scalability considerations. This is crucial for understanding how you approach complex problems.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Design a system like Instagram.
Design a rate limiter.
Design a distributed cache.
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
Behavioral And Managerial Interview · 30 min · Hiring Manager / Team Lead
This round focuses on your behavioral aspects, past experiences, and overall fit with the team and Zepto's culture. You'll be asked questions about your strengths, weaknesses, how you handle challenges, teamwork, and your career goals. Prepare to share specific examples using the STAR method.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Tell me about a time you faced a significant technical challenge and how you overcame it.
How do you handle constructive criticism?
Why are you interested in Zepto?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
DSA
Frequently reported on Zepto loops
Other guides
