Software Engineer · Phone Screen · Coding

Netflix — Software Engineer ❌ Failed

Level: Mid-Level

Round: Phone Screen · Type: Coding · Difficulty: 6/10 · Duration: 60 min · Interviewer: Unfriendly

Topics: Recursion, Iteration, Time Conversion

Location: Los Gatos, CA

Interview date: 2025-05-06

Got offer: False

Summary

Round 1: Phone Screen

Question: I was asked to implement a function that converts a given number of seconds into a human-readable time format (months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, seconds) using recursion.

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Details

The question I got was:

Implement a function timer that takes a single argument seconds (integer representing the number of seconds). The function returns a string representing the time in a human-readable form up to Months (assuming 30 days in a month).

Examples:

timer(55); // returns: 55 seconds timer(65); // returns: 1 minutes, 5 seconds timer(3805000); // returns: 1 months, 2 weeks, 56 minutes, 40 seconds

Requirements:

• Don’t print zero units except for seconds.
  • Good: 5 minutes, 0 seconds
  • Good: 2 days, 3 minutes, 10 seconds
  • Bad: 2 days, 0 hour, 3 minutes, 10 seconds
• Don’t use standard built-in language libraries (date, time, etc.)
• Function to be recursive

I initially implemented an iterative solution, which took considerable time because of the modulo operations for months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, and seconds. I was then asked to rewrite it using recursion. I found the recursive approach awkward and struggled to complete it in time. I didn't get to run the code, and I failed the interview.

Preparation Tips & Key Takeaways

What I Learned

• Pay close attention to all requirements from the start.
• Consider the implications of constraints like recursion before diving into an iterative solution.

Recommended Preparation

Coding Practice

• Practice implementing time conversion algorithms.
• Focus on recursive solutions for problems that might initially seem iterative.

Recursion

• Understand how to break down problems into smaller, self-similar subproblems.
• Master the base cases and recursive steps.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Not clarifying all requirements before coding.
• Spending too much time on a non-optimal approach.