Software Engineer · Phone Screen · Multiple Types

Pinterest — Software Engineer ✅ Passed

Level: Senior-Level

Round: Phone Screen · Type: Multiple Types · Difficulty: 3/10 · Duration: 60 min · Interviewer: Unfriendly

Topics: Stack, Recursion, Rate Limiter, System Design

Location: San Francisco Bay Area

Interview date: 2025-12-01

Summary

My phone screen consisted of a coding question and system design questions.

Question: The first coding question involved stack/recursion and was relatively simple. The second coding question was related to transactions, as mentioned in frequently asked interview questions, but an optimal solution was not required. For the system design portion, I was asked about rate limiters and designing a leaderboard service.

Details

I was asked to solve coding problems using stack and recursion. The second coding question was about transactions. I was also asked system design questions about rate limiters and designing a leaderboard service.

Preparation Tips & Key Takeaways

What I Learned

• Understand how to implement a rate limiter.
• Consider optimal solutions for problems, as follow-up questions might be similar.

Recommended Preparation

Coding Practice

• Practice stack and recursion problems.

System Design

• Study rate limiters and common design patterns.

Resources I Recommend

• LeetCode for coding practice.
• System design interview resources.