Software Engineer · Onsite · Multiple Types

Pinterest — Software Engineer ✅ Passed

Level: Senior-Level

Round: Onsite · Type: Multiple Types · Difficulty: 5/10 · Duration: 360 min · Interviewer: Neutral

Topics: Data Structures, Algorithms, System Design, Behavioral Questions

Location: San Francisco Bay Area

Interview date: 2025-12-09

Summary

Round 1: Phone Screen

Question: setEquals problem.

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Round 2: Onsite - Coding 1

Question: getCommonAds problem. Part 1 involved scanning logs to find the top k ads. Part 2 was implementing ingestImpressions using a sliding window.

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Round 3: Onsite - Coding 2

Question: Standard interview question. Part 2 was the main question. Part 1 was simpler, involving putting each character of the source string into a set and then scanning the target string to determine if it can be composed from the source.

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Round 4: Onsite - System Design 1

Question: Search engine input suggestions.

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Round 5: Onsite - System Design 2

Question: Design a system to support bulk and single product modifications for merchants. This was a previously seen problem.

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Round 6: Onsite - Behavioral

Question: General behavioral questions with the interviewer.

Details

Preparation Tips & Key Takeaways

What I Learned

• Focus on commonly asked interview questions, especially within the last year.
• Interviewers are generally supportive and helpful.

Recommended Preparation

Coding Practice

• Review common algorithm and data structure problems.
• Practice implementing sliding window techniques.

System Design

• Prepare for standard system design questions, such as search autocomplete.
• Understand how to design systems that support bulk operations.

Behavioral Questions

• Be prepared to discuss your experiences in a conversational manner.

Resources I Recommend

• Online coding platforms (e.g., LeetCode) for practicing common interview questions.
• System design resources for understanding common system architectures.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Neglecting to practice recently asked interview questions.
• Not being familiar with standard system design patterns.

LeetCode similar: LeetCode - setEquals, LeetCode - getCommonAds, Commonly Asked Interview Questions