Rakuten Advertising Interview Questions
& Process

It was a pretty long interview process with several rounds. They saved the hiring manager and decision-maker for last, which wasn't the most efficient use of anyone's time. The questions were mostly standard, though a couple seemed tricky. It wasn't always clear what each team and hiring manager were looking for, and at times it felt like a formality or just another task for people to complete. Having a lot of marketing experience surprisingly seemed to be a drawback for this particular role.

Interviewing with Rakuten Advertising for the DevOps Intern position was a fantastic experience. The team was professional, welcoming, and clearly passionate about their work. They showed genuine appreciation for my background, especially recognizing and valuing my service as a U.S. Army veteran. The process was smooth and well-organized, and every conversation felt encouraging and meaningful. It’s clear Rakuten values innovation, mentorship, and team culture — I left feeling inspired and excited about the opportunity to contribute.

I applied and had an initial interview with someone on my potential future team, which I felt went really well. After that, I had another call with that person and the team lead, which I also thought went well. Then, I didn't hear back for weeks until someone else from the company sent a generic email saying my application was sent to them. I followed up with this new contact a few times, but they just kept saying 'no updates yet'. It was really poorly managed, especially since I was considering other offers and this was my top choice.

There were 2 phone rounds, one on site and another phone round. The phone rounds had algorithm ,data structures and API design questions. On site round was a mix of behavioral, design & algorithm questions. The last phone round was again a HR/behavioral type of round. The interview was pretty smooth and quick. Very flexible with my timing as I had to make time from my existing workplace.