SmartNews Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 74 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
Which role are you interviewing for?
20 roles · 74 reportsCandidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at SmartNews.
SmartNews
Data Scientist
Mid Average Negative experience No offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Take home Technical screen Recruiter call
Interview formats
Coding Technical Behavioral
I had an online assessment that involved Python, SQL, and 10 multiple-choice questions. This was followed by a first-round interview with a manager, though I'm not certain if they were the hiring manager as they didn't introduce themselves and just started asking questions. They inquired about my previous analytics experience and my motivation for applying. There were also some technical questions, but they weren't very in-depth. I expected to hear back about rejection sooner, but due to the year-end, it took them three weeks to get back to me.
Confirmed questions2 questions
- Can you explain bias, variance, and how to reduce them?
- Do you have any ideas on how SmartNews could be improved?
SmartNews
Software Engineer
Senior Easy Neutral experience No offer 4 rounds
Interview process
Technical screen Technical screen Technical screen Technical screen
Interview formats
Coding System Design Technical
So, I went through 4 rounds of interviews for the Senior Software Engineer role. It involved coding, system design, and questions about backend and frontend knowledge. The questions they asked were pretty standard for the industry. The interviews themselves felt organized and the interviewers seemed professional and prepared. Unfortunately, I didn't get the offer even after 4 rounds, which was a bit of a bummer since I thought I did well. Guess other factors played a part. Seems like a common experience from what I've heard from others too.
Confirmed questions4 questions
- What are the standard industry questions for coding interviews, specifically in Java?
- What are the standard industry questions for system design interviews?
- What are the standard industry questions for backend knowledge, specifically in Java?
SmartNews
Machine Learning Engineer
Mid Average Negative experience No offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Take home Technical screen Technical screen
Interview formats
Technical Coding
The interview started with an online assessment, followed by two rounds of technical interviews. One tech round focused on ML, and the other on coding. Each round had two interviewers, one of whom was a shadow. The ML round was a bit unprofessional because they spoke Chinese, and they said the ML algorithm had a bug, even though no coding was involved. I didn't do well in the second round because I haven't practiced coding contests recently. They give hints, but it's best to start with a brute-force solution if you can't find the optimal one. None of the interviewers were from my target team.
Confirmed questions3 questions
- Can you design the logic flow for a push system given a limited budget, and how would you address any bias issues?
- What's your approach to the Subarray mod K problem?
- Solve the Subarray mod K problem. Very similar to Leetcode 974.
SmartNews
Senior Android Developer
Senior Average Positive experience Decline offer 4 rounds
Interview process
Technical screen Technical screen Technical screen Onsite Offer
Interview formats
Coding System Design Technical Behavioral
The interview process started off great, with all interviewers being really friendly. It kicked off with an online assessment on Codility, which felt like LeetCode medium problems. Next, I had a first-round technical interview that included a system design question and a programming problem. After the weekend, I moved to a second-round technical interview focusing on Android-specific questions and another programming problem. The final round that same day involved behavior questions with the manager and COO. About a week later, I received the official offer letter. Overall, it was a very positive interview experience.
Confirmed questions2 questions
- Questions about general Android domain knowledge and system design.
- Questions about Android specifics and a programming problem.
SmartNews Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from SmartNews interview reports.
“What is the Minimum Deletions to Make Character Frequencies Unique?”
Read reports →“Can you write a Python function to calculate Root-Mean-Square-Error?”
Read reports →“Solve the Subarray mod K problem. Very similar to Leetcode 974.”
Read reports →“When a JavaScript file is 10 MB, approximately how much memory will it use when it's running on a user's machine?”
Read reports →“What occurs when there's an infinite loop in JavaScript code, and how does it affect the user's experience?”
Read report →“How would you approach merging K sorted linked lists?”
Read report →“Can you tell me the difference between rem and em?”
Read report →“How would you find all prime numbers within a specified range?”
Read report →“How do you determine the minimum sample size required for statistical significance?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 74 SmartNews interview reports.