Spotify Data Scientist Interview Questions
& Process

The hiring manager started the first round interview by immediately stating they didn't think I was a good fit based on my experience, which was confusing since it wasn't a referral and they proceeded with the interview anyway. They were dismissive throughout, making me eager for it to end. The manager also mentioned the role wouldn't be technical, suggesting the job description was misleading. Furthermore, the offered pay was below average for the required experience level. It doesn't seem worth it, especially considering how the interview reflected potential management style.

Applied on LinkedIn and heard back from a recruiter for a phone screen about 2-3 weeks later. The rest of the process took about 4 weeks. It included a hiring manager screen (covering intro, background, and management capabilities), a technical screen with 2 Python pandas questions and 1 easy-intermediate SQL question, and a take-home data science assignment. The final round involved presenting the assignment to a panel of 6, followed by three 1:1 meetings with Data Science, User Research, and Product. The recruiter and hiring manager were helpful and kept me updated. All interviewers were friendly and made the process less stressful. The take-home assignment can be time-consuming, so plan your time carefully, especially if you're balancing it with a full-time job.

I wouldn't suggest applying for Data Science jobs at Spotify. I've interviewed for a few Senior Data Scientist positions there. They don't have a team matching process, so you have to start over with interviews every time you apply to a different team, though they might skip a technical interview if you've done well before. The whole thing takes ages, like at Google, and the recruiter usually gives no timeline and ignores your emails. If you don't make it to the onsite, they just ghost you. One time I got to the onsite, and the experience was rough, especially the take-home assignment. Spotify gives you a dataset and asks you to create a slide deck with insights, but no actual problem to solve. Sometimes they'll say something like 'Figure out the best-performing artist' but give no details. The dataset is small and doesn't show much. The take-home isn't time-limited either, so expect to spend 3 to 16 hours on it with no pay, which is ridiculous for senior roles. The people interviewing onsite were mostly uninterested in my answers, particularly on the take-home part. The recruiter offered feedback after I was rejected but then ghosted me again after I followed up multiple times, which says a lot about their hiring team.