SurveyMonkey Interview Questions
& Process

So the process started with a quick chat with the recruiter, then I had a 1-hour Python technical interview on CodeSignal. After that, I had a virtual onsite that was split over two days. It included a 1-hour code review, a 1-hour behavioral interview, and a 1-hour system design interview. The code review was about looking at existing code, finding issues, discussing trade-offs, and figuring out how to fix it and add tests. The behavioral part was pretty in-depth, focusing a lot on my resume, using STAR stories, and talking about mentorship, handling conflicts, building trust, and how I manage projects. The system design part was more of a back-and-forth conversation and practical rather than just theoretical stuff. Overall, it felt pretty standard and fair for a Software Engineer II role.

You'll have a few interviews. First, the recruiter will chat with you. Then, you'll meet with the Manager. After that, there's a panel interview with some senior support team members or a lead. Sometimes you'll also talk to a manager from another location. The last step is an interview with the manager you'd be reporting to. Each interview will focus on a specific area: technical knowledge, how you work in a team, and your general soft skills.

The interview process starts with a recruiter screening, then a technical screening that includes JavaScript problem-solving and questions about React/JavaScript, focusing more on conversation than hard skills. This is followed by a 3-hour onsite with two technical interviews and a behavioral chat with the hiring manager/director. You'll meet four engineers in total during the technicals. The first technical involves building a basic SurveyMonkey page from scratch using a mock API and a design, where styling is important despite what engineers might say. The second technical is a vague systems design challenge on a virtual whiteboard, mainly about data structures, requiring many clarifying questions. The behavioral interview with leadership is a positive, casual, one-hour conversation. Technical challenges are not difficult but poorly explained. A side note: the company has had layoffs and may not be done, which could be a risk for job security.

The interview experience itself was alright, but the process was a hassle. There were five interviews for a job that was initially advertised as a 6-month contract. During the interviews, it changed to a three-month contract, or maybe even shorter because of things outside of anyone's control. These outside factors weren't really related to how well I did on the job, and there wasn't a clear plan about a different role in the company if this one didn't work out during the contract.