Summary
I recently interviewed with Nike, where I encountered a blend of DSA, Java fundamentals, and deep discussions on language concepts. I did not proceed with further rounds as I accepted a promotion at my current company.
Full Experience
I recently had an interview with Nike, which turned out to be a good mix of Data Structures & Algorithms, Java fundamentals, and in-depth discussions on language concepts. It was an interesting experience where I tackled several challenging problems and discussed core Java behaviors. Ultimately, I did not proceed with the next rounds because I received a promotion at my current company.
Interview Questions (4)
Given an array and a number k, determine if any two numbers add up to k. The catch was to solve it in one pass using a HashMap. Example: [10,15,3,7], k=17 → true (10+7)
A fun scenario where a Student class had hashCode() always returning 1. We explored how all keys land in the same bucket, how equals() resolves collisions, and how HashMap handles such skewed distributions.
We discussed how passing obj.x (primitive) doesn’t change the original value, while passing the object modifies its internal state. A classic Java trick snippet was presented with a final output of 1.
Another interesting problem: build an output array where each element is the product of all other elements except itself, without using division.
Preparation Tips
My preparation involved a mix of DSA problems, focusing on common patterns and optimizing for time and space complexity. I also delved into Java fundamentals, including core concepts like HashMap internal workings and pass-by-value mechanisms, to be ready for deep-dive discussions.
Summary
Had a successful interview process with Nike's SDE 3 role in India, Bangalore. Cleared multiple rounds including system design and DSA interviews, ultimately receiving a job offer.
Full Experience
***Time to give back to the LeetCode community..*
This is my experience of SDE 3 interview with Nike (India, Bangalore).
How did I apply:
Got a LinkedIn notification → redirected to Nike’s career portal → applied to all relevant openings (no referral).
Screening & HR Call:
HR reached out within a week to discuss the interview process and share some insights on what to expect. Nike gives generous prep time — but take it from someone who’s given plenty of interviews in the last 3 months — keep your prep short, around 2 days between each round max.
Interviews:
I had calls for two different teams under the same vertical, so sharing both experiences below.
Team 1:
R1: System Design (HLD-focused, minimal LLD) – 90 mins
Not your typical HLD/LLD — it was an open-ended discussion around scalability and distributed systems.
Problem Statement:
Design an online store for a retail brand like Nike.
LLD:
We started by writing a small server with a few APIs (Python + FastAPI) and discussed best practices for secure APIs.
HLD:
CI/CD: Talked through every step of a CI/CD pipeline — tools, experiences, pitfalls, and bridging CI with CD. Got deep into real-world scenarios I’d faced as a developer.
Design Flow:
Discussed a complete backend flow, with some pushback on design decisions and tool choices for core components.
Scalability:
This part got intense. We dove into both sides of the CAP theorem — designing for high consistency vs high availability. The interviewer had tons of real-world experience and challenged every design choice, especially around database scaling and trade-offs.
Result:
Cleared the round, but the position got filled.
Team 2:
R1: DSA – 30 mins
[LeetCode – sqrt(x)](https://leetcode.com/problems/sqrtx/description/)
A bit unconventional — the interviewer was more interested in the approach and analysis behind the optimized solution than the actual code.
R2: System Design – 60 mins
Problem Statement:
Design a backend system to manage incoming streams of concert ticket bookings from multiple vendors and provide efficient data flow to multiple analytics teams.
(Although more aligned with a Data Engineer/Scientist role, the focus wasn’t on that.)
We discussed a high-level design with key components and data flow, focusing mainly on scaling challenges and how to address them.
R3: Manager Round – 60 mins
Open-ended discussion on leadership principles — very similar to an Amazon-style round.
Scenario-based questions around crisis management, design conflicts, and failures.
Also covered "Why Nike?" and what I associate most with the brand.
R4: Regional Manager / Director Discussion
(Got confirmation of selection before this round)
Mostly resume-based — they asked about the applications I’d worked on in past roles and explained the reporting structure and hierarchy.
Result:
Got the offer :)
All the best for your shot at Nike or anywhere else.
P.S. A lot of you asked hence, sharing my prep work.
Refer to this comment :
[https://leetcode.com/discuss/post/7318007/nike-sde-3-interview-experience-by-anony-xd5y/comments/3220998/?parent=3220982](https://leetcode.com/discuss/post/7318007/nike-sde-3-interview-experience-by-anony-xd5y/comments/3220998/?parent=3220982)
Interview Questions (1)
Preparation Tips
Preparation: Nike gives generous prep time — but take it from someone who’s given plenty of interviews in the last 3 months — keep your prep short, around 2 days between each round max.
Summary
I recently interviewed for an SDE 2 role at NIKE's Bengaluru office and successfully received an offer after navigating through three comprehensive rounds focused on technical skills, system design, and behavioral aspects.
Full Experience
I received a call from a recruiter regarding an SDE 2 opportunity at NIKE's Bengaluru office. It was quite short notice, leaving me with only about two days to prepare for the interviews.
First Round (Technical Round with SDE3)
This round began with basic introductions, followed by questions based on my resume and the tech stack of my current company. We then moved on to two DSA problems, which were described as medium-to-hard difficulty, focusing on arrays and strings. The round also included an end-to-end system design discussion of my current product, with various cross-questions and scenario additions.
Second Round (Technical Round with Sr.SDE)
The second technical round also included two medium-to-hard DSA problems. I was then presented with a unique scenario-based middleware question involving networking packets routing, which I solved using a Priority Queue. This wasn't a typical LeetCode-style problem. We also delved into the High-Level Design (HLD) and Low-Level Design (LLD) of my current product, where I was grilled specifically on my use of the Circuit Breaker Pattern. There were also scenario-based questions requiring pen-and-paper code related to design patterns. The interviewer aimed to understand my technical experience, the challenges I've faced, and the solutions I've implemented. SQL and cloud technologies were also briefly touched upon.
Third Round (Director Round)
This final round involved an intense grilling on my resume; it was clear they were looking for authenticity. My achievements were a key focus, and I believe my accomplishments impressed the director significantly. Finally, there were usual scenario-based behavioral questions, for which I applied the STAR principles in my answers.
Overall, the experience was positive. The interview panel was excellent, reflecting NIKE's culture. Two days after my interviews, I received an offer.
Interview Questions (5)
I was presented with a unique, scenario-based problem concerning middleware and networking packet routing. The challenge involved efficiently handling and routing network packets within a system.
I was asked to discuss the High-Level Design (HLD) and Low-Level Design (LLD) of a product from my current experience. The discussion particularly focused on the Circuit Breaker Pattern, as I had implemented it, and I was grilled on its design choices and implications.
The director conducted a thorough and scrutinizing review of my resume, questioning every detail of my experiences and responsibilities. The emphasis was on verifying authenticity and my ability to articulate and stand by all claims made on my resume.
The interviewer focused on my professional achievements, expecting me to elaborate on them, explain their impact, and demonstrate how my contributions were significant. Highlighting key accomplishments and their results was crucial.
I encountered typical scenario-based behavioral questions. The expectation was to structure my responses using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to provide clear and comprehensive answers about past experiences.
Preparation Tips
With only about two days' notice for the interviews, my preparation primarily involved revising key concepts. A major takeaway from the experience was realizing that confidence plays a crucial role in delivering a successful interview.