SDE 2 Interview Experience NIKE
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.