Tekion Staff Engineer Interview Experience | December 2025
Summary
I interviewed for a Staff Software Development Engineer role at Tekion in late 2025, cleared coding, LLD, and system‑design rounds with positive feedback, but was down‑leveled to an SSE offer that was not available, resulting in a rejection.
Full Experience
Timeline - Novemeber End to December Begining 2025 YOE (then) : 8+ Years Current (Most Recent Company) : SMTS(IC3) at Oracle (Laid off in September 2025)
This was my first interview after 2 years in the current job hunt that began with this. I appeared for Tekion Staff Software Development Engineer in Nov-Dec 2025 and here's the experience :-
R1 (Coding) - Was able to solve both questions and got positive feedback.
- https://leetcode.com/problems/coin-change/description/
- https://leetcode.com/problems/single-number/description/
R2 (LLD) - Design Elevator System - Interviewer expected me to write all class names including the variable and methods inside them (not typical UML style but I wrote in a notepad and kept explaining) and also the overall data/control flow how the system would work right from pressing a button from outside, calling the nearest or fastest elevator and pressing the button inside etc. Was able to eplain well.
Got positive feedback for this round too and hence 3rd round got scheduled. I was glad the interviewer didn't expect code rather just focussed on the flow and objects etc. I am always scared of LLD but this was a good start for me and not too bad for my first ever LLD round in life.
R3 (System Design / HLD) -
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Tell me about the most critically challanging project you've worked upon. (This caught me off guard and I fumbled here as I wasn't prepared and didn't work on my stories already and brushed up my own work)
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Design a URL filtering service which can block/allow certain URLs.
- Followed the HelloInterview framework and Was able to Design a basic working system and discuss some deep dives. Though I didn't mention that we can also use an In memory cache which can be implemented using TRIE Data Structure for this which the interviewer expected.
Overall round went well but got the feedback that they can't offer Staff but can offer SSE but they don't have SSE requireent currently. Hence it didn't proceed ahead and Hiring Manager round was not scheduled. I think me not able to answer my own project work from past set a bad impression on the interviewer in the beginning itself which didn't look good for Staff candidate. I thought I will brush up my stories and resume before Hiring Manager round but yeah, it was a learning that always brush up your resume and work, it can be asked in any round at the beginning itself which can set the entire tone of interview.
Final Verdict - Down-levelled (Reject).
Learning - Always keep your past work and resume stories ready. they can be asked in any round and if explained well, can set the tone for entire interview.
Interview Questions (4)
Coin Change
Given a set of coin denominations and a target amount, determine the minimum number of coins required to make up that amount. If it is not possible, return -1.
Single Number
Given an integer array where every element appears twice except for one element that appears once, find the element that appears only once.
Design Elevator System
Design the class structure and overall flow for an elevator system. Include handling of external button presses, assignment of the nearest or fastest elevator, and internal button presses. Provide class names, member variables, and method signatures.
Design URL Filtering Service
Design a service that can block or allow specific URLs. Discuss the high‑level architecture, components, and data flow. Mention possible use of an in‑memory cache implemented with a Trie data structure for fast lookup.