Bmo Harris Bank Software Engineer interview typically runs 3 rounds: online application, assessment/video screen, HR and team interview. It usually takes about 1-2 weeks and is heavily behavioral upfront.
$119K
Avg. Base Comp
$148K
Avg. Total Comp
4-6
Typical Rounds
2-4 weeks
Process Length
Our candidates consistently describe BMO Harris Bank as a process that looks lighter on paper than it feels in the room. What matters most is not a single hard algorithm question, but whether you can move comfortably between practical coding, systems thinking, and business-facing judgment. One accepted candidate was pressed on C, Unix, Perl, Java, command/query knowledge, and architecture patterns in the same conversation, which tells us the bar is broad rather than deeply specialized. Another candidate saw only a few simple Python questions, but even there the interview leaned into resume context and real work examples instead of abstract puzzles.
A recurring theme is that BMO wants evidence you can operate in a bank’s environment: explain a POC, talk through end-to-end observability, and handle situational prompts with maturity. Multiple candidates reported questions about adapting to change, fixing mistakes, exceeding customer expectations, and dealing with underperformance on a team. That points to a strong preference for people who can connect technical decisions to outcomes and collaboration. The non-obvious make-or-break factor is preparation quality across the whole packet: some interviewers were clearly familiar with the candidate’s background, while others were not, so candidates who can steer the conversation back to concrete examples tend to come across as more polished and credible.
Synthetized from 3 candidates reports by our editorial team.
Had an interview recently?
Share your experience. Unlock the full guide.
Real interview reports from people who went through the Bmo Harris Bank process.
Share your own interview experience to unlock all reports, or subscribe for full access.
Sourced from candidate reports and verified by our team.
Topics based on recent interview experiences.
Featured question at Bmo Harris Bank
How would you clean a 100GB .csv file without loading it into memory
| Question | |
|---|---|
| 2nd Highest Salary | |
| Merge Sorted Lists | |
| Empty Neighborhoods | |
| Top Three Salaries | |
| Subscription Overlap | |
| Find the Missing Number | |
| Maximum Profit | |
| Prime to N | |
| Rolling Bank Transactions | |
| Comments Histogram | |
| String Shift | |
| Employee Salaries | |
| Random SQL Sample | |
| Closest SAT Scores | |
| Hurdles In Data Projects | |
| Rectangle Overlap | |
| Find the First Non-Repeating Character in a String | |
| Slacking Employees Salaries | |
| P-value to a Layman | |
| Size of Joins | |
| Over 100 Dollars | |
| Scrambled Tickets | |
| Minimum Change | |
| Cumulative Distribution | |
| Level Of Rain Water In 2D Terrain | |
| Sum to N | |
| Append Frequency | |
| Sort Strings | |
| Google Maps Improvement |
Synthesized from candidate reports. Individual experiences may vary.
Candidates start by submitting an online application. In the experiences shared, this is quickly followed by an automated assessment or video interview link rather than an immediate live recruiter conversation.
The first screening is often a HireVue-style recorded interview with timed preparation and response windows. Questions are mostly behavioral and motivation-based, and some candidates also complete game-style assessments such as math, personality, and shape-matching exercises.
After the assessment, candidates may speak with HR or a recruiter about basic fit and motivation. This round is described as standard and focused on why the candidate wants the role and why they believe they are a good fit for the team.
Candidates then meet with the team in a more conversational round. In the experiences shared, this stage was friendly and relatively light technically, with discussion centered on background, experience, and general fit.
For software engineer candidates, the technical round can be a panel interview with managers and technical interviewers. Topics included resume deep-dives, simple Python and CS questions, algorithmic thinking, system design, and broader language and architecture knowledge such as C, Unix, Perl, Java, command/query concepts, and architecture patterns.
Some candidates also had a separate round with a hiring manager and architect that was more situational than deeply technical. Questions focused on practical experience such as Linux commands, proof-of-concept work, and end-to-end observability, along with judgment and problem-solving.