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.
$125K
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.
Synthesized from 3 candidate reports by our editorial team.
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Real interview reports from people who went through the Bmo Harris Bank process.
The process felt pretty straightforward, but also a little longer than it needed to be. After the online application, I got an assessment link that was a video interview where I had to record answers to each prompt. For each question, I had 90 seconds to prepare and 90 seconds to respond, which made it feel more like a timed screening than a real conversation. The questions were mostly behavioral and motivation-based: why I was interested in the role, how my past experience related, accomplishments I was proud of, a time I made a mistake and fixed it, and examples of exceeding customer expectations or making a sale. It was very structured and there wasn’t much back-and-forth since everything was prerecorded.
For the software engineer side, the live interview felt pretty light technically. I started by introducing myself and then they asked resume-related questions, mostly about my past experience and what I had worked on. There were a few simple CS questions in Python, but nothing difficult or especially deep. I also had a round with a hiring manager and an architect, and that one was more situational than technical. They asked things like the most dangerous Linux command I’d run and why, a time I wrote a POC, and a time I implemented end-to-end observability. The recruiter I spoke with was informative and transparent about the process, and the interviewers were easy to talk to, but I did feel like one interviewer hadn’t really studied my resume beforehand. Overall, the process was not very hard, just a bit uneven in how prepared each round felt. I ended up declining the offer.
Prep tip from this candidate
Be ready for a resume walk-through plus very basic Python CS questions, and don’t ignore situational stories around Linux, POCs, and end-to-end observability. If you get the video screen, practice concise answers because the prep/response windows are only 90 seconds each.
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Sourced from candidate reports and verified by our team.
Topics based on recent interview experiences.
Featured question at Bmo Harris Bank
In which case would you use a bagging algorithm versus a boosting algorithm
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| Google Maps Improvement | |
| Hurdles In Data Projects | |
| Image Classification Pipeline | |
| Client Solution Pushback | |
| Processing Large CSV | |
| 2nd Highest Salary | |
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| Merge Sorted Lists | |
| Subscription Overlap | |
| Closest SAT Scores | |
| Empty Neighborhoods | |
| Top Three Salaries | |
| Monthly Customer Report | |
| Rolling Bank Transactions | |
| Find the Missing Number | |
| String Shift | |
| Prime to N | |
| Comments Histogram | |
| Maximum Profit | |
| Like Tracker | |
| Find the First Non-Repeating Character in a String | |
| P-value to a Layman | |
| Cumulative Distribution | |
| Rectangle Overlap | |
| Over-Budget Projects | |
| Top 3 Users | |
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| Size of Joins | |
| Total Spent on Products |
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.
