LinkedIn Software Engineer candidates report live coding, project discussion, system design, manager or communication conversations, and in some cases AI-assisted coding. Prepare to explain trade-offs as well as implement solutions.
$179K
Avg. Base Comp
$269K
Avg. Total Comp
7 rounds
Typical Rounds
3-5 weeks
Process Length
LinkedIn Software Engineer interviews reported here put substantial weight on live problem solving and on how clearly candidates explain engineering decisions. Accounts describe technical phone screens followed by combinations of coding, system design, technical communication, and hiring-manager or host conversations. One candidate explicitly reported seven rounds, while other candidates described shorter paths. Do not assume a single fixed loop or round count.
Reported coding work ranges from maximum subarray and K-closest-points variations to sliding-window, dynamic-programming, and demanding custom data-structure problems. Several accounts emphasize medium or hard LeetCode-style implementation under time pressure. Follow-up discussion may probe complexity, constraints, constant-time operations, duplicates, or concurrency. Practice identifying the necessary data structures, narrating edge cases, implementing the solution, and testing it aloud rather than stopping after describing a general pattern.
Project discussion also appears in phone screens, manager conversations, and technical-communication rounds. Candidates were asked to explain previous work, design choices, trade-offs, and challenging projects. System-design formats varied: reports include a Top-K exceptions system, verbal design discussion, and questions about scalability or security. Structure an answer around requirements, data flow, alternatives, and operational consequences.
Recent reports also describe AI-assisted coding. Candidates may need to outline their own approach, evaluate generated output, and explain why they would accept, reject, or revise a proposed solution. Because the available reports span different levels and teams, treat each format as a preparation area rather than a universal sequence.
Synthesized from 16 candidate reports by our editorial team.
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Featured question at Linkedin
Given two sorted lists, write a function to merge them into one sorted list.
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Synthesized from candidate reports. Individual experiences may vary.
Candidates report recruiter conversations and technical phone screens. Technical screens may combine resume or project discussion with a live coding question, such as maximum subarray, Valid Palindrome, Math.pow, or a data-structure prompt.
Candidates report LeetCode-style coding from easier screens through medium and hard questions. Follow-ups may test optimization, complexity, concurrency implications, or whether you can adapt the initial solution under time pressure.
Some candidates report an AI coding or debugging interview. They describe being asked to explain their own reasoning, assess generated output, and defend why a proposed solution should be accepted or revised.
Candidates report system-design conversations, including a Top-K exceptions design. The format may be verbal rather than whiteboard-based, so communicate assumptions, data flow, design alternatives, and trade-offs clearly.
Candidates report hiring-manager, host/leader, technical-communication, and behavioral conversations. These may focus on past projects, design decisions, execution, motivations, and how you explain a challenging piece of work.
