Candidate reports on Workiva software engineering interviews describe a behavioral-plus-coding format, with small algorithm problems and scenario questions. Experiences vary widely by role and level, and outcomes were mixed.
$118K
Avg. Base Comp
$135K
Avg. Total Comp
Not reported
Typical Rounds
Not reported
Process Length
Workiva software engineer interviews, as candidates describe them, pair behavioral conversation with a small coding exercise. Reports come from only a handful of people, and they differ by role and level, so treat them as examples rather than a fixed format.
Two internship candidates describe a roughly even split between behavioral and technical questions. One reports about an hour with two hiring managers: resume walk-through questions, then a 2D matrix problem asking for the absolute difference between diagonal sums. That candidate stresses edge cases in odd-sized matrices, where the center element can be counted twice, and wishes they had explained their approach before coding. They did not receive an offer. The other internship candidate, who received an offer, describes about thirty minutes of scenario questions, such as how to handle implementing a feature incorrectly or misunderstanding an assignment. A pair-programming segment followed, and the interviewers also asked about AWS experience.
One senior engineer reports a different experience. It began with a short management conversation and a ten-minute task fixing a hangman game. An engineering round followed with a sudoku-solver fix based on string positions, plus questions about AWS billing problems. This candidate felt the puzzles were LeetCode-style and received no offer. Another senior applicant describes a slow, automated scheduling process and a brief interview of CV questions and small talk, and declined to continue.
Practical takeaways: rehearse short array and string problems aloud, ask clarifying questions early, and prepare examples of mistakes you handled well. Be ready to describe AWS work you have done. Expect process quality to vary, and confirm the role and timeline with your recruiter.
Synthesized from 5 candidate reports by our editorial team.
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Real interview reports from people who went through the Workiva process.
I went through a virtual interview process at Workiva for an internship role that felt pretty mixed. The interview itself was around an hour long with two hiring managers on the call, and they were genuinely friendly throughout — that part stood out. The format was split evenly between behavioral and technical questions, so I knew going in I'd need to be ready for both.
On the behavioral side, they asked pretty standard resume questions and wanted me to walk through my background. Nothing too surprising there. The technical component was where things got interesting. I was given a problem about finding the absolute difference between the sum of diagonal numbers in a 2D matrix. It's a straightforward problem on the surface, but the execution matters — you need to be careful about edge cases, especially with odd-sized matrices where the center element could be counted twice.
What I wish I'd known going in is that they really do split the time 50-50, so practicing both behavioral and coding problems equally was crucial. The interviewers were responsive and didn't seem harsh about mistakes, but I didn't end up moving forward. Looking back, I think I could have communicated my approach more clearly before diving into code, and spent a bit more time thinking through the edge cases out loud rather than coding and catching issues after.
Prep tip from this candidate
Expect a 50-50 split between behavioral and technical in the final round. Practice matrix problems with a focus on diagonal traversals and edge case handling — specifically watch out for odd-sized matrices where the center element shouldn't be double-counted. Be ready to walk through your reasoning before you code.
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Topics based on recent interview experiences.
Featured question at Workiva
Select the 2nd highest salary in the engineering department
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Synthesized from candidate reports. Individual experiences may vary.
Candidates report different entry points. One internship candidate met a recruiter at a career fair and was invited to an online interview. A senior candidate describes automated outreach that arrived months after applying, with scheduling handled by a bot. Timing and responsiveness may vary a lot by role.
Internship candidates describe a behavioral portion with hiring managers. It covered resume walk-throughs and scenario questions, such as handling a feature implemented incorrectly or a misunderstood task. One senior candidate reports a management conversation that began with senior leadership topics before the coding task. Prepare concrete stories about mistakes and learning.
Reported coding tasks were small. One internship candidate got a diagonal-sum matrix problem where odd-sized edge cases mattered. Another described pair programming. A senior candidate reported a ten-minute hangman fix and a sudoku-solver fix. Typically, practise talking through your approach and asking clarifying questions before coding.
Technical depth appears to vary by level. One senior candidate describes an engineering round with questions about fixing AWS billing problems and database data separation, and says it felt more like consulting than assessment. An internship candidate was asked about AWS services. Prepare to discuss cloud experience you have actually worked with.
