Zillow software engineer candidates describe a long loop of recruiter screens, practical coding, a code refactoring round, system design and behavioral interviews, often with slow scheduling and little feedback.
$170K
Avg. Base Comp
$240K
Avg. Total Comp
6-8 rounds
Typical Rounds
1-3 months
Process Length
Candidates describe the Zillow software engineer interview as a long, practical loop rather than an algorithm grind. Several report a recruiter screen, one or more coding rounds, a code refactoring exercise, a behavioral interview and a system design round, with loops of six to eight sessions.
The coding rounds are often described as production-style. One candidate worked from a plain text file and explained how to turn it into the expected output. Another reported a CodeSignal backend problem that tested edge cases, input validation and duplicate records. A third described a live pairing session with up to three condition-heavy problems. Several candidates said the problems were not LeetCode-style, so practice talking through requirements aloud as you code.
Refactoring comes up repeatedly. Candidates describe improving messy or existing code, explaining class and method choices, and deciding what to clean up first. System design reports vary: a property search system that fits Zillow's wider ecosystem, an email system and a data ingestion service. Role-specific rounds also appear, such as React and database exercises for full stack roles.
Expect logistics to be the harder part. Reports mention scheduling gaps of weeks, last-minute cancellations and little or no feedback, and most candidates who shared an outcome did not receive an offer. Keep your preparation fresh between rounds and follow up with your recruiter.
Synthesized from 15 candidate 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 Zillow 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 Zillow
Write a function to determine whether or not two rectangles overlap.
| Question | |
|---|---|
| Find the First Non-Repeating Character in a String | |
| Google Maps Improvement | |
| Nearest Common Ancestor | |
| Sum to Zero | |
| Find Duplicate Numbers in a List | |
| Target Value Search | |
| Implementing the Fibonacci Sequence in Three Different Methods | |
| Binary Tree Validation | |
| Optimal Host | |
| Messenger Payments | |
| Unified Live Comments | |
| LRU Cache 1 | |
| Reddit-like Notifications | |
| 2nd Highest Salary | |
| Top Three Salaries | |
| Employee Salaries | |
| Monthly Customer Report | |
| Weighted Keys | |
| Merge Sorted Lists | |
| Raining in Seattle | |
| Over-Budget Projects | |
| Bagging vs Boosting | |
| Delivery Estimate Model | |
| Top 3 Users | |
| User Experience Percentage | |
| Job Recommendation | |
| Groups of Anagrams | |
| Maximum Profit | |
| Month Over Month |
Synthesized from candidate reports. Individual experiences may vary.
Candidates typically report starting with a recruiter or HR conversation covering the role, the company and the process, and in one case salary expectations. Some also describe a short manager or technical conversation before the coding rounds. Prepare a concise background summary and a reason for choosing Zillow.
Candidates report practical coding rather than puzzle-style questions. Examples include turning a text file into expected output, a backend problem with validation and edge cases on CodeSignal, and a pairing session with several condition-heavy problems. Interviewers appear to value clarifying questions and narrating your reasoning, so practice explaining as you type.
Several candidates describe a distinct round where you modify or clean up existing code. Reports mention choosing what to fix first, following conventions, adding functionality for new requirements and explaining class design. It may also include language-specific questions, such as Python conventions. Practice improving readability and maintainability without rewriting everything.
System design appears in many reports, usually later in the loop. Prompts candidates mention include a property search system within Zillow's ecosystem, an email system and a service that ingests and aggregates data from several files. Expect to ask about data volume and query patterns, then explain your trade-offs. Prompts may differ by role and team.
Candidates report behavioral interviews with an engineering or hiring manager, sometimes in STAR format, plus team-fit conversations. Some say the sessions centered on company values. Prepare examples of conflict, failure and why you want Zillow. Reports also describe slow scheduling and little or no feedback afterward, so follow up proactively.
