Better Software Engineer Interview Questions + Guide in 2025

Better is a company dedicated to revolutionizing the home-buying process through innovative technology solutions that simplify and enhance the experience for its customers.

As a Software Engineer at Better, you will be a key player in re-imagining complex processes associated with buying a home. Your primary responsibilities will include developing software that automates and streamlines traditionally cumbersome tasks, collaborating with cross-functional teams to understand business needs, and contributing to the architecture and design of scalable systems. You will leverage modern programming languages such as JavaScript, Python, or Go while working within a fast-paced environment that values iteration speed and quality. A successful candidate will demonstrate a strong technical foundation, a mindset geared towards ownership and urgency, and the ability to work well under pressure in a dynamic setting.

This guide will help you prepare for your interview by highlighting essential skills and expectations specific to Better's values and operational framework, giving you a competitive edge in the interview process.

The interview process for a Software Engineer at Better is designed to assess both technical skills and cultural fit within the fast-paced environment of the company. The process typically consists of several stages, each focusing on different aspects of the candidate's qualifications and experiences.

1. Initial HR Screening

The first step in the interview process is an initial screening conducted by an HR representative. This is usually a brief phone call where the recruiter will discuss the role, the company culture, and your background. They will assess your communication skills and gauge your interest in the position. Expect to answer questions about your previous experiences and how they relate to the role at Better.

2. Technical Interviews

Following the HR screening, candidates typically undergo multiple technical interviews, often conducted via video calls. These interviews may involve discussions with team leads or senior engineers and focus on your coding skills, problem-solving abilities, and understanding of software architecture. You may be asked to solve coding challenges in real-time, demonstrating your proficiency in modern programming languages such as JavaScript, Python, or Go. Additionally, expect questions related to algorithms, data structures, and system design, as well as your experience with microservices and relational databases.

3. Behavioral Interviews

In conjunction with technical assessments, candidates will participate in behavioral interviews. These interviews aim to evaluate your soft skills, such as teamwork, communication, and adaptability. Interviewers may present hypothetical scenarios to assess how you would handle challenges in a collaborative environment. Questions may revolve around your past experiences in team settings, how you prioritize tasks under pressure, and your approach to problem-solving.

4. Final Interview with Management

The final stage often includes a meeting with higher management or product leaders. This interview is more strategic and focuses on your alignment with the company's vision and values. You may be asked to discuss your long-term career goals and how you see yourself contributing to Better's mission. This is also an opportunity for you to ask questions about the company's direction and culture.

5. Offer and Negotiation

If you successfully navigate the previous stages, you may receive a job offer. This stage typically involves discussions about compensation, benefits, and other employment terms. Be prepared to negotiate based on your experience and the market standards.

As you prepare for your interviews, consider the types of questions that may arise in each of these stages.

Here are some tips to help you excel in your interview.

Communicate Your Passion and Fit

During the interview, it's crucial to articulate your genuine interest in the role and the company. Better is focused on transforming the home-buying process, so be prepared to discuss why this mission resonates with you. Share personal anecdotes or experiences that connect your background to the company's goals. This will demonstrate not only your enthusiasm but also your understanding of the challenges they face in the industry.

Prepare for a Fast-Paced Environment

Given the rapid pace at which Better operates, you should be ready to showcase your ability to adapt and thrive in a dynamic environment. Highlight experiences where you successfully managed tight deadlines or navigated chaotic situations. Be prepared to discuss how you prioritize tasks and maintain quality under pressure, as this will align with the company's emphasis on iteration speed and efficiency.

Showcase Technical Proficiency

As a Software Engineer, you will need to demonstrate a strong command of modern programming languages, particularly Python, JavaScript, and TypeScript. Brush up on your coding skills and be ready to solve problems on the spot. Expect technical questions that may involve algorithms, data structures, and system design. Familiarize yourself with microservices architecture and relational database concepts, as these are critical to the role.

Emphasize Collaboration and Communication Skills

Better values teamwork and cross-functional collaboration. Be prepared to discuss how you've worked with product managers, designers, and other engineers in the past. Share examples of how you’ve effectively communicated technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders, as this will illustrate your ability to bridge gaps between teams and contribute to a cohesive work environment.

Anticipate Behavioral Questions

Expect a variety of behavioral questions that assess your problem-solving skills and cultural fit. Prepare for scenarios that require you to demonstrate ownership, accountability, and a customer-centric mindset. Use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method to structure your responses, ensuring you convey the impact of your actions on the team and the project.

Be Ready for Out-of-the-Box Questions

Interviews at Better may include unconventional questions to gauge your creativity and critical thinking. Don’t be surprised if you encounter hypothetical scenarios or guesstimates. Approach these questions with a structured thought process, articulating your reasoning clearly. This will showcase your analytical skills and ability to think on your feet.

Understand the Company Culture

Familiarize yourself with Better's culture and values. They prioritize a startup mindset, ownership, and a balance of quality and urgency. Reflect on how your personal values align with theirs and be ready to discuss this during the interview. This alignment will help you stand out as a candidate who not only possesses the technical skills but also fits well within their team dynamics.

By following these tips, you will be well-prepared to navigate the interview process at Better and demonstrate that you are the right fit for their Software Engineer role. Good luck!

In this section, we’ll review the various interview questions that might be asked during a Software Engineer interview at Better. The interview process will likely focus on your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and how well you can communicate and collaborate with others. Be prepared to discuss your experience with software development, architecture, and your approach to tackling complex problems.

Technical Skills

1. Can you explain the microservices architecture and its advantages?

Understanding microservices is crucial for this role, as Better emphasizes scalable solutions.

How to Answer

Discuss the concept of microservices, how they differ from monolithic architectures, and the benefits they provide, such as scalability, flexibility, and ease of deployment.

Example

"Microservices architecture breaks down applications into smaller, independent services that can be developed, deployed, and scaled individually. This approach allows for greater flexibility and faster deployment cycles, as teams can work on different services simultaneously without affecting the entire application."

2. Describe a challenging technical problem you faced and how you solved it.

This question assesses your problem-solving skills and technical expertise.

How to Answer

Choose a specific example that highlights your technical skills and your thought process in resolving the issue.

Example

"I once faced a performance bottleneck in a web application due to inefficient database queries. I analyzed the queries, identified the slow ones, and optimized them by adding appropriate indexes and restructuring the queries. This reduced the response time by over 50%."

3. How do you ensure the quality of your code?

Quality assurance is vital in software development, especially in a fast-paced environment.

How to Answer

Discuss your approach to writing clean, maintainable code and the practices you follow to ensure quality, such as code reviews and testing.

Example

"I follow best practices like writing unit tests and conducting code reviews with my peers. I also use static analysis tools to catch potential issues early in the development process, ensuring that the code is both functional and maintainable."

4. What is your experience with cloud services, particularly AWS?

Given Better's use of AWS, familiarity with cloud services is essential.

How to Answer

Share your experience with AWS services and how you've utilized them in past projects.

Example

"I have extensive experience with AWS, particularly with EC2 for hosting applications and S3 for storage. In my last project, I set up a CI/CD pipeline using AWS CodePipeline, which streamlined our deployment process and improved our release frequency."

5. How do you approach collaboration with cross-functional teams?

Collaboration is key in a team-oriented environment like Better.

How to Answer

Explain your communication style and how you ensure alignment with other teams.

Example

"I prioritize open communication and regular check-ins with cross-functional teams. I believe in using collaborative tools like JIRA and Slack to keep everyone updated on progress and to address any blockers promptly."

Problem-Solving and Design

1. How would you prioritize features if you had limited resources?

This question evaluates your decision-making skills under constraints.

How to Answer

Discuss your approach to prioritization, considering user impact, business goals, and technical feasibility.

Example

"I would assess each feature's potential impact on users and the business, then weigh that against the resources required for implementation. I often use a scoring system to rank features based on these criteria, ensuring that we focus on delivering the most value first."

2. Describe a time when you had to make a trade-off in a project.

This question assesses your ability to make difficult decisions.

How to Answer

Provide a specific example where you had to balance competing priorities.

Example

"In a previous project, we had to choose between adding a new feature or improving system performance. After discussing with stakeholders, we decided to enhance performance first, as it would improve user experience across the board. This decision ultimately led to higher user satisfaction."

3. How do you handle tight deadlines and high-pressure situations?

This question gauges your ability to work under stress.

How to Answer

Share your strategies for managing stress and meeting deadlines.

Example

"I thrive under pressure by staying organized and focused. I break down tasks into manageable chunks and prioritize them based on urgency. I also communicate proactively with my team to ensure we are aligned and can support each other during crunch times."

4. Can you walk us through your software development process?

Understanding your development methodology is important for Better.

How to Answer

Outline your typical workflow, from requirements gathering to deployment.

Example

"I follow an Agile development process, starting with gathering requirements through collaboration with stakeholders. I then break down the work into sprints, focusing on delivering incremental value. After development, I conduct thorough testing before deploying to production."

5. What tools and technologies do you prefer for version control and collaboration?

This question assesses your familiarity with industry-standard tools.

How to Answer

Discuss the tools you have used and why you prefer them.

Example

"I primarily use Git for version control due to its flexibility and widespread adoption. For collaboration, I prefer using GitHub, as it provides excellent features for code reviews and issue tracking, which enhance team collaboration and code quality."