Sharethrough Software Engineer Interview Questions + Guide in 2025

Sharethrough is revolutionizing the digital advertising landscape by connecting publishers and advertisers through innovative technology and real-time decision-making processes.

As a Software Engineer at Sharethrough, you will be tasked with architecting, implementing, and optimizing both new and existing components of the Sharethrough Exchange, a high-performance distributed system. Your role will involve writing scalable and maintainable software, collaborating with cross-functional teams to define problems and design solutions, and contributing to a culture that values curiosity, collaboration, and resilience. Strong experience with Scala or Java in distributed systems is essential, as is the ability to deliver high-quality code efficiently. A passion for exploring new technologies and approaches to enhance system efficiency will set you apart as an ideal candidate for this role.

This guide will help you prepare effectively for your interview by providing insights into the expectations and cultural values at Sharethrough, allowing you to approach your discussions with confidence and relevance.

The interview process for a Software Engineer at Sharethrough is designed to assess both technical skills and cultural fit within the team. It typically consists of several stages, each focusing on different aspects of the candidate's abilities and experiences.

1. Initial Recruiter Call

The process begins with a phone interview with a recruiter. This initial conversation is an opportunity for the recruiter to gauge your interest in the role and the company. Expect discussions around your background, motivations, and salary expectations, as well as an overview of Sharethrough's culture and values. This step is crucial for ensuring alignment between your career goals and the company's ethos.

2. Technical Assessment

Following the recruiter call, candidates are usually invited to complete a technical assessment. This may involve a coding assignment that you can complete at home, focusing on relevant programming languages and technologies such as Scala, Ruby on Rails, or JavaScript. The assessment is designed to evaluate your problem-solving skills and coding proficiency, often featuring tasks that resemble real-world scenarios you might encounter in the role.

3. Pair Programming Interviews

Candidates who successfully pass the technical assessment typically move on to pair programming interviews. These sessions are unique to Sharethrough and involve working collaboratively with an interviewer on coding exercises. You may take on different roles, such as navigator or driver, to demonstrate your coding skills and ability to communicate effectively with team members. This format not only assesses your technical abilities but also your collaborative approach to problem-solving.

4. Team Interviews

After the pair programming sessions, candidates often meet with potential team members, including team leads and product managers. These interviews focus on your past experiences, how you approach challenges, and your ability to work within a cross-functional team. Expect questions that explore your technical knowledge, design patterns, and your contributions to previous projects.

5. Final Interview

The final stage may involve a discussion with senior leadership or HR, where you can ask questions about the company, its future direction, and any remaining concerns you might have. This is also an opportunity for the company to assess your fit within the broader organizational culture.

As you prepare for your interview, consider the types of questions that may arise during these stages, particularly those that relate to your technical expertise and collaborative experiences.

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

Embrace the Collaborative Culture

Sharethrough values a collaborative environment, so be prepared to demonstrate your teamwork skills. During the interview, emphasize your experiences working in cross-functional teams and how you’ve contributed to collective problem-solving. Highlight instances where you’ve successfully navigated challenges with others, as this will resonate well with the company’s ethos of curiosity, caring, and resilience.

Prepare for Pair Programming

Expect to engage in pair programming exercises during your interview. Familiarize yourself with the concepts of Test-Driven Development (TDD) and be ready to discuss your thought process while coding. Practice coding with a partner to simulate the interview experience, as this will help you become comfortable with the collaborative coding style that Sharethrough promotes.

Showcase Your Technical Skills

Given the emphasis on Scala and distributed systems, ensure you have a solid understanding of these technologies. Brush up on your knowledge of algorithms and system design, as these are crucial for the role. Be prepared to discuss your past projects that involved large-scale systems and how you approached challenges related to performance and stability.

Be Honest About Compensation Expectations

While discussing compensation, approach the topic with transparency and tact. Understand that Sharethrough values its culture and ethos, and be prepared to articulate why you are interested in the company beyond just financial incentives. This will show that you align with their values and are genuinely interested in contributing to their mission.

Communicate Your Passion for Learning

Sharethrough encourages exploration of new technologies and approaches. Be ready to discuss how you stay updated with industry trends and your willingness to learn and adapt. Mention any recent projects or technologies you’ve explored, as this will demonstrate your commitment to personal and professional growth.

Prepare for Behavioral Questions

Expect questions that assess your problem-solving approach and how you handle challenges. Use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method to structure your responses, focusing on specific examples that highlight your skills and experiences relevant to the role. This will help you convey your thought process clearly and effectively.

Follow Up with Gratitude

After the interview, send a thank-you note to express your appreciation for the opportunity to interview. Mention specific aspects of the conversation that resonated with you, reinforcing your interest in the role and the company. This small gesture can leave a positive impression and demonstrate your professionalism.

By following these tips, you’ll be well-prepared to showcase your skills and fit for the Software Engineer role at Sharethrough. Good luck!

In this section, we’ll review the various interview questions that might be asked during a software engineering interview at Sharethrough. The interview process will likely focus on your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and your experience working in collaborative environments. Be prepared to discuss your past projects, your approach to coding challenges, and your understanding of distributed systems.

Technical Skills

1. Can you explain the architecture of a distributed system you have worked on?

Understanding distributed systems is crucial for this role, and they will want to know how you approach architecture.

How to Answer

Discuss the components of the system, how they interact, and any challenges you faced during implementation. Highlight your role in the architecture and any technologies you used.

Example

“I worked on a distributed system for an e-commerce platform where we utilized microservices architecture. Each service was responsible for a specific function, such as inventory management or payment processing. I was involved in designing the API gateway that facilitated communication between services, ensuring scalability and fault tolerance.”

2. Describe your experience with Scala or Java in a production environment.

This question assesses your hands-on experience with the languages relevant to the role.

How to Answer

Share specific projects where you used Scala or Java, focusing on the impact of your contributions and any performance optimizations you implemented.

Example

“In my last role, I developed a real-time data processing application using Scala. I implemented Akka for handling concurrent tasks, which improved the system's throughput by 30%. This experience taught me the importance of writing efficient, maintainable code in a production setting.”

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

Quality assurance is vital in software engineering, and they will want to know your strategies.

How to Answer

Discuss your practices for writing clean code, testing, and code reviews. Mention any tools or methodologies you use.

Example

“I follow SOLID principles to ensure my code is modular and easy to maintain. I also write unit tests using JUnit and conduct code reviews with my peers to catch potential issues early. This collaborative approach has significantly reduced bugs in our production releases.”

4. What is your experience with continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD)?

CI/CD practices are essential for modern software development, and they will want to know your familiarity with these processes.

How to Answer

Explain your experience with CI/CD tools and how you have implemented these practices in your previous roles.

Example

“I have implemented CI/CD pipelines using Jenkins and CircleCI in my previous projects. This allowed us to automate testing and deployment, reducing our release cycle from weeks to days. I also set up monitoring tools to ensure the health of our applications post-deployment.”

5. Can you describe a challenging bug you encountered and how you resolved it?

Problem-solving skills are critical, and they will want to see how you handle challenges.

How to Answer

Detail the bug, the steps you took to diagnose it, and the solution you implemented. Emphasize your analytical skills.

Example

“I once encountered a memory leak in a Java application that caused performance degradation. I used profiling tools to identify the source of the leak, which was due to improper handling of object references. After refactoring the code to ensure proper garbage collection, the application’s performance improved significantly.”

Collaboration and Teamwork

1. How do you approach working in a cross-functional team?

Collaboration is key at Sharethrough, and they will want to know how you work with others.

How to Answer

Discuss your experience working with different roles, such as product managers and designers, and how you ensure effective communication.

Example

“I believe in maintaining open lines of communication with all team members. In my last project, I held regular check-ins with product managers to align on priorities and gather feedback. This collaborative approach helped us deliver a product that met user needs effectively.”

2. Describe a time when you had to resolve a conflict within your team.

Conflict resolution skills are important, and they will want to see how you handle interpersonal challenges.

How to Answer

Share a specific example, focusing on your approach to resolving the conflict and the outcome.

Example

“In a previous project, two team members had differing opinions on the implementation of a feature. I facilitated a meeting where each could present their perspective. By encouraging open dialogue, we were able to find a compromise that incorporated the best aspects of both ideas, ultimately leading to a more robust solution.”

3. How do you prioritize tasks when working on multiple projects?

Time management is crucial, and they will want to know your strategies for prioritization.

How to Answer

Discuss your methods for assessing project urgency and importance, and how you communicate with your team about priorities.

Example

“I use a combination of Agile methodologies and task management tools like Jira to prioritize my work. I assess tasks based on deadlines and their impact on the project’s success. Regular stand-ups with the team help ensure everyone is aligned on priorities.”

4. What role do you typically take in team projects?

Understanding your role in a team setting is important for assessing fit within their culture.

How to Answer

Describe your preferred role and how you adapt to different situations based on team needs.

Example

“I often take on the role of a facilitator, ensuring that everyone’s voice is heard and that we stay on track. However, I’m also comfortable stepping into a leadership role when necessary, especially when guiding the team through technical challenges.”

5. How do you handle feedback from peers or supervisors?

Receiving and acting on feedback is essential for growth, and they will want to know your approach.

How to Answer

Discuss your openness to feedback and how you use it to improve your work.

Example

“I view feedback as an opportunity for growth. When I receive constructive criticism, I take time to reflect on it and implement changes in my work. For instance, after receiving feedback on my code readability, I adopted new formatting practices that improved my code’s clarity and maintainability.”