Alarm Software Engineer interview experience

The problems themselves weren’t impossible, but the timing constraints made the whole thing hard—I had to pause to map out solutions, then implement quickly enough to stay within the window.

Even with my answers, the time pressure changed how I performed, and it left me with the sense that the test was measuring sustained problem-solving under stress more than raw ability. I didn’t end up getting an offer, and that experience was my clearest signal that this stage was designed to filter for people who already have algorithm fluency ready to deploy.