Real, anonymous reports from people who interviewed for Software Engineer at Arista Networks, newest first and distilled into what to expect across the loop.
After the recruiter reached out, I ended up with a fairly DSA-heavy technical interview that revolved around linked lists and trees. The questions felt like they were trying to probe how I reasoned about memory and pointers, not just whether I could spit out the right final code. The overall vibe was pretty calm—my interviewer was chill—and the session ran about an hour. I remember being asked to walk through how things were stored/used in memory as I built or traced the solution, and then follow-up questions about traversal and pointer behavior.
My process felt simple and organized. I had a short recruiter-style start and then moved into live technical rounds where the format was pretty direct: a few people took turns asking me questions while I worked through them in real time. Total time was about an hour, and the panel included both behavioral questions grounded in my resume and a single LeetCode-style problem.
The technical interviews heavily emphasize data structures and algorithms (DSA), particularly linked lists, trees, and pointer manipulation. Candidates should prepare for medium to moderate difficulty coding problems that require not just correct solutions but also a deep understanding of memory and efficiency.
Interviews often involve live coding sessions where candidates solve problems in real-time, either on a whiteboard or through an SSH terminal setup. This format can create pressure to perform quickly and accurately, so candidates should practice coding under timed conditions.
Initial HR screenings focus on cultural fit and alignment with the company's values, often involving discussions about the candidate's background and experience. Candidates should expect a friendly yet professional tone, but be aware that early rejections can occur based on fit rather than technical skills.
Many technical rounds include a focus on optimization, requiring candidates to not only solve problems but also propose more efficient solutions. Candidates should be prepared to discuss time and space complexity in their responses.
Candidates often report abrupt rejections after interviews, sometimes without clear feedback on their performance. It's important to remain resilient and seek constructive feedback where possible, as many candidates felt they demonstrated capability but did not receive offers.
Several candidates noted a disconnect between the job description's emphasis on specific technical skills (like C++ or hardware interfaces) and the actual interview questions, which often leaned towards general DSA problems. Candidates should prepare broadly while also aligning their skills with the advertised role.