Real, anonymous reports from people who interviewed for Software Engineer at KAYAK, newest first and distilled into what to expect across the loop.
I started with an HR round, then moved to a conversation with a Senior Director of Technology. The second step felt like a mix of simple technical prompts and behavioral questions, with a big emphasis on how clearly I could explain my thinking and communicate tradeoffs. I remember that focus standing out because the questions weren’t only about getting the “right” answer—they were about whether I could make the explanation easy to follow.
My interview experience felt like it started with the usual front-end framing, but the questions quickly pulled me into areas that didn’t match what I’d actually used day to day. I was asked to go deep on topics like singletons, dependency injection, and Big O—object-oriented design pattern territory that didn’t align with my background.
The interview process typically starts with an HR call followed by a take-home assignment, then progresses to multiple technical interviews, often including live coding and discussions with various team members. Candidates noted that the timeline felt lengthy and sometimes unclear regarding their standing in the process.
Candidates reported a strong emphasis on technical knowledge, particularly in Java, CSS, and JavaScript, with many interviews probing into object-oriented programming concepts and design patterns. The technical discussions often required candidates to explain their thought processes and trade-offs clearly.
Behavioral interviews were common, focusing on candidates' backgrounds, problem-solving approaches, and fit with the company's culture. Candidates appreciated when these discussions felt conversational rather than interrogative, contributing to a supportive atmosphere.
Many candidates experienced take-home assignments that varied in complexity, often requiring significant effort without clear expectations or feedback afterward. Some felt that the assignments did not align well with the role they were applying for, leading to frustration.
Several candidates expressed dissatisfaction with the communication throughout the process, citing instances of being left without feedback or updates after submitting work. This lack of follow-up contributed to feelings of disrespect for their time and effort.
The overall difficulty of the interviews varied, with some candidates feeling intense pressure during live coding sessions and others finding the experience more manageable. However, many noted that the pressure-to-signal ratio felt uneven, especially when communication was lacking.
