Real, anonymous reports from people who interviewed for Software Engineer at Okta, newest first and distilled into what to expect across the loop.
After a recruiter screening that felt like it was going fairly well, I got an automated rejection email shortly after with almost no details. The only questions I remember clearly were the basic ones—telling me about myself, why I wanted to work there, and why I was looking at other roles. The whole thing ended so quickly that it didn’t feel like there was much of an actual evaluation beyond that early conversation.
My process started with a screen that was DSA-based—one stack problem. After that, I moved into a fuller DSA round with two problems: one array-focused challenge and one graph-based one. Next came a debugging round where I had to track down bugs in a function and then fix it.
The initial recruiter screening often involves basic questions about the candidate's background and motivations, but feedback can be minimal, leaving candidates uncertain about their performance and next steps.
Candidates typically face multiple coding interviews focused on data structures and algorithms, with a mix of easy to medium difficulty questions, often resembling LeetCode problems.
For more senior roles, system design discussions are a significant part of the interview process, where candidates are expected to articulate their architectural decisions and design solutions for practical scenarios.
The final stages often include a managerial interview that assesses the candidate's experience and interpersonal skills, focusing on communication and collaboration rather than just technical ability.
Candidates frequently report issues with communication throughout the process, including delays in scheduling, lack of feedback, and abrupt rejections, which can lead to frustration and a sense of disrespect for their time.
While many candidates find the interview process structured and fair, the lack of transparency in outcomes and feedback often leaves them feeling uncertain and disappointed, regardless of their performance during interviews.