Real, anonymous reports from people who interviewed for Software Engineer at OpenTable, newest first and distilled into what to expect across the loop.
I kicked things off with an HR/recruiter conversation that covered salary expectations and role alignment. That was followed by a frontend-focused basics round where they tested JavaScript fundamentals and then gave me a CSS-only challenge—creating a penguin-like illustration using only pure CSS. There was also a typeahead-style problem, and the evaluation felt like it was based on how I did across the frontend concepts overall rather than any single task.
My first step was a straightforward HR conversation where we aligned on role expectations and compensation, and I ultimately agreed to a slightly lower salary than I’d originally requested. The first technical interview leaned heavily into design-level and behavioral questions, and most of it felt fairly generic—very similar to the kind of prompts you hear in large standardized interview loops. I was comfortable, though, and the discussion stayed open enough that I could talk through my thinking.
The interview process typically begins with an HR conversation focused on role expectations and salary discussions, which can sometimes lead to candidates agreeing to lower compensation than initially requested.
Candidates experience a mix of technical interviews that often include live coding challenges, algorithm questions, and system design tasks, with varying levels of difficulty and clarity in the questions asked.
A common component of the process is a take-home coding task that requires both implementation and design explanations, though candidates have noted tight timelines and lack of feedback post-submission.
Interviews often include rounds focused on cultural fit and behavioral questions, where interviewers aim to understand candidates' work styles and philosophies rather than just technical skills.
Candidates frequently report issues with communication and follow-through from HR, including delays in feedback and a lack of transparency regarding outcomes, which can lead to frustration.
The interview environment is generally described as friendly and collaborative, though some candidates have noted inconsistencies in the organization and pacing of the interview process.
