Real, anonymous reports from people who interviewed for Software Engineer at Roku, newest first and distilled into what to expect across the loop.
I started with a recruiter conversation, and shortly after that I had a technical screen with an engineer where the flow felt very execution-heavy. The centerpiece was a HackerRank-style assessment, followed by an implementation discussion. During that implementation portion, the interviewer gave very little feedback, and I had to push through while I was trying to write and reason in real time.
My process began with a recruiter call where the questions stayed fairly general—my background, the kinds of tech stacks I’d worked with, and my experience. Later the conversation shifted to compensation. They asked about my current remuneration from my organization, and I paused because I wasn’t sure about any NDA restrictions around salary disclosure.
The initial recruiter call often covers general background and compensation expectations, but candidates have reported rigid responses regarding current salary disclosures, which can lead to immediate rejections without further evaluation of technical skills.
Candidates typically face a HackerRank-style coding challenge, often focusing on LeetCode-style problems, which can feel more like a filtering mechanism rather than a true assessment of job-relevant skills, leading to frustration if expectations aren't aligned.
The interview process can be unpredictable, with varying levels of organization and communication, leading to confusion about the format and pacing of interviews, which may affect candidates' ability to prepare adequately.
Candidates often experience multiple technical rounds covering algorithms, system design, and domain-specific knowledge, but the breadth and depth of topics can vary significantly, leaving some feeling unprepared or misaligned with the role's requirements.
The interview environment can be stressful, with some candidates reporting distractions during coding segments and a lack of supportive feedback, which can hinder performance and lead to a negative overall experience.
Many candidates express dissatisfaction with the follow-up process, citing poor communication and lack of transparency regarding next steps, which can leave them feeling undervalued and frustrated after the interviews.
