Real, anonymous reports from people who interviewed for Software Engineer at Whatsapp, newest first and distilled into what to expect across the loop.
I had an in-person 90-minute interview with an engineer after reaching out through a recruiter. The interview itself went through that full length, and when the wait ended, they told me a few days later that I wasn’t selected. It wasn’t described in detail, but the pacing made it feel like the decision was based on how the full conversation went rather than anything that could be quickly clarified afterward.
I interviewed in a live coding format where it felt like we jumped straight into the work. The interviewer introduced themselves and then we went right into coding on a shared CoderPad session, with me writing the code while the conversation moved along. They left some time at the end for my own questions, and I also manually tested my solution instead of just assuming it would work.
Candidates generally found the recruiter to be supportive and communicative throughout the process, providing helpful prompts and practice resources ahead of interviews. However, some candidates experienced long delays or lack of follow-up, leading to frustration.
The initial technical screen typically involved live coding on platforms like CoderPad, focusing on algorithmic problems and data structures, with candidates expected to explain their thought process and handle follow-up questions about their solutions.
The interview process usually consisted of multiple rounds, often including a mix of technical, behavioral, and collaborative discussions, with some candidates experiencing an additional coding round for further assessment after the main loop.
Interviews heavily emphasized data structures, with many candidates reporting questions related to linked lists, trees, and other fundamental concepts, often requiring detailed explanations and debugging during the coding sessions.
Candidates who reached the onsite stage reported a more intense experience with multiple back-to-back interviews covering a wide range of topics, including system design and networking, which often felt unpredictable and challenging.
The overall difficulty of the process was perceived as high, with candidates often unsure if they met expectations; feedback was sometimes vague, leaving candidates unclear about their performance and outcomes.