Process
First round was two technicals focused more on a wide range of statistics and system design.
Second round was a more open-ended system design question where you have to ask a bunch of questions to get more concrete requirements.
Questions
Design Spotify with a cost function attributed to each user depending on how much songs they consume.
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Interview Statistics
The following metrics were computed from 178 interview experiences for the Citadel Software Engineer role.
Success Rate
7%
Pass Rate
Citadel's interview process for their Software Engineer roles is extremely selective, failing the vast majority of engineers.
Experience Rating
Positive37%
Neutral42%
Negative21%
Candidates reported having good feelings for Citadel's Software Engineer interview process.
Citadel Work Experiences
3.0
Smart Team, Mixed Work
Software Engineer • Former Employee
New York, New York, United States
March 20, 2024
Pros: Smart people: some work is boring, some is fun.
Cons: Sometimes bureaucracy can be a challenge.
2.0
Management thinks money can solve all problems
Software Engineer • Former Employee
August 14, 2020
Pros: Pay is high, some good apples among the sea of bad ones.
Cons: These guys will exploit you like crazy. Not just during working hours, but also if you don't make them happy, they'll find every corner of your contract to cut you out.
The culture is representative of this huffing and puffing, grudge-holding attitude. If you're coming from tech, you won't like it here unless you're a senior executive who wants to do the huffing and puffing.
4.0
In general, it's a good place for your experience
Software Engineer • Former Employee
December 1, 2019
Pros: Highest concentration of smart people to learn from.
Free breakfast, lunch, and dinner (if you stay late).
Good compensation level and benefits.
If they let you go, they compensate.
Cons: 401k vested only after 3 years.
They usually let people go extremely quick.
There are no institutional systems really; it all depends on your boss (learning, career advancement, travel, work evaluation, etc.). If you fall out of favor and were doing a great job, nothing can protect you.
Lots of brainwashing from management about "company goals."
- 3.0Smart Team, Mixed WorkSoftware Engineer • Former EmployeeNew York, New York, United StatesMarch 20, 2024Pros: Smart people: some work is boring, some is fun.Cons: Sometimes bureaucracy can be a challenge.
- 2.0Management thinks money can solve all problemsSoftware Engineer • Former EmployeeAugust 14, 2020Pros: Pay is high, some good apples among the sea of bad ones.Cons: These guys will exploit you like crazy. Not just during working hours, but also if you don't make them happy, they'll find every corner of your contract to cut you out. The culture is representative of this huffing and puffing, grudge-holding attitude. If you're coming from tech, you won't like it here unless you're a senior executive who wants to do the huffing and puffing.
- 4.0In general, it's a good place for your experienceSoftware Engineer • Former EmployeeDecember 1, 2019Pros: Highest concentration of smart people to learn from. Free breakfast, lunch, and dinner (if you stay late). Good compensation level and benefits. If they let you go, they compensate.Cons: 401k vested only after 3 years. They usually let people go extremely quick. There are no institutional systems really; it all depends on your boss (learning, career advancement, travel, work evaluation, etc.). If you fall out of favor and were doing a great job, nothing can protect you. Lots of brainwashing from management about "company goals."
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