The interview process was intense but well-structured. It started with an online assessment that included data structures and algorithm questions.

After passing that, I had two technical interviews focusing on system design, problem-solving, and backend architecture. I studied independently using resources like LeetCode, Grokking the System Design Interview, and YouTube mock interviews.

The interviewers were friendly and gave hints when I got stuck, which helped reduce the pressure. Preparation required serious dedication, especially for the system design round. I also reviewed computer science fundamentals like operating systems, networks, and databases.

Q: What was the one thing that they asked you?

Design a URL shortening service like TinyURL. They wanted to hear about the API design, database schema, how to handle collisions, rate limiting, and scaling it to millions of users.