Process
Was referred by an employee.
Had 4 interview rounds after the phone interview.
The interviews included:
- Tricky C questions
- C data structures
- String operation programs
- Networking-related questions (TCP states)
There was a main focus on C programming skills and the ability to problem-solve.
I liked these interviews compared to Google's because Google asks questions which may not even be related to the work you will be doing.
Questions
I don't remember exactly, but one was related to C printf arguments, and the other was on TCP SYN, ACK states, and sequence numbers.
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Interview Statistics
The following metrics were computed from 12 interview experiences for the IBM Staff Software Engineer role in United States.
Success Rate
IBM's interview process for their Staff Software Engineer roles in the United States is incredibly easy as the vast majority of engineers get an offer after going through it.
Experience Rating
Candidates reported having very good feelings for IBM's Staff Software Engineer interview process in United States.
IBM Work Experiences
- 2.0Good Money, Bad EnvironmentStaff Software Engineer • Current EmployeeBengaluru, Karnataka, IndiaSeptember 15, 2025Pros: Money is good as the management has a lot of money and they do not shy away from sharing that.Cons: 1. Old tech 2. No collaboration, no project KT, no docs, no helpful people 3. No work-life balance 4. A lot of weekend support unnecessarily
- 4.0Content but not passionate about working at IBMStaff Software Engineer • Current EmployeeWestford, Massachusetts, United StatesAugust 26, 2008Pros: Excellent work/life balance (i.e. working from home flexibility, support for varying schedules, no ridiculous hours).Cons: Sometimes there are too many processes, which can hinder work from getting done. Not very agile when it comes to development.
- 4.0Good workplace with a flexible work scheduleStaff Software Engineer • Former EmployeePoughkeepsie, New York, United StatesJuly 31, 2012Pros: a good work environment, with flexibility, comprehensive healthcare benefits, and good retirement benefits. It's a good place to work for people who have families.Cons: Pay is okay; I would say average. There are not a lot of young people, and a lot of projects have been on the trend of outsourcing to Asia or other parts of the world.
IBM Interview Questions
