Software Engineer Interview Experience - Santa Clara, California
Process
I was contacted by a recruiter and spoke for five minutes about general topics, including my interests, the position itself, and the team at Intel. A week later, I was notified that they would like me for an on-site interview in another week.
At the on-site interview, I met with seven people during one morning, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
As this is a Software Engineering position, I expected at least some technical questions, but I received none. The only technical question was a casual "Can you code?" to which I replied, "Yes, of course."
Every interviewer asked me about my PhD work, and we generally discussed my research. It seems the most important thing for them was to determine whether I would be a good fit, considering my vision, interests, and prior experience. Personality is definitely something they look for, even if it's not immediately apparent.
People in this group seemed quite young and open-minded, especially the group leader. The position itself wasn't a "code in the trenches" type of role; it offers considerable flexibility and requires creativity and novel approaches. Perhaps that's why they were more interested in vision and interests than direct coding ability.
Questions
Why would you be a good fit for this group?
Questions about my PhD work, where I had to justify my decisions. They were difficult because the questions came from a different perspective than I would typically encounter in academia.
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Interview Statistics
The following metrics were computed from 24 interview experiences for the Intel Software Engineer role in Santa Clara, California.
Success Rate
Intel's interview process for their Software Engineer roles in Santa Clara, California 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 Intel's Software Engineer interview process in Santa Clara, California.
Intel Work Experiences
- 3.0Intel Corp reviewSoftware Engineer • Current EmployeeSanta Clara, California, United StatesNovember 21, 2016Pros: Good company with decent benefits and awesome people to work with.Cons: Life can get monotonous. Pay is below average market rate.
- 2.0Intel won't treat you wellSoftware Engineer • Current EmployeeSanta Clara, California, United StatesMay 26, 2017Pros: Working at Intel makes your life shine in others' eyes. Indeed, it's a good brand with a legendary history.Cons: Intel won't treat you well in every single aspect. It's a big company, where you are a small screw. No matter how well you perform or how much you sacrifice your time, the company is numb to reward you. You are not a priority in everything small. There is no free food. It's an old company. It doesn't feel grateful for people who work hard for the company's good. And it doesn't really care if you work here and you love to work here. What kills is that there is no dinner when you work after-hours. Hunger and thirst are your best pals. The canteen, which you must pay for and tastes like hell, is closed. Vending machines will be accompanying you. And it's another place you can't owe money. You are also not a priority in everything big. Intel is generally reluctant to pay you. Currently, I'm enjoying my low 10th percentile salary for the Bay Area. I have a near-zero stock grant, no year-end bonus, or any rewards that can distinguish my effort from others. But two months ago, I finally had an astounding raise in salary when my manager ranked my last year as successful. The raise for the successful was 2.1%. I can't thank the company too much for this, because it didn't even reach the US inflation rate! When my manager presented the number to me, I was startled, utterly speechless, and faint to argue. The company that I paid homage to with faith and worked for with belief treated me in a way I can only describe as shabby and mean. I've been trying to quench my anger, frustration, and desperation for 2 months. But I found it's much harder than I thought. Soon after my onboarding day, I found the company filled with passionless people. Now I understand why, because I've become one of them.
- 3.0Not So Good if You Are Aiming for Career GrowthSoftware Engineer • Current EmployeeSanta Clara, California, United StatesJuly 7, 2023Pros: Great Health Benefits, 401k match, WLBCons: Stock price continues to go down. Ineffective operations/management.
Intel Interview Questions
