Forward Deployed Software Engineer Interview Experience - Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Process
I applied for the Software Engineer position at Palantir US. A recruiter contacted me, stating that the visa cap had been reached, and asked if I was interested in an FDE position in Abu Dhabi. I agreed and proceeded with the Abu Dhabi FDE interview process.
They scheduled two telephonic interviews for me.
In the first telephonic interview, the interviewer asked me to write the complete design of my current project at Amazon. I was asked to present the entire architecture and design via a Stypi link. The project was extensive, and it took me 30 minutes to explain it. Afterward, he posed an algorithmic puzzle. I presented various approaches to solve it. The interviewer seemed impressed and indicated that I had performed well. He then asked if I had any questions.
The first interviewer recommended me for a second telephonic interview.
In the second telephonic interview, the interviewer began by reviewing my resume. He inquired why I hadn't joined IBM after my Master's (I had completed my internship at IBM India Storage Labs) and why I chose Amazon over IBM after completing my studies. He also asked about my interest in Palantir and how I had heard about the company. The technical portion included questions differentiating Java and C++, and an explanation of the Stack data structure and its applications.
He then asked me to write code for implementing a Stack with operations for push, pop, peek, and retrieving the minimum element. I coded this efficiently and discussed its complexities. He also asked for improvements to the code.
I believed the second interview went very well, but I was mistaken. Approximately two days later, I received an email stating that they could not proceed with my application and would reconsider it in 9 months.
This was quite a shock. I requested feedback on my interview process and received the reply, "We don't provide detailed feedback. But as mentioned, we would like to revisit your application in a timeframe of 9-12 months."
End of story.
Questions
Why are you leaving Amazon?
Why did you choose Amazon instead of IBM?
Why did you not accept the IBM offer?
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Interview Statistics
The following metrics were computed from 1 interview experience for the Palantir Forward Deployed Software Engineer role in Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi.
Success Rate
Palantir's interview process for their Forward Deployed Software Engineer roles in Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi is extremely selective, failing the vast majority of engineers.
Experience Rating
Candidates reported having mixed feelings for Palantir's Forward Deployed Software Engineer interview process in Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi.
Palantir Work Experiences
- 3.0Believed in the company, but not so much anymore because of its mistreatment of employeesForward Deployed Software Engineer • Current EmployeeNew York, New York, United StatesSeptember 13, 2023Pros: Fast-paced, very smart coworkers, and overall, the opportunity to grow is quite amazing.Cons: No 401k matching, no bonuses, and no compensation increase with promotions or title promotions. Long work hours. Life as a Forward Deployed Engineer can be technically unfulfilling. It took 2 years for a company-wide compensation review to happen, and only a fraction of the company got a raise then.
- 4.0High Pressure and Lots of Growth in First YearForward Deployed Software Engineer • Current EmployeeNew York, New York, United StatesFebruary 13, 2022Pros: - Most rapid growth in a role in 5 years of software experience. - Most results and business-impacting work on my resume. - High stakes and high pressure means I've been required to grow. I now have many stories about difficult situations and how I handled them well and poorly and learned from them. This is great for job interviews, builds the skills of a team lead and manager, and just makes me a more effective worker.Cons: High-pressure, results-driven satisfying client demands means intermittent waves of pressure, leading to overtime. (Managers often encourage taking time off after working overtime.)
- 5.0Great Culture, Interesting WorkForward Deployed Software Engineer • Former EmployeeAugust 9, 2021Pros: Good culture and interesting work. Lots of support was given.Cons: I cannot single out any downsides from the internship.
Palantir Interview Questions
