The interview process followed a standard software engineering loop:

• Recruiter call
• 1-hour technical screen
• 5-interview final round (3 DSA, 1 hiring manager, 1 system design)

The DSA questions were standard LeetCode medium/hard level and I found them very straightforward.

I interviewed for a mid-level position and completed all three DSA questions about 5-10 minutes early, correctly, and with optimal solutions. Communication was excellent throughout, and I truly enjoyed the process with all three engineers. The hiring manager interview also went very well; he even mentioned multiple times that he thought I was perfect for the role. I did not receive an offer, which suggests I may have faltered during the system design portion.

My recruiter was highly responsive at the beginning of the process but then practically ghosted me for a few weeks after the final round. This was disappointing, considering the significant time I had invested. I had also been transparent with them about my timeline, informing them that I was in offer stages with another company and needed to move quickly, which they had assured me would not be an issue. Despite this, I ended up signing with another company before receiving an answer from Pinterest due to the timing.

Overall, I really enjoyed the interview process. It was definitely difficult and nerve-wracking, but the interviewers were among the nicest and most engaged I have ever encountered.

Also notable, the entire process, including team matching, is very long. Team matching is mandatory to receive an official offer. I would budget, optimistically, about 2-3 months to get an offer in hand.

Some feedback for the company, if it's helpful:

It would be incredibly useful to receive any level of feedback after the final round, considering the substantial time an interviewee invests throughout the entire process.

I would also please ask for more prompt updates after interviews. This is really imperative, especially for candidates in multiple interview loops who are trying to make the best career decisions.

I would prep with DFS/BFS questions the most.

I would also focus on system design backend optimizations.