I applied for the position in March 2024 via LinkedIn. A few days later, I received an email from the recruiter for a conversation. We discussed my experiences, the challenges they face, salary expectations, and similar topics. She then explained the following phases of the selection process, and I participated in all of them.

• Online test on Code Signal: This involved algorithms and data structures, with 4 questions and a 70-minute time limit.
• Onsite interview (in the office) with 4 steps:
  • One specific code assessment (backend, in my case).
  • One collaboration exercise, using Uber's values as a reference.
  • One algorithms assessment (LeetCode style).
  • One system design assessment.

They provided little to no information about the interview details, and I had to ask many questions to get any information. They shared some mock interview videos, but they weren't very helpful.

About the steps:

1. Online test: There were 4 LeetCode-style challenges. It was difficult to solve all 4 within the given time. The questions included 2 easy, 1 medium, and 1 difficult problem. I managed to solve the 2 easy ones, the medium one, and partially the difficult one. The platform was also buggy, and continuous screen recording could lead to connection drops, wasting significant time.

2. Onsite (a whole afternoon at the Uber office):

   • Collaboration: These were situational questions requiring answers connected to Uber's values. Tip: Review all values and select career stories that relate to them; this should be sufficient. I had this interview with a manager, and the experience was good overall.
   • Specific (Backend): I received no prior information about this step, so I was unsure what to expect. It was a simpler LeetCode-style problem. I'm not certain what they were evaluating at this stage, as there was another similar assessment later. The experience here was okay.
   • System Design: A very generic system design problem was presented, requiring me to ask clarifying questions and offer solutions. During the solution, the interviewer asked follow-up questions. My experience was terrible. The interviewer introduced himself proudly as the "bar raiser," which immediately set a negative tone. He was the most arrogant person I have ever been interviewed by. He provided incorrect information about databases, laughed at some of my answers, and pressured me to redo certain responses. By the end of this stage, I wanted to abandon the process, but I was too stunned to do so.
   • Algorithms: A LeetCode-style problem (perhaps medium level) was presented, and I had to provide the solution. The interviewer was good, and I solved the problem without difficulty.

I knew I wouldn't be approved because of the system design interview. A few days later, the recruiter sent a generic message stating that I didn't pass, without providing further details.

Solve this system design problem while I laugh at your answers.