I was first contacted on LinkedIn by a Tech Recruiter from Datadog’s New York office. The initial interview was straightforward—just what you’d expect. The recruiter introduced the company, explained their products, described what they’re looking for in candidates, and asked about my background, experience, and motivations. They also explained the next steps in the process.
The second interview was a technical screening with a Senior Software Engineer. It started with a 10-minute discussion where I presented a technical project I had worked on, followed by solving two coding problems on CoderPad. The first problem was simple while the second was slightly more challenging. The interviewer was supportive and gave some hints, making it feel collaborative.
Next, I got to choose between a take-home frontend project or a live React coding session. I chose the take-home project since I don't have much professional experience with React. You can use any framework or library for the project, as long as it doesn’t directly solve the problem for you. They suggest it will take 4–6 hours, but I found it required way more time (if you want to fully showcase your skills). It’s worth the effort to do your best though, as this is a great opportunity to demonstrate your expertise.
After the take-home project, I had a System Design interview using Excalidraw conducted by another Senior Software Engineer. This was a typical System Design interview, but since I was applying for a frontend role, I focused mainly on the frontend part (including the key API endpoints) and treated the backend as a "black box." I was asked to create a high-level UI design for the problem and got follow-up questions throughout to explain my decisions and adjust my approach when needed. My advice: pay attention to frontend performance and always think from the user’s perspective. Also, if you’re not familiar with Datadog’s platform, spend some time exploring their features and interface before the interview—it can really help.
Then came another coding interview, also on CoderPad, with a Senior Software Engineer. This one was less like a standard coding test and more product-focused. The initial question was fairly easy, but the follow-up questions made it more challenging, ending up at a medium difficulty level. I didn’t fully solve the last follow-up question in the hour but explained my approach clearly and showed how I would finish it. Having a complete solution is important, but it’s not the only thing they evaluate. In addition to your coding skills, they also look at how you approach problems, ask clarifying questions, explain your reasoning, and communicate your ideas.
The last interview was a behavioral interview (Experience & Values) with an Engineering Manager. I had to deep-dive into a technical project I had worked on and explain my decisions in detail. After that, I answered behavioral questions about my past work experiences (similar to Amazon’s Leadership Principles). Preparing stories using the STAR method helped a lot.
Finally, I got a call from the recruiter saying I had positive feedback and was moving to the team match call. This 30-minute call was with an Engineering Manager from a product team. It wasn’t technical or behavioral—it was more about introducing the team, explaining their work, and seeing if my goals aligned with theirs. It was also a good time to ask questions about the team, the product, the role, and the work culture.
Overall, the interview process takes a lot of time and preparation, but the tech recruiters were very helpful, providing all the information I needed to prepare. They kept me updated and gave feedback quickly after each interview. The interviewers were friendly and made sure I felt comfortable. Most of the interviews felt more like conversations than tests, which made the whole process a lot more enjoyable.
