Asana Interview Questions: What to Expect and How to Prepare

Asana Interview Process

Asana, a leading software company in the project management space, helps teams streamline workflow and enhance productivity with its innovative tools. If you're applying as a software engineer, be prepared to showcase your problem-solving and technical prowess, possibly through a hands-on coding test or a collaborative whiteboarding session simulating real-world product development scenarios to demonstrate how effectively you can contribute to Asana’s mission-driven platform.

At Asana, the interview process starts with a resume screen, followed by one or two online assessments focusing on coding and problem-solving skills. Candidates who perform well are invited to a phone interview, usually with a senior engineer or hiring manager.

The next step involves onsite interviews, typically four to five rounds, which assess technical skills, cultural fit, and problem-solving abilities. The interviews are known for being thorough but fair, with a focus on both algorithms and system design.

Initial Screen

Asana's initial screening process involves a meticulous evaluation of resumes, focusing on relevant project experience and technical skills. Only about 20% move on to the next round, underscoring the competitiveness.

Candidates who pass the resume screening face an Online Assessment (OA), consisting of coding challenges tailored to test problem-solving abilities relevant to Asana's tech stack. This test usually determines who progresses to preliminary phone screens.

Phone Screen

At Asana, the interview process typically includes phone screens, usually one or two, as a preliminary step before the on-site interviews. These phone interviews focus on assessing both technical skills and cultural fit, entailing coding exercises and behavioral questions.

These initial screens are critical in determining if the applicant advances in the hiring process. Applicants can expect questions that evaluate their ability to solve problems effectively using coding and logical thinking, alongside discussions on past projects and experiences.

Onsite Rounds

At Asana, the onsite interview round typically consists of about four to six interviews. These sessions are a blend of coding challenges, system design problems, and behavioral questions to gauge both technical proficiency and cultural fit.

Interviews are conducted in person and last between 45 to 60 minutes each. Candidates engage with various members of the team, tackling specific coding tasks, discussing past projects, and addressing hypothetical system design scenarios. This comprehensive approach ensures a well-rounded assessment of abilities.

Final Rounds, Negotiation, Offer

After completing the interview rounds at Asana, candidates may have meetings with executives, followed by team matching and offer negotiations to ensure a fit both for the candidate and the company.

Asana Technical Interview Questions and Patterns

The coding interview at Asana requires candidates to study a standard range and distribution of coding patterns that include significant topics such as Basic Data Structures and Algorithms, Two Pointers, Depth-First Search (DFS) and Breadth-First Search (BFS). Start learning today with AlgoMonster's page on getting started, and also about other company patterns.

Sample Classical Behavioral Questions and Answers

Describe a project where you utilized Asana for project management. What were the challenges and how did you overcome them?

• Focus on specific project management hurdles such as deadline constraints or team communication issues. Highlight your role in organizing tasks, setting priorities, and using Asana features like boards or timelines to enhance team productivity and project tracking.

Tell us about a time when you had to learn a new programming language or technology to complete a project.

• Emphasize your adaptability and eagerness to learn. Discuss the methods you used to master the new technology, such as taking online courses or collaborating with more experienced teammates, and how quickly you were able to integrate this knowledge into the project.

Can you provide an example of how you handled a disagreement within your development team?

• Show your conflict resolution and communication skills. Detail a specific situation where you mediated between parties or proposed a compromise. Explain how your intervention led to a beneficial outcome for the project and improved team dynamics.

Describe a situation where you had to implement a feature with very little guidance.

• Display self-sufficiency and initiative. Discuss the steps you took to understand the requirements, research solutions, and test the feature. Highlight how you ensured alignment with the project's goals and sought feedback to refine the feature.

Explain how you contributed to a significant reduction in the processing time of an application.

• Demonstrate your problem-solving skills and ability to enhance performance. Talk about diagnosing the performance bottlenecks, the strategies employed to optimize them—such as caching solutions or algorithm improvements—and the impact of these changes on the application’s efficiency.

Sample Teamwork Behavioral Questions and Answers

Can you describe a project where you disagreed with a team member? How did you handle the situation and what was the outcome?

• Focus on the communication skills that were employed to handle the disagreement. Highlight the ability to navigate conflicts constructively and the use of empathy to understand diverse perspectives. Emphasize the importance of arriving at a consensus that aligns with the team's goals.

Tell us about a time you had to collaborate with a team that was under a tight deadline.

• Describe prioritizing tasks and how effective communication was maintained. Illustrate the capacity for managing stress while fostering a collaborative atmosphere. Share how the team managed to achieve the goals within the deadline effectively.

Asana emphasizes "Radical Inclusion" as part of its engineering culture. Can you give us an example of how you have fostered inclusivity in a team environment?

• Discuss specific actions taken to ensure all team members felt included, such as soliciting inputs from quieter members or adapting communication styles. Reflect on the impact these efforts had on project outcomes and team dynamics.

How do you handle situations where a team member is not contributing equally to a project?

• Explain the approach to addressing the issue directly and compassionately with the team member. Discuss methods used to motivate the individual, possibly by aligning the project goals with their interests or strengths.

Describe a time when you took the initiative to lead a project or introduce a new idea to your team. What were the results?

• Showcase the ability to lead and inspire others, even when not in a formal leadership role. Reflect on the acceptance of the new idea by the team, the challenges faced, and the impact of the project's success on the team’s objectives.

Sample Role Specifc Behavioral Questions and Answers

Tell me about a time when you had to learn a new programming language or framework quickly to implement a project. What was the outcome?

• Highlight your ability to adapt and learn swiftly. Discuss the steps you took to master the technology and how you applied it effectively to the project. Mention any positive results or feedback received as a result of your efforts.

Describe your experience with using test-driven development (TDD) in a past project.

• Discuss your understanding of TDD and its importance in software development. Provide a detailed example of a project where you applied TDD, emphasizing the benefits experienced, such as reduced bugs and better code quality.

Can you share an example of a complex problem you solved through code? What approach did you take and what was the result?

• Describe the problem and your thought process in breaking it down into manageable parts. Talk about the technologies you used, how you structured the code, and the outcome. Highlight creativity, critical thinking, and technical proficiency.

Asana prays a lot of attention to cross-functional team work. Share a scenario where you worked in a cross-functional team to develop a software solution.

• Talk about your role within the team and how you collaborated with other functions. Emphasize communication skills, conflict resolution, and how your contributions led to the success of the project.

How would you handle a situation where there is a significant disagreement within your team on a particular approach to a project at Asana?

• Focus on your conflict resolution and communication skills. Provide an example where you successfully navigated a similar disagreement, leading to a consensus or a constructive compromise that respected different viewpoints and strengthened team cohesion.