Atlassian Interview Questions: What to Expect and How to Prepare

Atlassian Interview Process

Atlassian, a leading enterprise software company, specializes in collaboration and productivity tools like Jira and Trello, widely used in the software development industry. When preparing for an interview at Atlassian, focus on demonstrating your ability to work effectively in teams and your proficiency with agile methodologies, as collaboration is a core aspect of their operational philosophy.

Atlassian's hiring process typically begins with the standard resume review, where recruiters assess your experience and fit for the role. If your resume stands out, you might be invited to complete an Online Assessment (OA), which usually includes coding challenges and problem-solving questions designed to gauge your technical skills.

Following a successful OA, the next steps typically involve one or two phone screenings with a recruiter and a hiring manager. These interviews often explore your knowledge, past experiences, technical skills, and cultural alignment with Atlassian. The final phase is the onsite interview, which can include multiple rounds with different team members. The onsite interviews are known to be quite rigorous but fair, focusing deeply on technical abilities, problem-solving, and system design.

Initial Screen

Atlassian's initial screening begins with a careful review of resumes, focusing on specific projects and proven technical skills. They typically prioritize candidates who display significant expertise in software development.

Following the resume review, selected candidates are often required to take an Online Assessment (OA), which evaluates coding skills and problem-solving ability. This is usually a prerequisite before any preliminary screening calls.

Phone Screen

Atlassian typically conducts one or two phone screens as part of its software engineering hiring process. These initial calls focus on assessing the candidate's technical skills and problem-solving abilities through coding exercises and behavioral questions.

During these phone interviews, Atlassian recruiters also gauge cultural fit and motivation, asking about past project experiences and reasons for applying. This helps ensure candidates align with Atlassian’s values and team dynamics.

Onsite Rounds

Atlassian's onsite interview typically comprises four to five rounds, focusing primarily on technical skills alongside a few behavioral questions. Expect a combination of coding exercises, system design challenges, and scenarios assessing problem-solving abilities.

Each session lasts about an hour, emphasizing different facets of software engineering. Candidates will engage in discussions around past projects, hypothetical problems, and occasionally, whiteboard coding. This rigorous process helps evaluate the applicant's technical competence and cultural fit.

Final Rounds, Negotiation, Offer

After completing the interview stages at Atlassian, candidates may undergo team matching to ensure a good fit. Offers are then negotiated, sometimes involving final meetings with executives before confirmation.

Atlassian Technical Interview Questions and Patterns

When gearing up for a software engineering interview at Atlassian, it's vital to have a strong grasp on Dynamic Programming, as it represents a significant portion of their coding problems. Basic DSA and Breadth-First Search are frequently tested, reflecting Atlassian's focus on core and fundamental algorithms. This pattern distribution suggests a blend of fundamental coding skills with specific advanced applications, setting Atlassian’s interviews apart with their emphasis on practical, complex problem-solving scenarios.

Atlassian Interview Coding Question Difficulty

Atlassian’s coding interview problems are relatively challenging and come in the form of complex, thinking-heavy DP problems. Overall, the difficulty is as demanding as large tech companies, aligning closely with industry standards but with a noted emphasis on practical, problem-solving skills.

Frequently Asked Atlassian Coding Questions

Problem + Solution	Patterns	Difficulty
Rank Teams by Votes	Basic DSA	Medium
Design Snake Game	Simulation	Medium
Logger Rate Limiter	Basic DSA	Easy
Set Intersection Size At Least Two	Misc.	Hard
String Transformation	Dynamic Programming	Hard
Online Election	Binary Search	Medium
Design File System	Adv. Data Structure	Medium
Design Hit Counter	Binary Search	Medium
Number of Ways to Form a Target String Given a Dictionary	Dynamic Programming	Hard
Cherry Pickup	Dynamic Programming	Hard

Sample Classical Behavioral Questions and Answers

Tell us about a time when you faced a significant challenge in a software project. How did you manage it?

• Focus on describing the problem, your role, and the specific actions you took to overcome the challenge. Emphasize your problem-solving skills, teamwork, and perhaps agile methodologies if applicable. Highlight the successful outcomes or what you learned from the experience.

Describe a situation where you had to learn a new tool or technology to complete a project task. How did you approach this learning curve?

• Showcase your adaptability and eagerness to learn. Mention specific resources you used to master the tool—be it online courses, documentation, or hands-on practice. Conclude by explaining how integrating this new knowledge helped improve the project or your team's workflow.

Can you provide an example of how you have contributed to improving code quality in your past projects?

• Discuss specific practices you've implemented, such as code reviews, unit testing, or adopting coding standards. Explain how these practices were integrated into the project workflow and mention any measurable improvements in performance, maintenance, or team efficiency.

Sample Teamwork Behavioral Questions and Answers

Describe a situation where you had to collaborate with a multi-disciplinary team to achieve a project goal.

• Focus on detailing the nature of the project and your specific role in it. Explain how you communicated across different disciplines, navigated challenges, and the strategies you used to ensure effective collaboration and project success.

Tell me about a time when you disagreed with a team member on a project. How did you handle the situation and what was the outcome?

• Outline the disagreement and emphasize your approach to conflict resolution. Highlight your ability to understand different perspectives, negotiate solutions, and maintain professional relationships. Show how your intervention led to a productive resolution and possibly, an improved project outcome.

Atlassian values open company, no bullshit. Can you give an example from your experience where transparent communication significantly influenced a project outcome?

• Describe a situation where honesty and openness in communication played a crucial role. Mention how being transparent helped in managing expectations, realigning goals, or solving a major issue, thereby driving the project toward success.

Sample Role Specifc Behavioral Questions and Answers

Describe a time when you had to collaborate with multiple teams to deliver a software solution. What was the project, and how did you ensure that all parties were aligned?

• Discuss an instance where you effectively coordinated with other departments, ensured clear communication, and used tools likely appreciated at collaborative-focused companies like Atlassian (think Confluence or Jira). Highlight your role in facilitating team alignment and meeting project objectives.

Tell us about a challenging bug that you found and fixed. What was the bug, how did you identify it, and what steps did you take to resolve it?

• Mention a specific software bug, emphasizing your problem-solving process. Include how you identified the bug, the tools or methods you used to investigate and resolve it, and the outcomes of your fix. This showcases your technical proficiency and analytical ability.

Atlassian values innovation to improve customer experiences. Can you share an example of how you've innovated or improved a product or process in your past role?

• Provide details about a time when you introduced a successful innovation, possibly something that improved efficiency, user interface, or system capabilities. Explain how the change benefited the end user or business, aligning with Atlassian's commitment to user-centric product development.