Instacart Interview Questions: What to Expect and How to Prepare

Instacart Interview Process

Instacart operates as a leading grocery delivery platform in North America, leveraging advanced technology to connect customers with shoppers who pick and deliver groceries from local stores. When applying for a software engineering position at Instacart, be prepared for coding assessments and system design interviews that focus on real-world problems, optimizing algorithms for efficiency and scalability in e-commerce contexts.

Instacaurt's recruitment process starts with resume screening, focusing on relevant experience and skills in software engineering. Candidates successful in this stage often face an Online Assessment (OA) that tests coding capabilities and problem-solving skills. Typically, the process advances to one or two phone screens that evaluate technical knowledge and cultural fit.

Following the phone interviews, selected candidates are invited for onsite rounds, which usually comprise multiple technical interviews including system design and coding tasks. These rounds are known for their rigor and require not just coding proficiency but also a clear understanding of algorithms and data structures. The onsite stage is critical and can be quite challenging, pushing candidates to demonstrate both technical prowess and creative thinking skills.

Initial Screen

Instacart's initial screening process primarily involves a meticulous resume review focusing on relevant experience and technical skills pertinent to the role applied for. The company typically responds within two weeks after submission.

Following the resume assessment, selected candidates often undergo an Online Assessment (OA), testing their coding and problem-solving abilities. This is usually complemented by a preliminary screening call to discuss background and fit.

Phone Screen

Instacart typically incorporates at least one phone screen in their hiring process for software engineers. This preliminary interview assesses both technical skills and cultural fit, usually involving coding problems and system design questions.

The phone screen generally lasts about 45 minutes. Successful candidates will discuss past projects and may tackle a live coding challenge, demonstrating their problem-solving abilities directly to the recruiter or a technical interviewer.

Onsite Rounds

At Instacart, the onsite interview rounds consist of approximately five interviews. These sessions typically encompass two coding interviews, one design interview, one behavioral interview, and one with a hiring manager focusing on team fit and company values.

These interviews are conducted in person or virtually, depending on the applicant's location and current company policy, and each session usually lasts about an hour. Candidates are evaluated on their problem-solving skills, technical expertise, and cultural fit.

Final Rounds, Negotiation, Offer

After completing the interview rounds at Instacart, candidates may undergo team matching to ensure a good fit. This is followed by offer negotiations and, in some cases, meetings with senior executives before finalizing the employment offer.

Instacart Technical Interview Questions and Patterns

The coding interview at Instacart 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

Tell me about a time when you had to quickly adapt to a significant change in a project.

• Focus on demonstrating flexibility and the ability to handle sudden shifts in priorities. Highlight specific actions you took to embrace the change, the challenges you faced, and the outcome of the project. Emphasize learning and growth from the experience.

Describe a situation where you had to collaborate with a difficult teammate.

• Talk about a time you used strong communication and interpersonal skills to manage and resolve conflicts. Discuss the strategies you applied to ensure the project's success despite personal differences. Illustrate how you kept the team's objectives in focus and contributed to a harmonious work environment.

Can you provide an example of a challenging problem you solved with a software or technology solution?

• Showcase your problem-solving skills and technical proficiency. Describe the problem in detail, the solutions you considered, and why you selected the particular approach you did. Highlight the successful outcome and any recognition you received for your innovation.

Have you ever missed a deadline? How did you handle it and communicate with your team?

• Be honest about past challenges, focusing on accountability and communication skills. Explain the circumstances that led to the missed deadline, how you informed your team and superiors, and the steps you took to mitigate the impact. Emphasize lessons learned and how it improved your time management skills.

Describe a project where you implemented a new technology or process. What approach did you use to ensure adoption?

• Highlight your leadership and technological acumen. Discuss the new technology or process, the steps of implementation, and how you addressed resistance among the team. Show how you ensured support and training for stakeholders and the positive changes observed post-implementation.

Sample Teamwork Behavioral Questions and Answers

Describe a time when you had to collaborate with a team to solve a complex problem. How did you ensure effective communication and successful results?

• Highlight specific strategies used to foster team communication such as regular meetings or collaborative tools. Discuss your role in the problem-solving process and how you ensured that every team member contributed effectively. Emphasize the outcome and what you learned from the experience.

Tell me about a project where you had conflicting ideas with a teammate. How did you handle the situation and what was the outcome?

• Focus on demonstrating your conflict resolution skills and ability to stay professional. Explain how you listened to the other person’s perspective, found common ground, and together reached a solution that benefited the project.

Can you provide an example of a time when your team had to meet a tight deadline? What role did you play, and what was the result?

• Discuss your time management and prioritization skills. Explain how you helped to organize the team’s tasks, possibly introducing efficient work methods or tools, and how you personally took initiative to meet the deadline.

Imagine you are working on a feature for Instacart that involves multiple departments. How would you handle the coordination and ensure the project's success?

• Talk about your experience in cross-functional collaboration. Mention specific techniques for ensuring alignment, such as setting shared goals, using integrated project management software, and holding cross-departmental meetings. Showcase understanding of Instacart’s operational scale and customer focus.

Share a situation where your team received negative feedback on a project. How did you handle it and what changes did you implement?

• Explain the importance of feedback in improving work processes and outcomes. Describe how you encouraged the team to view the feedback constructively and the steps taken to address the issues raised, ultimately leading to a better result.

Sample Role Specifc Behavioral Questions and Answers

Can you describe a time when you had to handle a significant change in a software project? How did you adapt?

• Detail your ability to be flexible and adaptive. Highlight your problem-solving skills and how you managed project scope changes or technology shifts. Mention specific methodologies used, such as Agile, to manage such transitions.

Tell me about a complex software problem you solved. What was the challenge, and what steps did you take to resolve it?

• Showcase your technical and analytical abilities. Describe the complexity of the problem, your thought process, the technologies and tools you utilized, and the outcome of your solution. Emphasize your role in the resolution process.

How do you ensure the quality of your code?

• Talk about your approach to coding standards, testing, and review processes. Mention specific tools or practices like TDD, peer code reviews, or the use of continuous integration/continuous deployment pipelines.

Discuss a time when you worked on a cross-functional team. What role did you play, and how did you ensure effective collaboration?

• Highlight your communication skills, flexibility, and how you handle teamwork. Point out any specific techniques or tools used for effective cross-team collaboration like SCRUM meetings or collaborative platforms like Jira or Confluence.

Instacart relies heavily on real-time data processing for its services. Can you discuss an experience where you implemented or improved a real-time data processing system?

• Focus on a relevant example that mirrors the demands of a real-time system, such as handling high volume transactions or data streaming. Describe the technologies used, challenges faced, and the impact of your improvements on the performance or scalability of the system.