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LinkedIn · Software engineer · All levels; ownership and cross-team scope probed harder at senior/staff

Culture & Values / Hiring Manager

Usually the hiring manager

What they actually ask

The question shapes this round uses. Larpy does not read these out. It builds each one from your own resume, because the generic version is the one you have already rehearsed.

  • “How would you approach solving an engineering challenge or issue you've never faced before?”
  • “What has been the most challenging engineering project you've faced, and how did you drive it to success?”
  • “What is the most recent criticism you received from a manager, and how did you respond?”
  • “Tell me about a time you dealt with a difficult client or stakeholder on a project.”
  • “How have you demonstrated leadership in your current role?”
  • “In your current role, what steps do you take to avoid mistakes on the job?”
  • “Tell me about a conflict with a teammate or across teams and how you resolved it.”
  • “Describe a time you had to influence a decision without formal authority.”

What this round is judged on

  • Critical thinking · evidence of persistence and resourcefulness on unfamiliar problems
  • Growth mindset · willingness to listen and learn from feedback and mistakes
  • Leadership/collaboration · big-picture awareness without losing sight of detail
  • Ownership · impact, measurable outcomes, and follow-through
  • Interpersonal skills · good judgment and patience with difficult stakeholders

Where this round sits

LinkedIn’s published process. Lime marks the stage this round runs.

  1. 01
    Application
  2. 02
    Conversation
  3. 03
    Interviewthis round
  4. 04
    Decision
What happens in each stage›
Application
Recruiting reviews applications against the basic and preferred qualifications on the job description. Not simulated as a live round.
Conversation
A recruiter schedules a call to learn about your background and ask basic questions; often followed by a hiring-manager video call exploring experience, skills, and technical expertise. Simulated as the Recruiter Screen.
Interview
You meet several team members, and per LinkedIn 'each interview will focus on a different skill area.' For SWE this reliably includes coding rounds, system design (experienced hires), and a behavioral/values round. Simulated as the coding, system-design, and behavioral rounds.
Decision
The hiring team assesses fit and potential; LinkedIn notes this stage 'may need several weeks.' Includes team-match. Not simulated.

Sources

Built from what LinkedIn publishes about its own process and from real interview data. No leaked question lists. The questions you get are generated against your own resume, so they are not from anyone else's interview.

  • companyLinkedIn, How We Hirecareers.linkedin.com

    The four official stages (Application, Conversation, Interview, Decision), the 'each interview will focus on a different skill area' language, and the 'fair, inclusive and transparent process for every candidate' priority.

  • companyLinkedIn Talent Solutions, Engineer interview question guidebusiness.linkedin.com

    The official engineer behavioral/technical sample questions, each mapped to a competency and what-to-assess (the closest thing to a published rubric).

  • datalevels.fyi, LinkedIn Software Engineerlevels.fyi

    The IC ladder used for level framing: IC1 Apprentice, IC2 Software Engineer, IC3 Senior, IC4 Staff and above; new grads typically enter at IC2.

  • dataTech Interview Handbook (yangshun, MIT)techinterviewhandbook.org

    Commonly-asked coding patterns and the algorithm practice set used to inform the coding-round problem selection.

Sources last checked . Hiring loops change, so this date is the honest limit on everything above.

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