LinkedIn · Software engineer · All levels; the primary early technical filter
Technical Phone Screen
~60 minutes in a shared online editor where code runs
What this round is judged on
- Problem-solving · clarifies the problem and picks the right data structure
- Complexity · states and defends time/space trade-offs
- Code quality · clean, correct, readable code
- Communication · thinks out loud and reasons through edge cases
- Testing · validates the solution with its own cases
Where this round sits
LinkedIn’s published process. Lime marks the stage this round runs.
- 01Application
- 02Conversation
- 03Interviewthis round
- 04Decision
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.
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.
The official engineer behavioral/technical sample questions, each mapped to a competency and what-to-assess (the closest thing to a published rubric).
The IC ladder used for level framing: IC1 Apprentice, IC2 Software Engineer, IC3 Senior, IC4 Staff and above; new grads typically enter at IC2.
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.