Kikoff·Software Engineer·Technical Phone Screen·Intermediate

Intermediate

Jul 2026

Summary

Kikoff software engineer screen, one coding question the whole time. Pretty focused on file parsing and output formatting, nothing algorithmic, more about whether you can write clean practical code.

Questions Asked (1)

Given a CSV file with transaction records (Merchant, Amount, Date, Status), write a script that parses the file and prints each transaction as a formatted two-line block with specific spacing, dollar formatting, and delimiter lines. Row order must be preserved and fields should be trimmed before formatting.

API & IntegrationsTechnical Trade-offs

Author's notes

More annoying than hard, tbh.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Start by clarifying the exact output format and any edge cases, then outline a script that reads the CSV, trims fields, and prints each record as a two-line block with proper dollar formatting and delimiters. Emphasize preserving row order and handling potential issues like missing values or malformed rows.

Pro tip: Mention that you would use Python's csv module for robust parsing and explicitly test with edge cases like amounts with commas or negative values to ensure correct formatting. Also, note that you'd confirm the expected output format with the interviewer before coding.

1. Clarify requirements and edge cases

Ask about the exact format of the two-line block, delimiter lines, dollar formatting (e.g., $1,234.56), and how to handle missing or malformed data. Confirm that row order must be preserved and fields trimmed.

2. Choose tools and plan parsing

Select a language and library (e.g., Python's csv module) that handles CSV parsing robustly. Plan to read the file row by row, trim each field, and store or process records in order.

3. Implement formatting logic

For each record, format the amount as a dollar string with commas and two decimals, then construct the two-line block with specific spacing and delimiter lines. Ensure fields are trimmed before formatting.

4. Handle edge cases and errors

Add checks for missing fields, non-numeric amounts, or empty lines. Decide whether to skip, log, or raise errors, and ensure the script doesn't crash on unexpected input.

5. Test and verify output

Run the script on sample data, including edge cases, and compare output to the expected format. Verify row order and trimming are correct.

Key Points to Mention

Use a robust CSV parser (e.g., Python's csv module) to handle quoted fields and commas within values.
Preserve row order by processing records sequentially without sorting.
Trim whitespace from all fields before formatting.
Format amounts as currency with dollar sign, commas, and two decimal places (e.g., $1,234.56).
Construct the two-line block exactly as specified, including delimiter lines and spacing.
Handle edge cases such as missing values, negative amounts, or malformed rows gracefully.

AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.