Uber·Software Engineer·Technical Phone Screen·Intermediate

Intermediate

May 2026

Summary

Interviewed for a software engineer role at Uber, got a coding question that maps pretty cleanly to a well-known LeetCode problem. Short round, nothing too wild.

Questions Asked (1)

Solve a coding problem involving character or string manipulation (similar to a classic LeetCode-style problem).

Algorithms & Data Structures

Author's notes

Recognized the pattern pretty fast, which helped.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Clarify the problem, including input/output format, constraints, and edge cases. Then discuss a brute-force solution, analyze its complexity, and optimize using appropriate data structures or algorithms. Finally, walk through your code with a test case and analyze time/space complexity.

Pro tip: Uber values clean, efficient code and strong communication. Think aloud to demonstrate your problem-solving process, and always consider edge cases like empty strings, Unicode characters, or large inputs.

1. Understand and Clarify

Ask clarifying questions to fully understand the problem, constraints, and expected behavior for edge cases.

2. Brainstorm Approaches

Discuss a brute-force solution first, then propose optimizations using suitable data structures or algorithms.

3. Implement and Test

Write clean, modular code and test it with normal and edge cases, explaining your reasoning as you go.

4. Analyze Complexity

State the time and space complexity of your solution and discuss potential trade-offs.

Key Points to Mention

Clarify input/output format and constraints (e.g., string length, character set).
Consider edge cases: empty string, single character, Unicode, case sensitivity.
Start with a brute-force approach and then optimize.
Use appropriate data structures (e.g., hash map, two pointers, sliding window).
Analyze time and space complexity of the final solution.
Write clean, readable code with meaningful variable names.

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