← AT&T Interview Insights

AT&T·Software Engineer·Onsite - Coding / Algorithms·Senior

SeniorRejected
Jul 2026

Summary

Applied for a senior dev role and got asked to build a React app on the spot. Bombed it. Been coasting for too long and my skills across AWS, Java, and React are all half-baked at this point.

Questions Asked (1)

Q1

Complete a React application as part of a live coding exercise.

Technical Trade-offsAPI & Integrations
Author's notes

I've built React apps before, plenty of them, but muscle memory is a real thing and mine had completely atrophied.

Create a free account to read the full note

AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Start by clarifying requirements and constraints, then outline a component architecture and data flow before coding. Implement incrementally, explaining your decisions and trade-offs as you go, and test edge cases.

Pro tip: Verbalize your thought process and trade-offs; interviewers value clear reasoning over silent perfection. If stuck, simplify and state your assumptions.

1. Clarify Requirements

Ask questions to understand the app's purpose, required features, and constraints (e.g., time, libraries, API endpoints). Confirm expected behavior and edge cases.

2. Plan Architecture

Sketch component hierarchy, state management, and data flow. Decide where to fetch data and how to handle loading/error states.

3. Implement Incrementally

Build a minimal working version first, then add features. Write clean, modular code and explain your choices as you code.

4. Handle Edge Cases

Test with empty data, errors, and slow networks. Ensure accessibility and responsiveness if relevant.

5. Review and Refactor

If time permits, refactor for readability, extract reusable components, and discuss potential optimizations.

Key Points to Mention

  • Component design and reusability
  • State management (local vs. global, hooks vs. context)
  • API integration and error handling
  • Performance considerations (memoization, lazy loading)
  • Testing strategy (unit, integration)
  • Trade-offs between simplicity and scalability

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