Citadel Software Engineer Interview Experience
Citadel · Intern
Interview process
The interview process was challenging but pretty straightforward. My interviewer was friendly and gave me room to talk through my thought process instead of expecting an immediate perfect answer. I felt good about explaining my approach and communicating while solving the problem, but there were a few moments where I overcomplicated things and could have gotten to the cleaner solution faster.
Interview rounds · 4
- 1
Recruiter screen
- Q1. Basic info
- 2
Online assessment
- Q1. Design a timer system.
- 3
Phone screen
- Q1. Basic location questions
- 4
Technical round
- Q1. Why investment banking?
Tips from the candidate
I’d definitely practice data structures and algorithms, but I’d focus just as much on being able to explain your thinking out loud. Be comfortable starting with a basic solution, analyzing the runtime, and then improving it. I’d also review your resume well because you should be ready to explain the technical decisions and challenges behind your projects.
Company culture
What stood out to me was how technical and intellectually curious the environment seemed. Even during the interview, the conversation felt collaborative rather than like I was just being tested. It seemed like a place where people care a lot about solving difficult problems efficiently and are expected to understand the reasoning behind what they build.