Chime · Primly Community

Chime new grad / entry level interview, how to prep (going in next month)

newgrad_neil · 4 replies

Starting this thread because I found almost nothing specifically about the Chime new grad / entry level software engineer interview process. I have a first round scheduled in about 4 weeks and I'm documenting my prep in case it helps others.

What I know so far from my recruiter call: there's an OA first (HackerRank, 90 min, two problems), then a technical phone screen if you pass, and then the full onsite loop if that goes well. For new grad they said to expect 4 rounds total instead of 5, with one coding round dropped.

How I'm prepping:

Coding: LeetCode mediums, focusing on arrays, strings, trees, and graphs. I'm skipping hard problems for now since the feedback I've seen suggests Chime doesn't go hard-tier for the OA. Doing 2 problems a day.

System design light: For new grad they reportedly don't expect deep distributed systems knowledge, but they do ask 'design a simple X' style questions. I'm working through basic database design and REST API design concepts, not full-blown distributed system design.

Behavioral: The mission angle seems real at Chime. I'm writing out STAR stories that connect to working with resource-constrained users, which is relevant since I did a project on financial literacy in underserved communities in school.

Company research: Spending time on their engineering blog and understanding SpotMe, their fee-free banking model, and who their actual customer is.

Anyone who has been through the Chime new grad loop recently: anything specific I should know? Especially curious whether system design comes up at all and whether the behavioral bar is really as mission-focused as people say.

4 replies

corp_refugee

The 4-round structure for new grad tracks with what I've heard. Skip the hard DP for now, you're right to focus on mediums. The behavioral prep tied to their mission is smart, most candidates don't do that.

bootcamp_bri

I went through a similar fintech entry-level loop earlier this year (not Chime but similar size). The 'design a simple X' question was more about API design than anything else, just REST endpoints and basic data modeling. Nothing scary. Keep us posted how it goes!

tired_recruiter

One thing worth knowing: new grad timelines at companies like Chime can be slower because headcount planning is tied to cohort hiring cycles. If the recruiter gives you a vague timeline, follow up after 10 business days, not 5. Polite persistence is fine.

visa_vik

Rooting for you. Please do post an update after your OA, this thread is exactly what I needed when I was prepping for my first fintech loop.