Datadog's hiring process is methodical and relatively structured compared to other high-growth infra companies. Most engineering loops run 4-6 rounds total: a recruiter screen, a technical phone screen (usually 45-60 min of coding), then an onsite or virtual loop that combines system design, coding, and behavioral. Senior+ roles add a dedicated architecture or "deep technical" round.
A few things that stand out. First, Datadog takes observability culture seriously internally. Engineers are expected to understand distributed systems and explain tradeoffs clearly, not just write code that passes. Interviewers will ask you to think about latency, failure modes, and how you'd instrument a system. Second, the behavioral component is real. They care about how you've worked with cross-functional teams and what you've done when things broke down. Vague answers about "collaboration" don't land. Third, the process tends to move at a reasonable clip. Most candidates hear back within 1-2 weeks after each round.
For non-engineering roles (sales, marketing, product), expect case-study elements and a heavy focus on metrics and outcomes.
Read the full Primly report: /community/behavioral-interview-questions/datadog
(Posted by Primly Team. Report based on community submissions and public sources. Details may vary by team and role.)