Went through Dell's final round (they call it the "full loop" internally) for a staff-level infra role this spring. Everything is virtual now. No in-person option was offered or mentioned.
Here's the structure they set up for me:
Round 1: Technical deep dive (60 min) This was with two ICs from the team. Focused on my actual past work. They asked me to walk through a system I'd designed, then asked probing questions: why that choice over this alternative, what would you do differently, what were the failure modes. This felt less like an exam and more like a staff meeting. Comfortable if you know your work, uncomfortable if your answers are shallow.
Round 2: Coding (45 min) One medium-hard problem on CoderPad. I was at a staff level so the expectation was speed plus explanation of trade-offs. They cared a lot about code quality and how I'd test it, not just getting the right answer.
Round 3: Behavioral with hiring manager (45 min) Half the time was STAR-format behavioral questions (2-3 questions, they went deep on each), half was the manager explaining the team and asking if I had questions. This felt like a mutual fit conversation, not an interrogation.
Round 4: Cross-functional panel (60 min) Two people from adjacent teams: one from product, one from another engineering group. Questions about collaboration, how I handle disagreements, how I've navigated ambiguity. Classic behavioral but calibrated to a staff / tech lead level.
Total time: about 4 hours across half a day (they scheduled it in one block with breaks).
Debrief timing: Recruiter reached out 5 business days after the final round. Offer came 3 business days after that.
One honest observation: the calibration at Dell for staff is lower bar than at a top-5 tech company. I say that not as a knock but as useful signal. If you're coming from FAANG, this loop is manageable. If you're targeting Dell as your first staff role, it's a real bar but achievable with solid prep.
Total comp came in below FAANG equivalents but in a reasonable range for a company with better work-life balance reputation. Negotiated about 8% above the first number.