Pinterest · Primly Community

Pinterest new grad / entry level interview, how to prep (class of 2025/2026)

pivot_pat · 7 replies

Just finished the Pinterest new grad SWE loop. I'm class of 2025. Sharing the whole thing because I could not find a good recent thread anywhere and had to piece this together from 3-year-old posts.

Recruiting timeline. Pinterest new grad roles opened late October 2025 for summer 2026 start. I applied through the portal. Heard back in about 3 weeks. Recruiter said they move slower than some FAANG but faster than most non-FAANG. This felt true.

The OA. Two LeetCode-style problems on CodeSignal, 90 minutes. I got: a string manipulation problem (medium) and a dynamic programming problem (also medium, 2D DP). The 2D DP one was hard for me. I got a partial solution and explained what I was missing. Still moved forward. I think they care about the reasoning, not just AC.

Phone screen after OA. Live coding with an engineer. One problem, 45 minutes. They gave me a graph problem with an adjacency list. I'd been doing targeted LC medium graph problems for 2 weeks. It was fine. The interviewer was genuinely encouraging, asked clarifying questions, and didn't feel like a gotcha.

Onsite (virtual). Three technical rounds and one behavioral: Two more coding rounds (medium difficulty consistently) One behavioral round with the hiring manager

The behavioral round for new grad was gentler than I expected. They asked about a group project, a time I disagreed with a teammate, and my interest in Pinterest specifically. Have a real answer for the last one; vague "great company culture" answers don't work.

Offer: my TC was around $175k in SF. Base + signing + RSU over 4 years. The RSU vesting starts year 1 (no cliff on RSUs but standard 1-year cliff on other things, confirm with your offer letter).

Main advice: solid on LC mediums, especially graphs and DP. Don't over-prep LC Hard. Spend time on the Pinterest product, use it, think about the engineering that makes it work.

7 replies

jp_newgrad

Super useful. Did you need a referral or was the portal application enough? I've been told portal apps at this tier are black holes.

consultant_cam

No referral. Portal application. It took 3 weeks to hear back which is longer than some FAANG portals but I did hear back. I think the volume is lower than Google/Meta so the portal isn't as buried. That said, a referral never hurts.

bootcamp_bri

Thanks for posting this. Do you know if they hire bootcamp grads for new grad roles or is it CS degree only? Asking for obvious reasons.

brand_ben

Honestly I don't know for sure. My read is they care more about the coding rounds than the degree, but the 'new grad' designation might be CS-adjacent by default in their pipeline. I'd apply and see. The OA will tell you quickly whether your coding level is there.

visa_vik

Did they ask about work authorization on the first call? I'm on an OPT and the 60-day timer is stressful when companies waste weeks before telling you they don't sponsor.

newgrad_neil

Yes, first recruiter call. They asked about work auth. I said OPT, they confirmed they work with OPT and will sponsor H1B after OPT ends. Get it in writing eventually but they were not weird about it.

pivot_pat

The partial solution on the DP problem still moving you forward is good signal. Too many companies have all-or-nothing grading that punishes partial thinking. Seeing the structure even if you don't finish matters more in my view.