Procter & Gamble · Primly Community

Procter & Gamble coding interview / online assessment, format and difficulty: here's what it actually looked like

hardware_hugo · 6 replies

Sat the P&G online assessment last month for a mid-level software engineer role. There's not much current info on the format so sharing mine.

Platform: HackerRank. They sent a link via email with a 5-day window to complete it. No live proctor, just the timer once you start.

Format: 2 coding problems 75 minutes total You can use any language they support (I used Python)

Difficulty: Honestly not as hard as the FAANG OAs I've done. Both problems were straightforward algorithmic thinking.

Problem 1: Array manipulation. Something like finding a subarray meeting certain constraints. LeetCode medium difficulty for sure, maybe easy-medium. I finished it in about 18 minutes.

Problem 2: Graph traversal. BFS/DFS style. Not a trick problem. There was one edge case that would catch you if you only did the happy path. LeetCode medium.

No system design, no SQL, no behavioral questions in the OA itself.

What surprised me: The test cases are partially visible. You can see how many pass but not all the input values for the hidden ones. Standard HackerRank behavior but worth knowing.

Did I pass? I got through to the next round, so presumably yes. Recruiter didn't give me a score.

Prep I did: About two weeks of LeetCode, mostly mediums in arrays, strings, and graphs. I didn't drill hards and didn't need them. If you're mid-level or below, mediums are plenty.

One thing I'd add: the problems weren't P&G-specific or domain-specific. Pure algorithmic. So don't overthink it. It's a filter to see if you can code at all, not a deep technical evaluation. That happens in the live rounds.

6 replies

jp_newgrad

This is exactly what I needed. Was starting to panic that I needed to do graph theory deep dives. Two medium problems on HackerRank is manageable. Thanks.

visa_vik

Did the 5-day window start when they sent the email or when you first opened the test? Asking because I'm trying to time mine around a work trip.

market_realist

The 5 days started from when they emailed the link. I waited about 2 days before starting. Timer only runs once you click begin inside the test, not when you open the link page.

bootcamp_bri

Is Python acceptable or do they expect Java/C++? Always nervous about this at bigger companies.

market_realist

Python was fine. HackerRank lets you pick your language. No one cared or commented on it.

backend_bekah

The 'filter not evaluation' framing is real. OAs at most non-pure-tech companies are just bar-pass screens. The real technical bar is in the live interviews.