The RealReal Software Engineer Interview Questions + Guide in 2025

The RealReal is the world's largest online marketplace dedicated to authenticated, resale luxury goods, promoting sustainability through the circular economy.

As a Software Engineer at The RealReal, you will be responsible for designing and developing high-performance software solutions that integrate seamlessly with the company's complex fulfillment operations. This role requires a minimum of seven years of software development experience, with at least two years in a technical leadership capacity. You will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to align the development of technology with strategic business goals, ensuring that the systems you create are scalable and maintainable. Key responsibilities include performing code reviews, mentoring junior engineers, and addressing intricate technical challenges with innovative solutions. Familiarity with distributed systems, warehouse automation, and an understanding of software engineering principles and agile methodologies are crucial for success in this role.

This guide is crafted to help you prepare effectively for your interview at The RealReal by focusing on the specific skills, experiences, and cultural fit that the company values in its Software Engineers. Understanding these nuances will give you a competitive edge during the interview process.

The interview process for a Software Engineer at The RealReal is designed to assess both technical skills and cultural fit within the company. It typically consists of several stages, each focusing on different aspects of the candidate's abilities and experiences.

1. Initial Phone Screen

The process begins with an initial phone screen, usually conducted by a recruiter. This conversation lasts about 30 minutes and serves as an opportunity for the recruiter to gauge your interest in the role and the company. Expect to discuss your background, motivations for applying, and general fit for the company culture. This is also a chance for you to ask questions about the role and the team.

2. Technical Assessment

Following the initial screen, candidates are often required to complete a technical assessment, which may be conducted through an online platform like HackerRank. This assessment typically includes coding challenges that focus on problem-solving skills, data structures, and algorithms. The questions are generally categorized as easy to medium difficulty, and candidates should be prepared to demonstrate their proficiency in relevant programming languages, such as Ruby on Rails.

3. Technical Interviews

Candidates who perform well in the technical assessment will move on to a series of technical interviews. These interviews usually consist of two rounds, each lasting about an hour. The first part of each interview often includes a brief discussion about your previous experiences and projects, followed by a coding exercise. Expect to engage in pair programming with an engineering manager or senior engineer, where you will collaboratively solve coding problems and discuss various approaches to the challenges presented.

4. Behavioral Interview

In addition to technical skills, The RealReal places a strong emphasis on cultural fit and teamwork. Therefore, candidates will participate in a behavioral interview, which may include questions based on the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method. This interview will focus on your past experiences, how you handle challenges, and your long-term career goals. Be prepared to discuss specific examples that highlight your problem-solving abilities and teamwork.

5. Final Interview

The final stage of the interview process typically involves a more in-depth discussion that combines technical and behavioral elements. This interview may include system design questions, where you will be asked to outline your approach to building scalable systems and integrating software with hardware. Additionally, the interviewer will assess your alignment with the company's values and culture, ensuring that you are a good fit for the team.

As you prepare for your interviews, it's essential to familiarize yourself with the types of questions that may be asked during each stage.

Here are some tips to help you excel in your interview.

Embrace the Collaborative Spirit

The RealReal values a collaborative environment, so be prepared to demonstrate your ability to work well with others. During the interview, share examples of how you have successfully collaborated with cross-functional teams in the past. Highlight your communication skills, especially in conveying complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders. This will show that you can bridge the gap between different departments and contribute to the company's goals.

Prepare for Problem-Solving Challenges

Expect a strong focus on problem-solving skills during your interviews. Review common coding challenges, particularly those involving recursion and array methods, as these have been frequently mentioned by candidates. Practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode to familiarize yourself with the types of questions you may encounter. Additionally, be ready to discuss your approach to tackling complex technical challenges and how you anticipate potential issues.

Showcase Your Technical Leadership

As a candidate for a software engineering role, you may be expected to demonstrate your technical leadership abilities. Be prepared to discuss your experience mentoring junior engineers and leading projects. Share specific examples of how you have guided team members, fostered their growth, and contributed to a culture of excellence. This will help illustrate your readiness to take on a leadership role within the team.

Understand the Company’s Mission and Values

The RealReal is committed to sustainability and the circular economy. Familiarize yourself with the company's mission and values, and be ready to articulate why you want to work there. Reflect on how your personal values align with the company's goals, and be prepared to discuss how you can contribute to their mission through your work as a software engineer.

Be Ready for Behavioral Questions

Expect to encounter behavioral questions that assess your long-term goals and how you handle various situations. Use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method to structure your responses. Prepare to discuss your one-year and five-year goals, as well as specific challenges you've faced in previous roles and how you overcame them. This will help interviewers gauge your fit within the company culture and your potential for growth.

Stay Engaged and Ask Insightful Questions

Throughout the interview process, maintain an engaging demeanor and show genuine interest in the role and the company. Prepare thoughtful questions that demonstrate your curiosity about the team dynamics, the technology stack, and the company's future direction. This not only shows your enthusiasm but also helps you assess if The RealReal is the right fit for you.

By following these tips and preparing thoroughly, you can position yourself as a strong candidate for the software engineer role at The RealReal. Good luck!

In this section, we’ll review the various interview questions that might be asked during a Software Engineer interview at The RealReal. The interview process will focus on your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within the company. Be prepared to demonstrate your coding proficiency, discuss your past experiences, and articulate your understanding of software engineering principles.

Technical Skills

1. Can you explain the concept of recursion and provide an example of where you have used it?

Understanding recursion is crucial for solving complex problems efficiently.

How to Answer

Discuss the definition of recursion and provide a specific example from your experience where you implemented it to solve a problem.

Example

“Recursion is a method where the solution to a problem depends on solutions to smaller instances of the same problem. I used recursion in a project to traverse a tree structure, allowing me to efficiently search for specific nodes without needing to maintain a separate stack.”

2. Describe a challenging coding problem you faced and how you resolved it.

This question assesses your problem-solving skills and resilience.

How to Answer

Choose a specific problem, explain the context, the steps you took to resolve it, and the outcome.

Example

“I encountered a performance issue in a data processing application where the execution time was unacceptably high. I profiled the code, identified bottlenecks, and optimized the algorithms, which reduced the processing time by 50%.”

3. How do you ensure the quality and maintainability of your code?

Quality assurance is vital in software development, especially in collaborative environments.

How to Answer

Discuss your approach to code reviews, testing, and adherence to coding standards.

Example

“I advocate for thorough code reviews and automated testing. I also follow best practices such as writing clean, modular code and documenting my work to ensure that others can easily understand and maintain it.”

4. Can you walk us through a project where you integrated software with hardware systems?

This question is particularly relevant given the company's focus on robotics and machinery.

How to Answer

Describe the project, your role, the technologies used, and the challenges faced during integration.

Example

“In a previous role, I worked on a project that integrated a software application with warehouse robotics. I collaborated with hardware engineers to develop APIs that allowed seamless communication between the software and the robots, which improved operational efficiency.”

5. What is your experience with distributed systems, and how have you scaled them?

Understanding distributed systems is essential for this role.

How to Answer

Discuss your experience with distributed architectures, the challenges of scaling, and the solutions you implemented.

Example

“I have worked on several distributed systems, including a microservices architecture for an e-commerce platform. I implemented load balancing and caching strategies that allowed us to scale the system to handle a 300% increase in traffic during peak seasons.”

Behavioral Questions

1. Why do you want to work at The RealReal?

This question assesses your motivation and alignment with the company’s mission.

How to Answer

Express your interest in the company’s values, culture, and the specific role you are applying for.

Example

“I admire The RealReal’s commitment to sustainability and the circular economy. I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to innovative technology solutions that enhance the customer experience while promoting responsible consumption.”

2. Describe a time when you had to mentor a junior engineer. What approach did you take?

Mentorship is a key aspect of the role, and they will want to see your leadership skills.

How to Answer

Share a specific instance, your mentoring style, and the impact it had on the junior engineer’s development.

Example

“I mentored a junior developer who was struggling with understanding our codebase. I scheduled regular one-on-one sessions to review concepts and provided resources for further learning. Over time, they became more confident and even took on their own projects.”

3. How do you handle tight deadlines and pressure?

This question evaluates your ability to work under stress.

How to Answer

Discuss your strategies for prioritizing tasks and maintaining productivity under pressure.

Example

“When faced with tight deadlines, I prioritize tasks based on their impact and urgency. I also communicate openly with my team to ensure we are aligned and can support each other in meeting our goals.”

4. Can you give an example of a time you had to collaborate with non-technical stakeholders?

Collaboration is essential, especially in cross-functional teams.

How to Answer

Describe the situation, your role, and how you effectively communicated technical concepts to non-technical team members.

Example

“I worked on a project where I had to present technical solutions to the marketing team. I focused on translating technical jargon into business terms, which helped them understand the benefits of our approach and facilitated better collaboration.”

5. What are your long-term career goals, and how does this position fit into them?

This question helps the interviewer understand your aspirations and commitment to the role.

How to Answer

Share your career aspirations and how the role aligns with your professional development.

Example

“My long-term goal is to become a technical leader in software engineering. This position at The RealReal offers the opportunity to lead projects and mentor others, which aligns perfectly with my aspirations to grow in a leadership capacity.”