My experience interviewing for Klarna

Klarna is a Swedish bank and a highly reputable company in the fintech industry that provides online financial services such as payment solutions for online storefronts. I had the opportunity to interview for Klarna as a Software Engineer and this article will be about my experience and the process I went through interviewing for them.

The Interview Process

Initial Contact

I applied for the role through the Klarna website. A recruiter reached out to me shortly thereafter via email to schedule a Google screening. The Google screening was a brief conversation about my background, experience, and the role I applied for. The recruiter was very kind and straightforward; he also explained the interview process and roughly what to expect from it.

Abstract Reasoning Test

After the initial Google screening, I was sent an abstract reasoning test that was timed and consisted of multiple-choice questions. The test evaluated and assessed my problem-solving skills, logical reasoning, and ability to recognize patterns. I was given a total of 18 IQ-like questions to solve within 15 minutes. In order to pass, 16 out of 18 questions had to be answered correctly.

Initially, I didn't quite understand the purpose of these tests. However, after taking one at Klarna and subsequently at other companies, I realized that it seems to be a common practice for mid-senior level positions.

While I recognize that companies may see value in these assessments, they felt somewhat disconnected from the role I was applying for. Instead of serving as a meaningful evaluation of relevant skills, they appeared more as a barrier to entry, especially given that failing this step would prevent candidates from advancing in the process. Nevertheless, I successfully passed and moved on to the next stage.

Behavioral Interview

The next step was a behavioral interview with a senior engineer from Klarna. The interview was conducted over Google Meet and lasted for about 60 minutes. The engineer inquired about my past experiences, approach to certain situations and ability to collaborate. The behavioral interview evaluated my soft skills and determined how well I would align with Klarna's company culture.

There was high emphasis on the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) and the 8 Klarna Leadership Principles when answering questions.

Klarna's Leadership Principles

Klarna's success is built upon eight core leadership principles that guide employee behavior and decision-making across the organization. These principles are:

1. Customer Obsession
   Prioritize the needs and satisfaction of customers in all actions and decisions. Anticipate customer expectations and strive to exceed them, ensuring a superior experience.
2. Deliver Results
   Focus on achieving high-quality outcomes efficiently. Individual contributions are valued, and employees are encouraged to enable others to deliver long-term results.
3. Let the Team Shine
   Empower and support team members, fostering a collaborative environment. Promote transparency within the team and showcase achievements publicly to enhance team prestige.
4. Challenge the Status Quo
   Encourage innovative thinking and question existing processes. Advocate for unconventional approaches to improve efficiency and redefine company standards.
5. Start Small and Learn Fast
   Embrace agility by launching initiatives on a small scale, gathering feedback, and iterating quickly. This approach facilitates rapid learning and continuous improvement.
6. Courage
   Demonstrate the bravery to voice differing opinions and make decisions, even in uncertainty. Accept mistakes as learning opportunities and respect others' decisions.
7. Hire and Develop Exceptional Talent
   Commit to recruiting outstanding individuals and nurturing existing talent. Support colleagues' growth through mentorship, knowledge sharing, and creating opportunities for development.
8. Detailed Thinkers
   Pay meticulous attention to details, considering potential edge cases and long-term impacts. Higher-level employees are expected to evaluate how decisions affect larger groups and contribute to strategic planning.

These principles are integral to Klarna's culture, influencing decision-making, team dynamics, and individual career progression.

Technical Interview (Coding)

The second-to-last step was a technical coding interview conducted over Google Meet, lasting about 60 minutes. I received a repository 24 hours prior to the interview, which included a README file with setup instructions and some key points as to what the interview would be focusing on within the repository.

The tasks tested problem-solving skills, coding ability, unit tests, and ability to adapt to new changing requirements. Two senior engineers remained mostly silent throughout the interview, creating what I perceived to be an intimidating atmosphere. Usually I handle challenging or high-pressure situations quite well, as I’ve always considered myself composed and focused under such circumstances. However, this situation was different; not stressful in the traditional sense but still rather unsettling due to the silence of the senior engineers, which left me second-guessing my approach and unsure of their expectations. Unfortunately, my nerves got the better of me and impacted my performance.

After fumbling through the tasks, the interviewers thanked me and wished me luck in the final interview.

Technical Interview (System Architecture)

At first this was supposed to be the initial interview, however it was canceled last minute by the interviewer. Rescheduling this interview with the recruiter took roughly three weeks.

The system architecture interview was conducted with a senior engineer over Google Meet and a Miro board. The task involved designing the architecture for a hypothetical new service Klarna would offer retailers. It included a brief introduction to the service, followed by a discussion on the design, scalability, and performance; all within the AWS infrastructure.

The interview was highly interactive, with the interviewer probing my design choices, scalability solutions, and edge-case handling. They also assessed my understanding of mentioned concepts and technologies, ensuring I wasn’t merely using buzzwords.

Conclusion

Overall, I have mixed feelings about the interview experience at Klarna, but I’m grateful for the opportunity to go through such a well-structured and insightful process. The process, as mentioned, was well-structured and included professional and relevant questions. However, the technical coding interview stood out as particularly challenging due to the interviewer's lack of engagement. This differed from my initial expectations, as I had anticipated a more collaborative pair-programming session, which added an unexpected layer of difficulty. Despite performing well in other areas, my nerves during the coding test resulted in a performance that fell short, which ultimately became the deciding factor.

The entire process took about three months, which felt lengthy and tedious, and would likely have been even longer if I had passed the coding test. Additionally, the abstract reasoning test seemed irrelevant to the role, potentially excluding strong candidates who might not excel at such tests.

Feedback from the recruiter took approximately three weeks after the final interview was done, letting me know I did not secure the role. While I performed well in the behavioral and system architecture interviews, my technical coding interview fell short. The feedback was constructive, and the recruiter encouraged me to reapply in the future which I appreciated. While I believe with great confidence that I can pass their process and secure a job at Klarna if given another opportunity, I’m unsure if I’d want to go through the lengthy process again.