Getting an interview at Pinterest is a big deal because it means your application stood out from the thousands that are sent to the company every year.
However now you need to prepare for the actual interview. Pinterest is known to ask thoughtful behavioral and technical questions to deeply assess whether candidates fit with the company’s values and meet the role’s requirements.
This comprehensive guide will explore the Pinterest interview process, frequently asked questions, and tips to help you have a stellar interview With the right preparation, you can highlight your qualifications and have engaging conversations about joining the Pinterest team
Overview of Pinterest
First, let’s look at some key facts about Pinterest as a company:
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Founded in 2010 and headquartered in San Francisco CA
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Leading visual discovery platform with over 400 million monthly active users
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Over 2.5 billion monthly searches on platform
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Main products are Pins, Boards and Pinner profiles
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Key capabilities like visual search powered by machine learning
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Fast-growing global team of over 2,000 employees
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Core values like Aim for extraordinary, Make Pinterest better, Win or learn, and Be yourself
Pinterest looks for creative problem-solvers who are analytical, collaborative and passionate about the company’s vision of bringing everyone inspiration to create a life they love.
The Pinterest Interview Process
The typical Pinterest interview process consists of:
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Phone screening – 30 minutes focused on resume review, assessing mutual interest
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Technical phone interview – 1 hour of technical questions testing hands-on skills
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Virtual onsite – 4-5 rounds of 45 min interviews, mix of technical and behavioral
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Final interview – Conversation with hiring manager
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Offer – Offer made pending background check and references
The process aims to evaluate both your technical abilities and cultural fit. Come prepared to demonstrate your experience and how you embody Pinterest values.
Common Pinterest Interview Questions
Let’s now dive into some of the most frequently asked questions at Pinterest interviews:
Tell me about yourself
This is often the opening question. Keep your answer to under 5 minutes. Focus on your most relevant background and achievements.
Sample response: “I’m currently a software engineering intern at XYZ Company where I was brought on to help redesign their mobile app. I led development of two key features that improved mobile performance by 30%. I also created documentation to support a smooth handoff when I return to school in the fall. I’ll complete my computer science degree next spring and have done projects in machine learning and front-end web dev, both of which excite me about opportunities at Pinterest.”
Why do you want to work at Pinterest?
With this question, interviewers want to gauge your passion for Pinterest. Be specific on what excites you. Mention products, tech, values or mission.
Sample response: “I’m excited by Pinterest’s vision of bringing everyone inspiration to create a life they love. As someone passionate about using technology to improve people’s lives, that mission resonates with me. I also love how Pinterest combines leading machine learning innovations with beautiful product design. The technical challenges related to visual search and recommendations are right up my alley. Pinterest aligns well with my personal and professional interests.”
Tell me about a challenging technical project
Here they want to assess your hands-on skills. Pick an impressive project and walk through details like the tech stack, your key contributions and results.
Sample response: “One challenging project was building an AI virtual assistant chatbot for users on a client’s website. I led development of the natural language processing model using Python and TensorFlow. The hardest part was training the model to understand a wide range of customer questions and respond appropriately. My solution achieved 89% accuracy in routing user requests to the right departments. The chatbot is now helping users 24/7 as the first line of virtual support.”
How would you improve Pinterest?
This tests your strategic thinking. Share 1-2 well thought out ideas to improve the product, tech or user experience. Explain your reasoning.
Sample response: “One way I think Pinterest could improve is by enhancing the mobile recommendation algorithm to be more personalized based on individuals’ style and preferences. The current home feed recommendations seem to depend more on broader trends. By training ML models on attributes like a user’s Pins, Searches, Boards and engaged content, Pinterest could curate a truly customized feed aligned to someone’s unique tastes. This would take the product to the next level in terms of personalization.”
Tell me about a time you solved a difficult problem
Behavioral questions allow you to demonstrate relevant soft skills. Share a concise story highlighting your problem-solving approach.
Sample response: “When I was building the chatbot, we ran into an issue where the bot kept misunderstanding certain user questions and providing irrelevant responses. I did a deep analysis of the NLP model powering the bot, as well as the live user questions causing confusion. I realized the model was missing key training data for longer, more conversational queries. By gathering additional real user data and retraining the model, I was able to increase accuracy by 15% and deliver a significantly improved chatbot experience.”
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Share your vision for professional growth while conveying interest in growing at Pinterest long-term.
Sample response: “In 5 years, I hope to be an expert in machine learning applications, potentially as a Senior ML Engineer. I’m passionate about specializing in ML while leading projects end-to-end. I see myself contributing to key innovations that advance Pinterest’s capabilities. I’m excited by the growth opportunities at Pinterest through leadership programs, tech conferences and more. I’m eager to learn and take on more responsibility here over time.”
Why should we hire you?
Sum up why you are the top choice for this position! Share stand-out qualities and achievements.
Sample response: “You should hire me because I have both the academic training and hands-on experience to hit the ground running on Pinterest’s complex technical challenges. My computer science degree gave me strong fundamentals. And my internship projects in mobile dev and ML prove I can build and deliver innovations users want. I collaborate well but can also drive projects independently. I automate daily tasks whenever possible to increase efficiency. My colleagues describe me as focused and creative. I’m truly excited to bring my skills in software engineering and passion for Pinterest’s product to this role.”
Helpful Interview Tips
Here are some additional tips for acing your Pinterest interview:
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Thoroughly research the company, products, tech and team you are interviewing with. Show your knowledge.
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Practice your answers out loud to common questions until they sound natural.
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Prepare smart questions to ask your interviewers to show your engagement.
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Review your resume and technical projects so you can discuss details.
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Dress professionally. Err on the formal side.
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Schedule interview prep time to avoid last minute cramming.
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Send thank you notes to your interviewers within 24 hours.
With preparation, practice and a geniune enthusiasm for Pinterest, you will be ready to have thoughtful discussions about this opportunity. Use the tips in this guide to polish your responses and highlight the unique value you can bring to the company. Be professional yet personable, focused yet friendly. You’ve got this! The Pinterest team can’t wait to meet you.
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Guide to Ace Pinterest Data Scientist (Pinterest DS) Interview Process, Questions and Tips
FAQ
How hard is a Pinterest interview?
Is Pinterest hard to get into?
Is it easy to get a job at Pinterest?
What is the interview process like?
First was a recruiter screening, followed by interview with the hiring manager, followed by a presentation to the interview panel of 5, and interviews with those 5 individuals. Each person on the interview panel offered up their emails for further questions. Tell me about a time you worked on a project where each team had different goals?
What questions do you ask in a Pinterest interview?
Below is a list of our Pinterest interview questions. Click on any interview question to view our answer advice and answer examples. You may view six answer examples before our paywall loads. Afterwards, you’ll be asked to upgrade to view the rest of our answers. 1. Communication Questions 2. Competency Questions 3. Diligence Questions 4.
Should you speak to an employee at Pinterest before an interview?
If you have the opportunity to speak with an employee at Pinterest before your interview, that can shed valuable information. In the end, the culture and values of an organization are often a key indicator of long-term success in a job, so make sure that you reflect your values into what the company values.
What should you say during an interview?
Naturally, if you encounter a problem you’ve already seen, you should point that out during the interview. For example, you might say something like, “I saw this problem last month, and I know it can be solved by x, y, or z methods. Do you want me to proceed with either of these methods?”
