I recently completed an online technical interview with Karat and the experience was quite unique. Unlike typical Zoom + LeetCode sessions, Karat uses its own platform. The left side displays the code, while the right side shows the questions and allows for real-time interaction with the interviewer. The interface is clean, and the latency is low.
The only thing that catches people a bit off guard - the Karat platform does not run tests automatically. After writing the code, you have to write your own test statements, such as print function output. The first time I encountered the heart also "thumped", but fortunately, I have read the sample link in advance, and quickly adapted to the scene.
Overall Interview Process
The total duration of the interview is about 60 minutes.
The first 5 minutes were for small talk and introductions, and then two coding questions that I wrote myself.
The interviewer was very friendly, spoke slowly and did not interrupt you frequently.
Sometimes it's a gentle question, "Do you see any potential problems with this writing style?" Or "What would you do if the input was empty?" The overall atmosphere is very relaxed.
Question 1: Two-dimensional array rule validation
As soon as this question came out I thought it was one of those "thinking logic" questions rather than a pure algorithmic question.
The question gives a two-dimensional array and asks to determine whether each row and column conforms to a certain rule, e.g., whether all elements are non-repeating, whether they are incrementing, and whether they are all within a certain interval.
I was checking with the interviewer first, "Are the rules uniform, like all rows and columns have to fulfill the same condition?" The interviewer smiled and said, "Yes, you can assume the rules are uniform."
So I went over the idea in my head: first line by line to ensure that the elements of each line meet the conditions; and then check each column, once found to be non-compliant on the early end. The whole logic is quite natural, is a "traversal + verification" process.
The interviewer was listening to my thoughts while I was writing, and then he interjected and asked, "What if the matrix is empty?" I added a judgment condition, he nodded and said "Good catch." At that moment I felt that this round of interviews is more about "completeness of thinking" rather than algorithmic showmanship.
Question 2: Campsite pick-up and drop-off
The context of the second question is quite life-like. The idea is that there are two vehicles leaving from different starting points and going along a straight line to pick up a group of campers, and to design the optimal pick-up and drop-off plan so that everyone gets on the bus as quickly as possible and in the shortest total time.
As soon as I heard about this kind of scenario problem, I immediately drew an axis in my head: car A is at a point on the left, car B is on the right, and the campers are spread out in different locations. Each person is either picked up by A or B. Finally, find an optimal solution.
I started by briefly describing my idea: you could compare the distance from each camper to the two vehicles and choose the closer one to pick them up; and finally tally the maximum time taken for the whole process. After hearing this, the interviewer said, "Well, would you consider that there are a few people in a very centralized location, resulting in one vehicle going back and forth many times?"
I added a little optimization idea, saying that you can sort and batch-assign overall first when judging.
He was obviously quite pleased and made a point of saying, "You're thinking like an engineer."
I was pretty relaxed at that moment and was able to write and run a few tests on my own pretty smoothly behind the scenes.
Interviewer Feedback
I was very impressed with Karat's interview style - it's not about coming up with an answer in seconds, it's about how you analyze and validate your assumptions.
It's not the fancy tricks they care about:
- Clarity of function naming
- Have you considered special inputs?
- There is no active verification of results
I added a couple of test scenarios after the second question, such as "a situation where there are no campers" and "everyone is concentrated in one spot".
The interviewer smiled when he saw it and said, "That's good engineering practice."
At the end he said "Good job today." and the whole thing relaxed.
Three days later, I received through in the mail.
Summary and recommendations
Karat's VO is a very "pragmatic" interview, not looking for difficulty, but rather for the ability to write correct, complete, and readable code.
The recommendations are as follows:
- Familiarize yourself with the Karat platform in advance and practice writing test cases;
- Enhanced array, string, and hash table question types;
- Keep the function structure simple and the naming standardized;
- Be prepared to explain your thinking and boundary considerations;
- Pay attention to the pace: two questions in 60 minutes should not be stuck for too long.
Overall, the pass rate for this round is high with adequate preparation.
Frequently Asked Questions FAQ
Q1: What is the difference between Karat interview and regular online interview?
A1：Karat uses its own platform, unlike LeetCode or HackerRank, it does not automatically run test cases, candidates need to write their own test code to verify the results. At the same time, Karat emphasizes code quality, clarity of thought and communication skills rather than algorithmic difficulty.
Q2: What are the directions of Karat interview questions?
A2: The questions are mainly focused on arrays, strings, hash tables, simulation and simple logical reasoning questions, the difficulty is roughly equivalent to LeetCode Easy-Medium. some positions will add a little system design or SQL questions, but the core is still the ability to implement the code.
Q3: Do I need to explain my thinking in an interview?
A3: Required. Interviewers usually want you to talk about your thinking as you write, e.g., input-output formats, algorithmic time complexity, boundary condition considerations, etc. A clear explanation will add points to your rating.
Q4: Can I practice Karat platform in advance?
A4: Yes, Karat will attach a sample link in the interview invitation email, so you can enter the practice environment in advance. It is highly recommended to familiarize yourself with the input/output writing style and test statement format in advance to avoid getting confused during the formal interview.
Q5: Do interviewers intervene in the code process?
A5: No. Karat's interviewers are more like observers, unless you are clearly stuck they will guide or ask questions and the overall atmosphere is relatively relaxed.
Q6: How long does it take to get the result after the interview?
A6: Usually you will receive an email notification in 3-5 working days. If successful, Karat will send the interview video and evaluation report back to the target company for final decision.
Q7: In what ways can Programhelp help?
A7: Programhelp provides remote helper services for Karat, Codesignal, HackerRank, and other platforms, including:
- Real-time voice prompts and thought leadership;
- Code debugging and test sample refinement;
- No-touch online assistance to ensure a smooth interview;
- Mock VO training to familiarize yourself with the pace of the Q&A in advance.
Whether you are preparing for the first round of Karat or a follow-up system design interview, we have the hands-on experience to assist.
Programhelp Interview partner who accompanies you all the way
If you are preparing for VO interviews with Karat, Amazon, Meta, etc., Programhelp provides remote voice assistance + real-time code reminders + seamless on-line support to help you avoid logic loopholes, test omissions and other problems in the coding process.
Our team has assisted hundreds of candidates to successfully pass the technical interviews on platforms such as Karat, Codesignal, CoderPad, HackerRank,...
Whether it's a code implementation or a verbal presentation, there is a dedicated person to work with in real time.
