INTERVIEW PREP RESOURCES
Reach your potential at Kickdrum
Kickdrum is committed to helping as many people as possible find their dream career — especially underrepresented populations, such as Women in Tech.
By sharing our hiring process, study materials, and interview tips (even if you choose not to interview with Kickdrum), we aim to create more opportunities for talented people to succeed in their tech careers.
If our resources help you land a job anywhere, let us know — we’d love to celebrate your success!
INTERN HIRING
Hiring process for interns at Kickdrum
We believe in shaping the future and it starts with you in our training program that we call Kickdrum University (KDU). Specifically designed for college students in their 7th semester, Kickdrum University is dedicated to discovering and growing talent, with a focus on people who not only excel technically but also lead with integrity, passion and a mindset aligned with our team's collaborative spirit.
We understand that you're here to learn, and it's not possible to know everything. That's why our hiring process is designed to guide and prepare you, ensuring you're confident and ready to excel in the interview.
INTERVIEW ROUNDS
Round 1: Assessment
Choose between Java and C++ before the exam. The exam consists of 15 multiple-choice questions and 2 coding problems. Topics covered in both Java and C++ are similar, focusing on fundamental concepts.
Round 2-A: Build is a hands-on build round in a working application.
Candidates who have built full-stack applications (on any tech stack) and can explain their own code will be well prepared. Practical preparation is to build a feature end to end, backend, frontend and database.
Candidates work in a stack they are already familiar with. Supported stacks are:
Backend: Java with Spring Boot, or Node.js with Express or NestJS
Frontend: React
Database: SQL (MySQL or PostgreSQL)
Knowledge of a specific framework beyond the one you choose is not required. Familiarity with relational databases and SQL is expected, as the application is SQL-backed.
What matters is full-stack exposure, not expertise in any one framework. If you have built end to end on any stack or another combination, you are in a good position to prepare, and you will work in one of the supported stacks above during the round.
AI assistance is permitted in Round 1. Available tools are ChatGPT and Google in the browser. No AI-integrated IDE is provided. Candidates are expected to use AI effectively and to be able to explain and defend their code without it.
Round 2-B: Design covers software design on a Java or C++ codebase, based on your choice.
Candidates should be comfortable with object-oriented concepts and core design principles, and should be able to explain the reasoning behind design decisions.
Round 3: Cultural fit
Kickdrum's team has the highest integrity so we look for others that are aligned with Kickdrum's core values. This round will consist of situational and opinion-based questions to determine your cultural fit within the team.
Study material
Whether you're a college student gearing up for your first role, a young professional looking to deepen your expertise, or someone transitioning to a new tech domain, we're committed to supporting you. Our comprehensive resources will help you enhance your knowledge and confidently prepare for technical challenges.
Interview tips
Interviews can be a source of stress for anyone. Whether you're new to the process or fine-tuning your skills, these interview tips will help you shine, from preparation to follow-up.
LATERAL HIRING
Hiring process for established leaders
At Kickdrum, our lateral hiring process is designed to find people who are already shining as leaders in their field, ready to lead and inspire! It starts with an initial screening call, followed by a role-specific technical interview. After that, you'll meet senior leaders from our India team and finally, engage with our team in the US. The number of interview rounds may vary depending on the role.