OpenAI interview accounts in this source set span a senior software engineer loop, a new-grad phone screen, and an online assessment. The named prompts range from algorithmic coding to webhooks, CI/CD, and a technical project deep dive. They are separate candidate experiences, not a single sequence that every OpenAI applicant should expect.
\nThe prompts below come from the OpenAI entries in Parlel's LeetCode Discuss research collection, prepared on October 31, 2026. The collection does not record a publication year for every thread; linked reports are identified by title and marked undated in the source data. Each prompt is tied to its candidate report. When the notes preserve only a theme, this page labels it as a theme rather than supplying missing wording.
\n| Role or stage in the source | \nReported format | \nLimits of the account | \n
|---|---|---|
| Senior software engineer | \nScreening design and coding, project deep dive, later design discussion | \nOne candidate's loop; not a universal sequence | \n
| New-grad software engineer | \nPhone screen followed by onsite | \nOne hybrid coding and time-based data task is preserved | \n
| Online assessment | \n110-minute HackerRank assessment with camera and screen sharing | \nTwo problem summaries are in the research notes | \n
The company role, team, and hiring cycle determine which of these reports is relevant. Check the current invitation for round count, tools, and expected design depth.
\nOne senior SWE candidate described a screening round with system design and a programming-language type-system task. The same account included a project presentation and detailed follow-up questions, then a CI/CD design discussion. The prompts below are listed by the type of work the candidate described, not as official OpenAI interview questions.
\nThe same candidate reported discussion of why they wanted to join OpenAI, how they resolve conflict, work beyond a narrowly assigned scope, and the size of a problem they could own. Those themes are useful prompts for reflection, but the source does not establish a standard behavioral rubric. (LeetCode Discuss: OpenAI senior SWE interview)
\nA new-grad report describes a coding and systems hybrid involving timestamped post and delete operations. The candidate was asked to process unsorted events and compute a balance at an arbitrary timestamp, using a priority queue and tree map in the described approach. The report compares the task to a time-based key-value store; that comparison is the author's framing, not an official problem title. (LeetCode Discuss: OpenAI new-grad phone screen)
\nWhen practicing this style of task, clarify whether events at the queried timestamp are included, how equal timestamps are ordered, and whether deletions can arrive before the corresponding post. Those are preparation checks, not additional questions attributed to the source.
\nOne candidate described a 110-minute HackerRank assessment and reported two grid and sequence tasks:
\nn and forbidden pairs, count valid consecutive subsequences of 1..n that avoid the forbidden pairs. The source notes do not preserve further constraints, so check the original post before attempting a solution. (same assessment report)This is one account. It should not be read as a current or universal OpenAI assessment format.
\nThese reports do not show that. They describe different roles and stages, so use the job invitation and recruiter guidance for your process.
\nNo. They are candidate-reported prompts from LeetCode Discuss. The page links to the reports and marks incomplete wording rather than claiming access to an official question bank.
\nOne senior SWE account describes a high-scale webhook delivery platform and a CI/CD system. A separate preparation thread is not treated here as an interview report.
\nFor adjacent company reports, see Anthropic software engineer interviews, the xAI interview experience, and the company interview hub.
\nCreate a profile on Parlel to unlock hiring manager emails for roles you’re targeting.
\n\nDheeraj Kumar, founder building Parlel, an open professional network for people, companies, and jobs. Find him on his Parlel profile.
","related":[{"slug":"tech-company-interview-experiences","title":"Tech Company Interview Experiences by Role and Level","description":"Compare software, platform, and AI company interview reports by role and level, with candidate-reported questions linked to their original sources.","url":"https://parlel.com/guides/tech-company-interview-experiences"},{"slug":"anthropic-interview-experience","title":"Anthropic Software Engineer Interview Experience","description":"Anthropic software engineer interview reports covering phone-screen coding, web-crawler follow-ups, recruiter questions, and differences between reported loops.","url":"https://parlel.com/guides/anthropic-interview-experience"},{"slug":"system-design-interview-questions","title":"System Design Interview Questions + 10 Walkthroughs","description":"System design interview questions with a clear framework, building blocks, capacity estimates, and 10 concise practice walkthroughs. Reviewed September 2026.","url":"https://parlel.com/guides/system-design-interview-questions"}]}