Recruitment Stories - Jisan's Experience at Pathao

Jisan Ahmed is currently working as a Software Engineer L1 at Pathao. He graduated with a degree in Software Engineering from Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST). Before joining Pathao, he spent a year as a Junior Backend Engineer at Truck Lagbe, where he built his foundation in backend engineering.

Jisan first learned about the opening at Pathao’s Data Science and Engineering team through one of his university seniors, who shared the opportunity with their department. Excited about the role, he decided to apply. His recruitment process went through several stages:

Phase 1 - Technical Assessment

The first stage combined multiple assessments, including:

• Basic Computer Science Questions: Interviewers asked questions covering REST APIs, networking, operating systems, backend engineering concepts, and Docker.
• System Design Task: Jisan was given a design problem related to Pathao’s map feature and asked to propose an efficient solution.
• SQL Queries: He was given to write two SQL queries to test his database knowledge.
• CV Screening: A short discussion highlighting his academic background, professional experience, and key achievements.

Phase 2 – Take-Home Project

In this round, Jisan was given a backend project to complete within three days. The task focused on improving an existing feature in one of Pathao’s microservices.

Phase 3 – Code Review & Extension

During the third interview, Jisan had to explain and analyze the codebase he had submitted. He discussed his design choices and overall implementation approach. Additionally, he was tasked with:

• Extending the system by adding 2–3 advanced functional requirements under real-world constraints.
• Debugging: The interviewers intentionally introduced bugs into his code, and he was asked to identify and fix them.

Phase 4 – CTO Interview

The final round was conducted by Pathao’s CTO, where the discussion focused on:

• A detailed review of his CV and work experience.
• Deep dives into his past projects, responsibilities, and technical contributions.

Through consistent preparation and strong technical problem-solving skills, Jisan successfully navigated the recruitment process and secured his role at Pathao.

Special thanks to Jisan Ahmed for taking out the time to share his recruitment experience with me. If you have any queries, feel free to contact him at jisanahmed10667@gmail.com