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Hiring processes · LATAM tech companies

What the Nubank interview is like

Nubank describes its own process on its engineering blog, and it is one of the toughest in the region: it is compared to the big US tech companies. There is a take-home exercise, a pair programming session and questions about the finance business.

Stages
5: form, remote interview, exercise, pair + manager, People
Typical total length
38 to 44 days (Nubank blog)
Language
Portuguese or Spanish; English in multinational teams
Technical
Take-home (~10 days) + pair programming
Language you will see
Functional programming (Clojure)
Domain
Finance: payments, PIX, accounting

The stages, in order

According to Nubank's engineering blog:

  • Application form (about a week to review it).
  • Remote interview about your experience.
  • Take-home technical exercise, with about 10 days to finish.
  • Pair programming on your exercise and a manager interview.
  • People & Culture interviews before the offer.

What it tests

  • Quality of the exercise: Nubank values careful work (a clear README, tests).
  • Functional programming: they ask about it because they use Clojure.
  • Finance knowledge: payments, PIX in Brazil, double-entry accounting.
  • Collaboration: pair programming is a conversation, with hints and discussion.

Typical questions

The kind of questions described for Nubank, paraphrased:

  • "Why did you choose this structure for your exercise? What would you change with more time?"
  • "Let's add this new rule to the code you sent, together."
  • "How would you record a transfer so the balance is never inconsistent?"
  • "What are the benefits of immutability in a payments system?"

Tips

Treat the exercise like production code: tests, a README and explained decisions.

Be ready to defend each decision out loud in the pair programming session.

Read a little about instant payments and double-entry accounting.

Practise this interview: with Entrevia you can rehearse out loud how you explain your technical decisions and get a review at the end.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the Nubank process take?
According to Nubank's engineering blog, 38 to 44 days from start to finish.
Does Nubank have a take-home test?
Yes. It is a technical exercise with about 10 days to complete, discussed later in a pair programming session.
Do I need to know Clojure to join Nubank?
Not necessarily, but they ask about functional programming because that is what they use. Know the basic ideas.
Is the Nubank interview in English?
It depends on the country and team: usually Portuguese or Spanish, with English in multinational teams.

Sources

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