Interview Rounds for Engineers in 2025: How Many and My Personal Tips

Hey VAP Talks crew! What's up? I'm a DevOps engineer who’s been at it since 2022, working at one of the biggest IT firms in Pune. I’ve been building CI/CD pipelines with Jenkins, containerizing apps with Docker and Kubernetes, scripting in Bash and Python, and managing AWS setups like EC2 and S3. I’ve also coded in Java and C, automated tasks, and fixed production hiccups while sipping chai late at night. Interviews can feel like a tough bug to squash, right? One minute it’s a quick call, the next it’s a deep tech test. I’ve learned the ropes after some flops, like rambling too much about a Docker setup, and I’m here to share the types of interview rounds you’ll face in 2025, how many there are, and easy tips to nail them. These work for any engineer, not just DevOps, and come from how I’ve handled things since 2022. Let’s get you ready to grab that dream job you're in?

How Many Rounds Are There Usually?

From my time in the field, interviews in 2025 typically have 4 to 7 rounds, depending on the company. Big tech firms might stretch it to 6-7 to check you out fully, while smaller ones stick to 4-5. Startups can be quicker with 3-4 rounds. It starts with a simple chat and gets tougher with tech tests. For me, it took 6 rounds to land my job in 2025: a phone call, two tech sessions, a behavioral chat, a managerial round, and a final team meet, followed by a 7th discussion for salary talks. It took about 2-4 weeks, so hang in there! This applies to any engineering role, whether you’re into coding, DevOps, or something else.

The Main Types of Interview Rounds

Here’s what to expect in the rounds. I’ll keep it simple for all engineers but add my DevOps twists from working with Jenkins, Docker, Kubernetes, and AWS, and share how I’ve handled them since 2022.

Round 1: The Phone or Initial Screen

This is the first step, just a 15–30 minute call or video to see if you fit. Someone from HR might ask about your resume or some basics like, “What do you do in your job?”

For me, they asked about CI/CD, Shell, Python scripting, containerization, orchestration, Java Spring Boot, AWS, Automation, monitoring and my experience. But it really depends on the requirement. Sometimes they may ask only about Terraform, or only AWS, or Shell scripting, or Linux/Windows. Once you understand what they need, you can switch your experience and focus on that part.

Simple tip: Keep your answers short and give a real story. For example, I say:

• “I’ve been at a big IT firm since 2022, using Jenkins to cut deployment time by 15%.”
• If it’s about Shell scripting, Python, and Linux, I say: “I developed scripts that improved operations by 20% and saved around X dollars for the company.”
• If it’s about Java Spring Boot, then I talk about the JPA API I built.

Like this, you can change your answer depending on what they ask. Don’t talk too much—just focus on what’s required.

I learned this the hard way. Once I lost focus while explaining a Bash script and I messed it up. After that, I started recording myself and also taking some AI mock interviews to practice. It really helped me stay sharp and clear.

For DevOps, just know the basics too, like Terraform for setting up servers.

Round 2-3: Technical Rounds (The Big Tests)

These are usually 1–2 rounds, each 45–60 minutes, where they dig into your technical skills. You can expect coding, like writing a Python script, or tasks like “Set up a Docker container.” For me, they tested my Kubernetes skills and a Java fix for a billing app.

Simple Tip: Practice hands-on! I use LeetCode for coding and KodeKloud for DevOps labs. Always explain your steps, like: “I’m using a loop in Python to check logs.” Use real examples too for example, I once explained how I sped up AWS EC2 setup using Terraform. Earlier, I struggled with a Kubernetes question, but I turned it around by discussing a real cluster I've managed since 2022. I also record myself and take AI mock interviews, which helps me stay clear and confident.

First Tech Round

• Here, they usually ask more about your work, what you’ve done, how you did it, and how it improved things.
• Ensure the numbers you mention are clear and that you can explain them concisely (e.g., “improved efficiency by 20%” or “cut deployment time by 15%”).
• They will dig into multiple stacks: Python, Shell scripting, Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, AWS, Jenkins, Terraform, Java, and Database.
• After that, they check your hands-on skills by giving scenarios. For example: Write a shell script for a disk space alert, Monitor the AWS billing dashboard, Create a Jenkins CI/CD pipeline, Containerize an application..

Simple Tip for Round 1:What they focus on depends on the role, but it’s always scenario-based testing. Don’t just say what you did, also say how it helped. Keep your answer short, use real examples, and show the impact with numbers.

Second Tech Round

• This is more advanced. They give you complex scenarios, explain the architecture, and then ask you to build and deploy it.
• Example tasks: Build Docker images and deploy to Kubernetes, Set up networking and deploy on AWS, Configure monitoring with CloudWatch, Set up security, Write code in Python/Java/Shell scripting, Work with database setup.

Simple Tip for Round 2: Even if you can’t write the exact syntax, it’s okay. They check your understanding, confidence, and problem-solving. You can say something like:
“In real projects, we use documentation or man pages for syntax, and now we also have AI tools that help with that. It’s not possible to remember everything locally, and honestly, we don’t need to. What matters is the logic and approach. At the end of the day, we’re doing the tasks that AI can’t do.” Think out loud, explain your approach step by step, and stay calm even if you don’t know the exact syntax. Confidence and clarity matter more than perfect code.

Round 4: System Design or Advanced Technical

This 45-60 minute round is for mid-level roles. They might ask, “Design a system to handle lots of users” or “Plan a deployment setup.” For me, it was about scaling an AWS S3 storage with CloudWatch monitoring.

Simple Tip: Sketch it out if you can, even with words. I prep by planning a CI/CD flow with GitHub Actions. Mention pros and cons: “Docker is fast but needs care.” Don’t overdo it. I once ignored a failure case and got called out, so now I cover all angles like I do with backups since 2022.

Round 5: Behavioral or HR Round

This is a 30–45-minute chat about soft skills. They ask things like, “How did you handle a team issue?” or “Why us?” For me, they once wanted to know how I fixed a billing error using ELK Stack logs.

Simple Tip: Share real stories using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). For example, I say:

• “I fixed a production bug with my team, cutting downtime by 15%.”
• For weaknesses, be honest but show growth: “I used to rush scripts, but now I plan better.”

Also, prepare examples on:

• Handling pressure: I explain how, during peak releases, I kept calm, broke tasks into steps, and made sure nothing was missed.
• Managing teammates: Even when we were at the same level, I guided teammates by splitting work, reviewing their scripts, and keeping communication clear.
• Leading without a title: Once, I coordinated a deployment with teammates above me, but I took initiative, tracked progress, and made sure the release went smoothly.

Don’t forget to ask them a question too, it shows interest.

I once flubbed this round by being too vague, so now I prepare 2–3 real examples. I use stories from my on-call support days, where I handled 100+ tickets a month since 2022. It clearly shows I’ve grown.

Round 6: Managerial Round

This 30-60 minute round involves a manager checking your leadership and fit. They might ask, “How do you prioritize tasks?” or “How do you handle pressure?” For me, they focused on how I managed a team during a deployment crunch.

Simple Tip: Show you can lead and work with others. I talk about organizing my team to fix a production issue, saying, “I split tasks and checked progress daily.” Be ready with examples. I once stumbled by not showing enough initiative, so now I highlight how I guided my team since 2022 to meet deadlines.

Round 7: Salary Discussion (If Needed)

This round is a 15–30-minute chat about money and benefits, usually after the team meets to finalize the offer.

Simple Tip:

• Research market rates and know your value. By this stage, you’ve cleared 6–7 rounds, and the company has already invested a lot in you. The way you want the job, they also want you. If they pay you X, they’ll earn 4-5X from your work. So don’t hesitate to quote more than industry standard.
• Most people ask for 30–50% hike, but I’ve asked for 100% too. If you quote less, it’s your loss. If you quote more, they won’t reject you  they’ll just counter with what they can offer.
• Even if their offer matches your expectations, negotiate a bit.
• I usually say: “I’ve built around 3 years of solid experience, and now I want to settle down. I’m looking for stability and long-term growth, not job-hopping. That’s why I expect more than industry standard.”
• This shows honesty, confidence, and long-term vision, and usually brings them closer to your number.

Extra Simple Tips for All Rounds

These work for anyone, with my DevOps flavor:

• Prep Your Tools: Review Jenkins, Docker, or AWS. I check my GitHub weekly to stay sharp since 2022.
• Practice Mock Runs: I use Pramp after bombing an Ansible round early on it builds confidence.
• Add Personality: I toss in a chai-fueled late-night story to connect, like fixing a bug at 2 AM. Try it!
• Stay Calm: Deep breaths help I picture a past win, like automating backups with Shell since 2022. How do you chill? Tell me below!

Let’s Wrap It Up, You Got This!

There you go, VAP Talks fam, the usual 4-7 rounds in 2025 interviews, from quick chats to tough tech tests and a managerial check. I’ve messed up (like over-explaining a Java fix) but learned to keep it real and prep hard. Imagine walking out of that interview feeling like a champ, you can do it! Let’s chat: What’s your hardest round, or a tip you love? Drop it in the comments, I’ll jump in!

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