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How I Cracked the PayPal Java Interview (And What You Can Learn From It
From the first call to the final round — here’s everything you need to know if you’re preparing for a Java Developer interview at PayPal.
When I first got the interview call from PayPal, my heart skipped a beat.
For most developers, especially Java folks like me, working at a big tech company like PayPal is a dream. I had heard that their interviews are challenging but fair — and now, I had the chance to experience it for myself.
In this article, I’ll walk you through the full interview journey — what kinds of questions to expect, how to prepare, and the things I wish someone had told me before I started. So whether you’re actively interviewing or just curious, sit tight — this is going to be a detailed ride.
1. The Initial Call — Recruiter Screening
The process began with a recruiter screening call. This was more of an introductory conversation rather than a technical one.
The recruiter asked me questions like:
- What’s your current role and experience?
- What Java technologies have you worked on?
- Why are you interested in…