I applied online. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Toptal in Feb 2022
Interview
I applied through their website.
In the first stage I had to complete some basic information on their platform about myself and attach my updated CV.
I then went to the next stage and had a short call (under 10 minutes) online in order to assess my English and communication skills. We discussed about previous projects, my skills and some random subjects.
After this I had to complete a codility test. There were 3 problems and 90 minutes to complete them. Algorithms. Some string, arrays and data processing, not to complex, but not super-straight either.
I've finished them with 15 minutes left or something similar, the first two were 100% and the last one had some cases that failed. Tho, we moved to the next stage.
Here comes the live coding/pair programming session. Live, with share screen, in my own IDE I had to solve two algorithmic problems and I had 15 minutes for each.
After that I received the specifications for a home project. I had to develop an application and expose some REST endpoints for it. The requirements were quite complex and it took me some time to complete it. I had 7 days to complete it.
After this I had a session where I shared my screen and went through my app - I've presented the REST endpoints, demo-ed them through Postman and in the end he asked me to add some validation live.
This took about half an hour
I applied online. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Toptal (Cape Town) in Jun 2026
Interview
The interview process has been structured and professional so far. It started with the initial application and screening, followed by an online coding assessment with algorithm-style questions focused on correctness, edge cases, and problem solving under time pressure. After completing that stage, I was invited to schedule a live technical interview. Communication has been clear, with detailed instructions about the interview format, environment requirements, screen sharing, and expectations around working without external assistance. The process feels rigorous and time-sensitive,.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Write a function to return the maximum number of words in a sentence from a given string containing letters, spaces, and sentence-ending punctuation.
Tech screening and then tech interview, leetcode style questions. Then there was a take home project.. not in-person. all done remotely and online. Good interviewers, helpful, easy process and good communication
I applied to Toptal and I'm having an interview days later. What can I prepare for now? I wanna get some details or tips from you. Please help me with your toptal screening interview experience.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
What was the last project you have worked on and what did you do in that project?