The Process: - 8 total interview rounds: initial screening, technical test, interview with engineering manager, and panel interviews - Process took 2 months from start to finish - Very time-intensive with significant preparation required for each stage The Good: - Recruiter was responsive and communicative throughout the process - Interview process was well-organized with clear timelines initially - Team seemed engaged during interviews Areas for Improvement: - After 8 interview rounds and extensive candidate time investment, no specific feedback was provided in the rejection - This felt inconsistent with the transparent communication style established earlier in the process - Company policy apparently prevents detailed feedback, which makes it difficult for candidates to understand how to improve after such a substantial commitment

It began with a brief interview with the technical recruiter, which provided valuable insights and additional conversations throughout the process. Next, I took part in a one-hour code assessment on Codility (not pair programming). Following that, I had a 45-minute interview with an Engineer manager. Finally, I scheduled the panel interview, which was the final step. The panel interview consisted of five interviews spread over two days: - Code Reading and Refactoring (1 hour): like reviewing a pull request. - Technical Implementation (1 hour): pair programming, but the code is already implemented with bugs/missing parts. - Non-Technical /Cultural fit (45 minutes): the usual questions "tell me about one time that..." - System Design / Decomposition (1 hour): API design, with elements of system design. - Technical Design Review (1 hour): review a design specification doc, simluating I'm giving feedback and helping another engineer. While these interviews were extensive and somewhat redundant, they were an effective format that brought the challenges of the job closer to the realities of my daily work. After a few days and less than a month since my initial contact with the company, I received the results. Unfortunately, I was not selected for the role, as the company stated, “After careful consideration, we’ve decided to move forward with another candidate for this role.” This was a generic negative response without any feedback whatsoever. Despite dedicating approximately 7 hours to interviews, I received no feedback on the process. I had specifically reached out to the company via email, requesting interview feedback, but I received no response, which was quite frustrating.

The process takes several interviews, with a final interview. The panel interview was really good, recreating real work situations. What was really back and rude, is that after expending more than 12 hours in their recruiting process they never answered any of my questions about the results of the panel interview. They just simple ignored me. I simple yes or no would have been enough.