The interview process went through a couple of rounds:
- 30 minute phone screen
- 1 hr behavioral interview over Teams
- 45 minute technical interview
- 45 minute executive chat with CEO
Phone screen was a quick chat to briefly cover my background and to give a high-level overview of life working at Torq.
Behavioral interview was straightforward and conversational where the interviewer asked scenario based questions and essentially tested to see if your responses were inline with their core values. I was also asked a curve ball question along the lines of "Could you estimate how many tennis balls are sold in the US annually?" to test how I think. Overall I had an enjoyable conversation with my interviewer.
Interview process was a system design white boarding session with their director of engineering. The interview process was engaging, but lasted only around 45 minutes so it felt difficult to get too deep into a thorough design. Next was a 45 minute behavioral chat with the CEO that discussed my experience and background. Overall, I felt that the interview went fairly positively.
A week after the in-person interview, I was given a "soft offer," where they shared that I had passed the interviews and would be a great addition to the team, but that an official offer letter would not come until they had a project lined up. Over the following four months, I received only one or two brief updates, after which my follow-up emails went unanswered and I was ultimately ghosted. I understand that business needs can change and plans may shift, but the lack of consistent communication was frustrating. Even a clear message that they had changed their mind would have provided closure. Instead, the lack of transparency and follow-through came across as unprofessional and left a very negative impression.
Going forward, they should focus on maintaining clear and timely communication with candidates, even if the update is simply that there’s no change. Transparency not only shows professionalism but also respects the time and effort candidates invest in the process.