I applied through a recruiter. The process took 3 weeks. I interviewed at BenevolentAI in Nov 2021
Interview
Coding screen, followed by 2 coding sessions, engineering fit (generic conversation about values, engineering approaches) and system design interview. 45 minutes each, back to back.
Interviewers were nice and willing to talk about their experience and in 3 of 4 sections we had enough time for questions after main talking, so I was able to gather basic understanding about how things work. Overall very good experience.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
How would you start an experimental project and what would you consider as a sign of engineering quality?
I was given an offer. Two days later BAI withdrew the offer. The only reason cited for the withdrawal was my lack of communication skills.
Hopefully if they withdraw your offer, you will not have quit your old job and canceled your lease yet. Otherwise you are unemployed, uninsured, and homeless.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Basics of ML, data structures, and systems design.
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. When we make offers to candidates we always intend to follow through. Your situation was extremely rare and we are sorry for any distress or disruption it may have caused. We fully understand the implications a decision like this may have, and it was not something we made lightly.
Assessing whether candidates align with our core values and behaviors is really important to us. On this occasion, that assessment was made after the offer. This was most certainly a one-off incident, which does not reflect our commitment to ensuring all candidates are treated courteously and respectfully.
I applied through a recruiter. The process took 6 weeks. I interviewed at BenevolentAI in May 2019
Interview
The whole process lasted about a month. I had 3 rounds: telephone, a codility technical test, and then a zoom interview. The interviews all went well and I received positive feedback both from the interviewer and from the recruiter. I was also told that I scored well in the technical test. However, after waiting for more than 2 weeks after the last round, I was told by the recruiter that they are suspending the hiring, so there is no suitable position for me. It felt like a huge waste of time that could have been avoided.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
What have you been working on in your current role? And what is the team structure?