Interview was long and communication was poor. The entire interview process was around two months. There were five interviews. Two HR-style interview, two tech interviews and one HR-style interview with the owner.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
They asked me OOP design questions and leetcode mid-high level questions.
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We're sorry to hear that the interview process was lengthy and communication did not meet your expectations. While we aim to conduct thorough interviews that reflect the scope and impact of our roles (particularly in our tech teams) we also of course want to ensure that every candidate feels informed and respected throughout the process. We thank you for your feedback which we will take onboard going forward, and wish you all the best in your career journey.
The hiring process involved multiple stages. It started with a standard hr screening call. Then it went straight to a live coding call with seniors regarding data structures & algorithms (DSA). They expected you to have studied DSA thoroughly and be able to explain why you do certain steps according to DSA. After this, there were still two live coding call. One focused on coding real life use cases. Another focused on system design. They provided feedback and explained why if you did not pass a stage. I would say there were too many theoretical assessments and live coding calls. Do prepare yourself and study hard if you plan to apply.
The process began with a conversation with their recruiter, which I found to be insightful and productive. It set a positive tone for the subsequent stages of the interview process.
Next, I engaged in a technical interview with two of their engineers. We delved into discussing my approach to troubleshooting scenarios, providing a platform for a meaningful exchange of ideas and insights. I received a feedback that I aced this part of the interview.
It was followed by a live coding challenge which posed an opportunity to showcase my technical prowess under pressure. However, there were time constraints, with only around 15-20 minutes remaining to solve the challenge. Complicating matters was the demand to explain my thought process, consuming valuable time. Despite the challenge, I remained focused and managed to devise a solution within the allotted timeframe. Despite successfully completing the coding challenge, I was disheartened to learn during the feedback call that my solution was deemed insufficiently clean. This outcome came as a surprise and disappointment, given my efforts to address the challenge comprehensively within the constraints provided.
Reflecting on my experience, while I appreciate the transparency and clarity of the interview process, the discrepancy between the expectations and evaluation criteria for the coding challenge leaves room for improvement. As a candidate committed to continuous growth and excellence, I trust that Catawiki will consider refining their assessment criteria to ensure alignment with candidates' demonstrated capabilities and efforts.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
How would you handle the situation when the server has just crashed?