My interview experience with Instacart was frustrating and disappointing. From the beginning, the process felt dragged out and lacked transparency. I was led on for weeks with little proactive communication. I had to repeatedly follow up with the recruiter just to get basic feedback, which felt unprofessional and dismissive. In the end, I was passed over for reasons unrelated to the actual job responsibilities which is a frustrating outcome after investing significant time and energy. The interview panel didn’t inspire much confidence; the team seemed average at best, and there was a lack of diversity in perspective. After speaking with former employees, it became clear that this dysfunction wasn’t isolated. I heard consistent stories of poor internal leadership, disorganized priorities, and a tendency to chase shiny distractions like Super Bowl ads instead of focusing on building high-performing teams with the right talent. Advice to Management: Be honest and respectful with candidates. Streamline your interview process, invest in leadership development, and prioritize substance over optics.

1 round with HR which was fine. Then interviewed with hiring manager who offered very little info about the role and then ghosted. Seemed intimidated with my experience to be honest. Weird culture.