This was back in 2017, but it's still odd how the interview process went here. I applied online, received an email stating I got an interview. The odd part was, it wasn't quite an interview, but a "digital interview" as they put it.
They had me go through "HireVue" which was very impersonal and creepy. I was required to go through technical challenges with my web camera and microphone on. Fairly quickly I determined it was going to be a waste of time. I've interviewed nearly 60 engineers and hired great people who've stayed for many many years.
Utilizing such an impersonal tool was quite odd and such a turn off that I'll stop and decline a job without batting an eye. I'd expect at least a conversation with someone, not a creepy tool. If you see such a tool being used, think about the type of engineer you'd like to be at such a firm. A good engineer is so much more than algorithmic challenges and flexing your C.S. muscle.
In the end I did not get the job (no surprise) and I'm still very happy at the job I was aiming to leave at the time. I guess it was a blessing in disguise.
Do note, this process may have changed since. I'm very hopeful it has, hopefully with some sort of human interaction during the technical screen. It's a pretty cheap way to find how many hoops candidates are willing to go through to land a job, don't waste your time if you find yourself in this situation.
