real interview stories, told over a cup of tea ♡
Interview Experiences
3935 interview stories from candidates at 857 companies: how each round went, what was asked and how it ended. Every company page links to practice questions in the same style.
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3935 results
- GreyOrange Software Engineer interview experienceGreyOrange · Software Engineer · Take-home Project · Jul 2026
After the recruiter stage, I completed a take-home assessment that was the hardest part of the loop. It was not one problem. It covered five system-design scenarios, each aimed at a different principle, and I had to create the data models and workflows for them. This was more than drawing an architecture. I had to explain how the designs would scale and what would happen in failure cases, includi…
- GreyOrange Software Engineer interview: Java output and two-pointer questionsGreyOrange · Software Engineer · Technical Screen · Jul 2026
The virtual interview opened with an introduction, then moved quickly into Java. I answered two questions about working out the output, followed by two basic DSA questions, including a two-pointer problem. It was a straightforward technical screen. The focus was clear reasoning and getting the output right, not a long, complicated algorithm under pressure. I did not progress, and it left me feeli…
- Guidewire Software Customer Success Engineer interview: Java, SQL, and director loopGuidewire Software · Customer Success Engineer · Online Assessment · Jul 2026
After the usual application step, HR contacted me for my current and expected salary. I then completed Codility work with three Java tests and one SQL test. The next step was a live Java technical interview about OOP, lasting about an hour. After that, I had a behavioral manager interview for another hour, followed by an on-site director interview that also lasted about an hour. The process did n…
- Guidewire Software Software Engineer Interview Experience: Onsite scheduling broke downGuidewire Software · Software Engineer · Online Assessment · Jul 2026
After a recruiter call, I took an online assessment with two LeetCode-style questions, one easy and one medium. They felt straightforward. I then spoke with an engineering manager and, near the end, solved a simple coding problem and wrote tests. The feedback was immediately positive, and the manager said they wanted to see me onsite. The onsite scheduling was where it fell apart. I contacted the…
- Guidewire Software Software Engineer interview: Codility, OOP, manager, and directorGuidewire Software · Software Engineer · Online Assessment · Jul 2026
After the usual application step, HR contacted me for my current and expected salary. I then completed Codility work with three Java tests and one SQL test. The next step was a live Java technical interview about OOP, lasting about an hour. After that, I had a behavioral manager interview for another hour, followed by an on-site director interview that also lasted about an hour. The process did n…
- Guitar Center Account Executive interview: relaxed store role-play with managersGuitar Center · Account Executive · HR Screen · Jul 2026Offer
I started with a recruiter-style setup that felt fast and straightforward. After an initial conversation to line things up, I had a phone screen and then an in-person interview. At the store, I met with multiple managers. They asked about my background, how I worked with people, my fit for the role and store culture. Most questions stayed close to my CV: sales experience, how I approached custome…
- HackerRank Backend Engineer API assessment, AI-assisted test fixes, and silenceHackerRank · Backend Engineer · Online Assessment · Jul 2026No response
I began with a HackerRank assessment that felt more like backend work than a puzzle. I had to build backend API functionality across multiple files, then fix failing tests with help from an AI assistant. After I completed both parts successfully, I was invited to an automated screening interview, which felt straightforward. Then the process stalled. I received no recruiter contact, status update,…
- Hays Technology Consultant interview with roleplay and a communication-focused discussionHays Technology · Consultant · Jul 2026
I started with a recruiter call that was mostly about understanding the vacancy. After that, I moved into a more immersive interview that included an overview of the company and role, plus a roleplay exercise to see how I handled the situation. Then I had a more personal conversation about my training and prior experience. The process stayed grounded. It was more about fit and communication than…
- Hays Technology Consultant interview: compact junior case studyHays Technology · Consultant · HR Screen · Jul 2026
After a short talent-acquisition briefing, I spoke with potential line managers. The format was compact and structured around junior-level case-study scenarios. Each slot lasted about half an hour and involved no more than two people, so the conversation stayed focused. In some junior sessions, multiple candidates were on the call. That made it feel more like a group assessment even though the in…
- Hays Technology Consultant interview: consulting role and group assessmentHays Technology · Consultant · Onsite · Jul 2026
My first in-person interaction focused on what the role meant day to day. They explained the position, the research and selection area, the team, and the kind of consulting work involved. We also discussed contract types, hybrid work, the selection process, and relationships with clients. The later conversations focused on recruitment and culture rather than heavy testing. I met people connected…
- Hays Technology Consultant interview: contract role changed to stageHays Technology · Consultant · Other · Jul 2026No response
A Hays Technology recruiter contacted me about a stage placement even though I had applied for a contract position. When I declined the internship option, the recruiter said they would check whether a contract was possible and update me. That update never came. I tried to contact them, but the only eventual response was a LinkedIn message with no meaningful follow-up. My calls and messages went n…
- Hays Technology Consultant interview: executive tone and low compensationHays Technology · Consultant · Other · Jul 2026Offer
The hiring manager made the interview feel as though I were applying for an executive-level role. The tone and expectations were correspondingly high pressure. The offer that followed did not match what I thought the process had promised. The salary was relatively low compared with how senior and serious the interview had felt, and I felt they had not been transparent about the actual scope. I di…
- Hays Technology Consultant interview: friendly manager conversationHays Technology · Consultant · Onsite · Jul 2026
My early rounds were simple and conversational. The initial interview covered common questions, and when I realized I had not prepared for one, I could pause and think before answering. The process then moved directly to an in-person conversation with the team manager, and the tone remained friendly. The role and its missions were explained in a way that let me picture myself doing the job, and t…
- Hays Technology Consultant interview: manager meetings and clear expectationsHays Technology · Consultant · Onsite · Jul 2026Offer
After I applied, the process was straightforward and clearly staged. I started with an online conversation with talent acquisition, who were transparent about the role and how the work would be organized. I then moved through assessment steps and face-to-face meetings with managers. The conversations were short and focused rather than highly technical. I also had a final in-person meeting with se…
- HCL Tech Software Engineer interview: five-round systems focusHCL Tech · Software Engineer · Jul 2026
The process felt like a marathon: I completed five rounds. It relied heavily on LeetCode-style problem solving but also went beyond surface system design. I had to discuss time-related concepts and how time-series data is handled in a production environment. The difficulty felt average to demanding. What stood out was the expectation to link algorithmic thinking to real operational concerns aroun…
- HCL Tech Software Engineer programming and HR interview experienceHCL Tech · Software Engineer · Technical Screen · Jul 2026Rejected
The experience felt tense and confusing. I was asked to write a program, and my code was correct, but I still did not move forward. Later, I felt the HR questions were off-target or silly. Even when I answered those questions correctly, I was rejected. The outcome did not match my technical result. By the end, it felt less like an assessment of my programming and more like an internal decision I…
- Hewlett Packard Enterprise | HPE Software Engineer interview: live coding and designHewlett Packard Enterprise | HPE · Software Engineer · Technical Screen · Jul 2026Offer
Most of my evaluation involved live problem solving. After recruiter contact and scheduling, I coded in the first round while explaining my thinking. I needed to give an answer, justify the approach and show how I'd improve it. The system-design round caught me a little off guard. The hiring manager wanted specific details, including a cloud-oriented design question, even though the role descript…
- Hewlett Packard Enterprise | HPE Software Engineer interview: placement-path networkingHewlett Packard Enterprise | HPE · Software Engineer · Online Assessment · Jul 2026Offer
I entered through a university placement internship path, and the process felt quick and straightforward. After an initial recruiter-style step, I had a technical screen with a basic DSA question and networking fundamentals. I talked through data transfer at a high level, what VPNs do under the hood, and basics of application behavior. The process continued with practical foundations. An assessme…
- Hewlett Packard Enterprise | HPE Software Engineer interview: rounds then holdHewlett Packard Enterprise | HPE · Software Engineer · Onsite · Jul 2026
A recruiter called to schedule an open position, and the Hewlett Packard Enterprise process expanded into around four virtual rounds plus an onsite at an office. Each stage emphasized deep technical work. The questions were mostly DSA coding, with operating systems and computer networking mixed in. Later interviews pushed further into technical depth and topics tied to the job description. After…
- Hexaware Software Engineer Interview Experience: Four elimination rounds and time pressure in the OAHexaware · Software Engineer · Online Assessment · Jul 2026Offer
My Hexaware process had a clear elimination flow across four rounds: a group discussion, an online assessment, a technical plus HR interview, and a final general HR interview. The group discussion focused on communication. The online assessment combined aptitude, technical MCQs, debugging, short coding, and prompt-style tasks. It was under strict time pressure, which made it feel high-stakes. The…
- Hexaware Software Engineer interview: crowded multi-round processHexaware · Software Engineer · Technical Screen · Jul 2026
I found the Hexaware process extremely long and crowded. Around 300+ people arrived for interviews, and it felt built for a large batch rather than careful one-on-one assessment. There were about two or three technical rounds, roughly an hour each, plus a managerial round. The main challenge was patience. Without the ability to sit through delays and wait for my turn, the process itself would hav…
- High-Bar Technical Screen, Rejected Over Spark and C#Cognitiv · Software Engineer · Technical Screen · Jul 2026Rejected
Cognitiv is a small startup that works with ads data. They were opening a new office in Canada, so they were hiring. After the recruiter interview, the first round was scheduled with the hiring manager. They asked BQ questions along with technical experience questions related to what the team needed — things like how to handle data duplication, Spark-related questions, how to scale data... If you…
- Hilti Group Account Executive interview: group case study and sales roleplayHilti Group · Account Executive · Other · Jul 2026Offer
The interview lasted a whole day and felt intense and carefully structured. I started with a group case study. After reading the cases, I roleplayed persuading the interviewers to buy into my approach. It seemed designed to test whether I could turn my analysis into a convincing sales story. Next, I met area sales managers for more straightforward conversations about fit and how I'd work day to d…
- Hilti Group Software Engineer interview: vague rejection feedbackHilti Group · Software Engineer · Other · Jul 2026Rejected
My first conversation was directly with the hiring manager and felt scrutinizing from the start. The focus seemed to stay on critical points in my resume. The positive parts of my experience and what excited me got little time, so I felt I was defending myself instead of discussing technical background and motivation. Questions came quickly, with limited room to expand. I also asked about the rol…
- Honeywell Technologies Software Engineer interview: interruptions and laughterHoneywell Technologies · Software Engineer · HR Screen · Jul 2026
The Honeywell Technologies process started with HR, with the recruiter calling candidates one by one. I then met two interviewers in the interview room. Their tone threw me off. They seemed mean, laughed while I answered, and repeatedly interrupted me before I could finish. The format itself was ordinary, but I experienced the interaction as disrespectful and unreceptive. I did not receive an off…
- Honeywell Technologies Software Engineer interview: role fit and communicationHoneywell Technologies · Software Engineer · Technical Screen · Jul 2026
I was first contacted for an introductory conversation and then moved to a technical interview. The technical discussion centered on the role itself, what I would be doing, and how well I understood the requirements. They also asked about my English language skills and my studies. It felt more like a screen for fit and communication than a hard technical challenge. I did not receive an offer, but…
- Honeywell Technologies Software Engineer interview: STAR answers and resume discussionHoneywell Technologies · Software Engineer · HR Screen · Jul 2026
The recruiter call was mostly basic behavioral questions. About a week later, I spoke technically with a group of engineers. The pace was quick, and they explicitly wanted structured answers, so I used STAR throughout. The technical questions were manageable and tied mainly to my resume and background rather than deep, tricky problems. I did not get an offer, but the process was more manageable t…
- Hot Topic Account Executive interview experience: a quick store-manager conversationHot Topic · Account Executive · Jul 2026Offer
After applying, I went through a quick, low-stakes process. A recruiter-style call came first. About a week later, I had a technical or sales-screen-style conversation that stayed casual and direct. We covered who I was, why I wanted the job, and how I would handle customer situations. The interview itself was simple and laid back. I spoke with a manager in the store about the usual retail topics…
- Hotstar Software Engineer interview experience: AI system designHotstar · Software Engineer · Technical Screen · Jul 2026
After recruiter coordination, I had two rounds that felt hard. The first tested AI fluency in a system-design problem where AI use was allowed. I had to decide how the proposed system would connect to an existing system and its data inputs, rather than receiving that integration design up front. The second round also focused on design, but it did not fit a familiar pattern. It asked for a difficu…
- HR Screen Loaded with AI Safety and Personal Morals QuestionsAnthropic · Software Engineer · Senior+ · HR Screen · Jul 2026In progress
Just finished my HR call with Anthropic. It was a referral from a colleague, but honestly my background doesn't match the JD that well, so overall I got the sense she hadn't decided yet whether to move me on to the technical interview. The official line was that they'd decide in one or two days. She asked me a bunch of questions: What does the team do You said you're a tech lead — what does your…
