Total 4 rounds including the initial recruiter round.
1 - Chat with a recruiter
2 - Hiring Manager Interview
3 - Team interview
4 - Interview with CTO/CEO
Positives -
The recruiter, the process in overall and other team members. Great experience chatting with them.
Negatives -
The interview process started well, and I successfully cleared the first three rounds without any issues. During these rounds, my leadership experience and skills were well-received, and the interviewers seemed genuinely excited to meet me. However, the final round with the CTO took a completely different turn.
From the beginning, the interview with the CTO felt off. The CTO was disrespectful and conducted the interview with a nonchalant attitude. They started questioning my years of experience in a condescending manner, trying to imply that I wouldn't be capable of managing the role. This was surprising, considering my leadership and management skills had been praised in the previous rounds. Yet, the CTO seemed intent on pushing me towards an individual contributor (IC) role.
If the CTO is conducting interviews without showing respect to senior candidates, it raises concerns about how others might be treated within the organization. The CTO themselves had less experience and seemed to judge candidates solely based on the number of years they had worked. This behavior reflects the kind of culture that is likely being propagated within the company.
Lastly, donât be misled by their LinkedIn posts and promotional materialâthey don't reflect the true nature of the company.