I applied online. I interviewed at Front in Nov 2020
Interview
First, I was asked to complete a homework assignment where I was presented with a series of scenarios and questions that they said their Support team gets from real customers. Then, they told me I did well and scheduled a phone screen. After that, they scheduled four interviews within a two-day span for me. In the first one, they had me complete an exercise where I drafted a Knowledge Base article while they watched on a Zoom call. The second one was another exercise; the objective was to navigate my way through their product and find answers to his questions. The third and fourth interviews were with two team members that just asked me typical interview questions. The interviews were recorded, which was very odd to me, and the second/fourth interviewers were very awkward. It was clear to me that the rejection email was some sort of weird canned response, so altogether, the experience was definitely a negative one.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
If you could pick one niche that you're passionate about and explain it to me, how would you describe it?
The hiring process was astute and thorough but incredibly efficient. I was consistently kept in the loop of how things were progressing and where we were in the process. I had multiple interviews and a virtual on-site visit to meet different team members and other employees. At each stage of the interviews I got more and more invested in the process and the company.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Various technical and situational questions to observe problem solving and logic.
I applied online. The process took 2 months. I interviewed at Front (San Francisco, CA) in Nov 2019
Interview
Slightly lengthy;
1. Complete a writing exercise w/ example of customer inquiries
2. 30 minute phone interview with hiring manager
3. Complete tasks through the Front app in preparation for the onsite
4. 3 hour on-site interview with multiple members of the team
It felt like the onsite would be the final round, as I looped back with the recruiter at the end to talk start date and salary expectations, but I was sent an additional set of interviews unexpectedly, instead of word on a final decision.
5. Final round (?) of interviews with two additional members of the team.
The interview was pretty lengthy due to them being held over the holiday. I was very disappointed overall with the process considering I spent a lot of time and energy and at the end of the day wasn't sure at one point the team felt like I wasn't a fit. It feels like the decision came out left field given the response from each team member, hiring manager, and recruiter. Feedback on why the decision was made didn't apply to the job description and was nebulous at best.
My feedback for Front is to hold off on the 3 hour company on-site (potentially do a video call or schedule for 30 minute windows that don't interrupt work) to show that you care about everyone else's time as much as you care about your employees. This should be saved until the very end because applicants who already have jobs are putting themselves on the line with current positions during work hours to allocate that time. It would be much better to set expectations up front of what the process will be and tell candidates what's next, versus making candidates feel like they are in a process with no end.
I still appreciate the time and wish the team the best, as they seem like good people.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
In the case of a [insert detailed customer support emergency], what would you do?
What is your ideal place to work like?