Recruiter emailed to ask when I was available for a phone call. I replied with my availability and during the call, the recruiter asked some basic questions about my past experience and why I was looking for a new job. She also asked about salary expectations and said that they were looking to move ahead quickly with this process, and asked when I might be able to start. She explained what the next steps were, which I appreciated since sometimes it’s not clear to me after a call what I should expect next. After that call, I had a video call with the hiring manager. He explained a little more about the nature of the job and asked a few questions about my experience. A couple of his questions were less about my ability and more about character qualities. I wasn’t prepared for these and probably could have done better, especially as I find it hard to compliment or brag about myself. The hiring manager asked for writing samples, but we had no time left on the 30-minute call to go over those, so I sent them to him and we finished. I asked the recruiter for an update and heard back quickly. They had decided to go with someone else and she said they wanted to keep in touch in case they had another similar role open up in the near future that could be a better fit for me.

Okta contacted me through LinkedIn where one of the company's recruiters found my profile. I visited Okta's San Francisco offices and interviewed with approximately five people. I was very impressed with the team's preparation. I was not subjected to many repetitive interview questions and instead felt as if I was discussing five different aspects of the position I was interviewing for and I was given five different perspectives on the company. After the interview process, the HR rep told me to feel free to contact her which I did. Unlike most companies, who discourage post-interview communication, Okta was very open and courteous and kept the communication lines open.