I had interviewed with them for a Senior Backend Software engineer role in UK back in 2023, I cleared the initial coding round but was rejected in the system design. Good prep and feedback was provided by the recruiter.
Then in May 2024, the recruiter approached me on LinkedIn asking if I wanted to be reconsidered for a role and that I only need to do System Design round again. I accepted and was again given a good prep by the recruiter and I managed to clear the round. This is when things started to get really frustrating and annoying,
I was asked my salary expectations prior to this round which the recruiter said is something that they can meet. But after I cleared this round, they said they are not going to be able to give me that salary and in fact they offered me even less than what was offered back in 2023. I still went ahead with it as the other aspects looked good.
The recruiter then said he will arrange a team fit interview which was scheduled but then suddenly cancelled. Then started the ghosting from the recruiter, after a few chaser emails, I get told that there is no longer a requirement for a Senior engineer in any of the UK teams. Remember they are the ones who approached me NOT ME.
I asked them to consider me for the lead engineer position which was still being advertised on their careers page, got told that I lack certain requirements for that (very vague). So I got told that they would get back in touch in a few weeks when there is a requirement. OK your highnesses, I will wait.
2 months later, I get approached again asking if I'd be open to relocating to another country, out of the options I said I'd consider India (I've got right to work there already). Discussed the offer available and checked if there really is a requirement for a senior engineer which they confirmed.
Went ahead with the team-fit interview with one of the Product Owners. It was a 20-25 min conversation in which I was asked 2-3 question about achievements etc. I then get an email saying I am no longer being considered, no other feedback given. On chasing the recruiter, I get told that it was because the product owner thinks I dont have recent hands-on coding experience and that I have more team lead experience!!!
Yes, I was a team lead 6 years back and that too a technical team lead who also did 60-70% hands on coding, He would have known this had he bothered to ask!! But more importantly, for the past 6 years, I've been doing 98% hands on coding on all the relevant tech stack that they required and even more importantly, I CLEARED YOUR TECHNICAL ROUNDS!! But surely the product owner knows about technical abilities compared to their technical guys!
And when I asked the recruiter to consider me for the Lead engineer role (which was still being advertised) as the all knowing product owner thought I have more lead engineer exp, the recruiter just mumbled some vague reply.
ABSOLUTELY frustrating experience ever since the system design rounds, poor follow-up/updates from the recruiter, absolutely shocking reason for rejections based on a 20 minute conversation with not enough relevant questions asked to come to the said conclusion and overall abject experience considering I was rejected following what is usually a formality round.
You've been warned, be ready for a horrible interview experience.
