I'd like to share my recent interview experience with Freshworks on Glassdoor.
I was initially invited for what was supposed to be a DSA (Data Structures and Algorithms) round, but the interviewer unexpectedly switched to a system design focus. Despite expressing my surprise to the coordinator, who was unaware of the change, it seemed there was a miscommunication about the nature of the round.
Adding to the confusion, the person conducting the interview held a position one grade below the role they were hiring for, specifically for the Staff Software Engineer position. This raised concerns for me, and I wonder if this is a standard practice in the company's interview organization.
This deviation from the expected interview format, coupled with an interviewer of lower experience, contributed to a challenging and uncertain experience. It's always unsettling when the interviewer has less experience than the interviewee, as it creates ambiguity about their understanding of the conversation during the hour-long session.
Surprisingly, the first round extended to 1.5 hours, only to conclude with feedback from HR that I would not be progressing to the next rounds. When I inquired about the reason for this decision, I was informed that they were seeking a candidate closely aligned with their expectations, especially in the area of designing systems.
In summary, my overall experience was quite disheartening. The unexpected change in interview focus, coupled with the interviewer's lower experience level, left me unsure about the fairness and comprehensiveness of the evaluation process. Moreover, the lack of proactive communication from HR regarding the feedback added to the frustration.
I cannot recommend this company based on my experience. The unprofessionalism exhibited by the HR team and the significant communication gaps have left a lasting negative impression.
