I rarely leave reviews about interview processes, but after going through the experience with Proton, I felt I should share my perspective — especially as it echoes similar concerns raised by other candidates.
The process was long and felt disjointed, involving multiple conversations with people at varying levels of the business. At one point, I was asked to do three interviews in a single day, which was challenging to accommodate alongside my full-time role. Communication from the recruiter was also difficult — they were reluctant to use email, and if I missed a call (often because I was on a work call), I’d receive multiple calls in quick succession. Overall, I didn’t feel my time or professional commitments were respected.
The take-home task was overly long. While I don’t object to case studies in principle, this one required the creation of an extensive evaluation of the website and an end-to-end product and experimentation strategy, which felt excessive and self-indulgent. I questioned whether the depth and scope were necessary, but chose to proceed.
The presentation that followed — to a panel of interviewers I’d previously met — unfortunately reinforced my concerns. The environment was tense and negative rather than collaborative, and one interviewer’s tone was quite rude. Rather than feeling like a positive conversation, it came across as either idea extraction or just a way to make the candidate feel uncomfortable. Throughout the process, the questions were unstructured and poorly formatted as well as being generally condescending.
Even before the process concluded, I was sure that I wouldn’t accept an offer. That said, being ghosted after such a time-intensive process felt disrespectful and unprofessional.
All in all, the experience left me with the impression that the interview process reflects deeper cultural issues in the company. I’d encourage others to carefully consider whether this is the kind of environment that aligns with their values and expectations. There are plenty of companies that treat candidates with more professionalism and mutual respect.
