I applied online. After about a week, a recruiter reached out and scheduled an HR screening over the phone. The job description did not require a CS degree. I have a B.S. in another technical field, and the recruiter assured me that I could be successful in the role without a CS background. We then scheduled a technical phone/Skype interview with the hiring manager.

The Skype interview went really well. I had to write some algorithms in JS using a browser IDE. I came up with efficient solutions for each problem, and the hiring manager acknowledged this. As I mentioned, I don't have a CS degree, but the position was for a GUI/Front-End engineer, and I have a lot of experience with JS (and all of the other requisite front-end skills). A few days after the phone interview, the recruiter reached out and scheduled a final on-site interview.

They say that an interview is a two-way street, i.e., the employer is interviewing you, but you are also interviewing the employer. F5 failed their on-site interview with me.

The interview included four separate one-hour sessions with four white male engineers. My interview was scheduled to start at 8:00 am. I checked in with reception at 7:51 am; my first interviewer was late and came to get me at 8:20 am (20 minutes late).

At the start of each session, the interviewer would ask, "Which position is this for again?". They had no idea what they were interviewing me for. I was asked a bunch of systems engineering and Java-related questions by the first three interviewers. I obviously struggled because I have almost no experience in these areas (and I definitely didn't include those as skills on my resume).

The last interviewer started the session by explaining that you cannot be successful at F5 without a B.S. in Computer Science. He suggested that I go back to school if I want to work there. He then explained what he does at F5 (systems engineering) and how difficult his job would be without a CS degree. He concluded his diatribe, shook my hand, and showed me out of the building. He didn't even humor me with a technical question.

I totally understand that some jobs are impossible without a CS degree, and I respect that. But don't string me along for two months acting like I don't need one, then have the final panel spring it on me as a requirement. Also, I noticed that I wasn't asked a single behavioral or "cultural fit" question. I could have been an argumentative jerk or a racist, and they would have hired me if my Java skills were up to snuff.

I had an offer in hand from another company when I went into the final interview at F5. After the interview, I got in my car, took out my phone, and accepted the offer at the other company. I'm grateful to F5 for making a difficult career decision much easier.

Systems engineering, Java, nothing related to the front-end or UI.