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Senior Data Platform Engineer Interview Experience - Amsterdam, North Holland

April 1, 2023
Negative ExperienceNo Offer

Process

With 16 years of experience in the data and analytics domain, I have successfully built data platforms in multiple cloud systems, handling petabytes of data.

My previous role involved working for a cloud provider, where I gained valuable experience in resolving issues with Cloud services.

My passion for understanding the technology used by high-frequency traders led me to apply for a position at Flow Traders. Unfortunately, the interview experience at Flow Traders was extremely disappointing.

I was given two problem statements as assignments: one focused on Spark coding and the other on system design. However, despite spending two days on the Spark coding assignment, it was never mentioned or discussed during the interview.

The interview panel consisted of two junior individuals who seemed unfamiliar with building resilient big data systems. They repeatedly asked basic questions that did not reflect an understanding of system design or the Spark assignment.

For instance, they inquired about the white paper behind BigQuery and the consequences of using "collect" in Spark, rather than exploring the system design or reviewing the Spark assignment. They also demonstrated a lack of knowledge regarding newer transactional lake formats like Iceberg and its partitioning scheme.

It appeared that these interviewers had simply studied some generic interview questions and were attempting to elicit specific answers without truly comprehending the subject matter.

In their feedback, they wrongly claimed that I lacked coding skills, even though I was never evaluated for my coding abilities throughout the interview process.

I strongly advise against applying for a position on this team at Flow Traders. The interviewers exhibited a narrow perspective and lacked a comprehensive understanding of the broader industry. It felt as if they were confined to a limited space and unaware of the vast ocean of knowledge beyond it.

Questions

What happens when you do "collect" in Spark?

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Interview Statistics

The following metrics were computed from 1 interview experience for the Flow Traders Senior Data Platform Engineer role in Amsterdam, North Holland.

Success Rate

0%
Pass Rate

Flow Traders's interview process for their Senior Data Platform Engineer roles in Amsterdam, North Holland is extremely selective, failing the vast majority of engineers.

Experience Rating

Positive0%
Neutral0%
Negative100%

Candidates reported having very negative feelings for Flow Traders's Senior Data Platform Engineer interview process in Amsterdam, North Holland.

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