Initial Communications:

I received a call from Groupon through an internal reference. I had been looking to move and had been preparing for interviews for a while. The first person to contact me was their recruiter, and I was impressed with our initial conversation. She asked me technical questions, which were unexpected, and some critical questions about my background and performance.

Soon after, I was contacted by another recruiter from Groupon, but from a different location, for another position within the company. I informed them that I had already been contacted. The recruiter suggested I proceed with the existing interview and disregard the role they were calling about. Subsequently, I was contacted by yet another Groupon recruiter from a different location, and the same pattern followed.

I had two phone screens with the first loop, which I enjoyed. I really enjoyed speaking with the engineers; their questions were challenging, and they seemed knowledgeable. I was then invited for an on-site interview in another city, and I was very excited about the company.

Planning:

The trip was planned well. I received the flight ticket information, hotel details, the lunch menu was discussed, and I was even provided with a list of interviewers.

Number of Interviews:

There were eight interviewers, and the interview day lasted from 9:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This was longer than usual, as most companies typically have four or five interviews.

Perception of People, Office, and Work Culture:

I have mixed feelings about the people, office, and work culture. I met some great engineers and PMs, but I also had some relatively negative experiences during the on-site interview.

Five interviews were excellent. We had great conversations about technical problems, the company's vision and direction, and work culture. I learned new programming tricks and test approaches. I gained insights into the company's growth, team structures, and the typical workday.

Three interviews did not go as well. One interviewer, an engineer, bombarded me with several questions and then stared blankly as I answered, showing no engagement. Another interviewer did the same. Additionally, interviewers repeated questions.

I had one final interview with the recruiter. She asked if there were aspects I liked more than others. I replied that I had lost interest due to the long day and didn't have a specific preference. She then inquired about my pending offers. I mentioned having one and being in negotiations, to which I asked about their potential package. She stated, "'If' we make you an offer, the package would be competitive." This response felt not only snide but also unfair, as I believed it was only reasonable to expect at least a ballpark figure when asked about my current offer.

I incurred nearly $450 for the hotel, meals, and travel. Only the flight was covered. I have yet to be reimbursed for the remaining expenses, despite promptly submitting the receipts and reimbursement form within their specified timeframe.

Although I had already received an offer from another company, I approached the interview with Groupon with an open mind. I studied the company, prepared for the interviews, and answered all their questions to the best of my ability.

I did not receive an offer, even though I believe I performed better in their interviews than I did at the company that extended me an offer. I am okay with not getting the offer, but I am disappointed with how HR handled the situation.

Questions about A/B testing.

I have no A/B testing background.