I was contacted by a technical sourcer. After a conversation with her, I decided that Pure Storage seemed like a very interesting company. The prospect of relocating to Prague, Czech Republic, made the opportunity even more appealing. I consulted with my family, and although it might not be easy initially, we agreed it could be a worthwhile opportunity for all of us.

The interview process consisted of eight online sessions:

• Initial meeting with the technical recruiter: He explained the format and goals of each interview step.
• First technical interview: This involved a coding problem. While a complete solution or perfect syntax was not required, I was expected to outline an algorithm for the key parts and clearly communicate my approach.
• First managerial interview: A discussion about various aspects of engineering management, using examples from my experience.
• Intermediate feedback session with the technical recruiter: Detailed feedback from the first two interviews was provided, along with a GO/NO GO decision for the second round.
• Second technical interview
• Second managerial interview
• HR and managerial interview
• Final feedback session with the technical recruiter

Interviewers: All the interviewers were friendly, competent, and genuinely curious about my experience, skills, and knowledge. They always allotted at least 10 minutes at the end of each session for me to ask questions about Pure Storage’s processes, culture, etc.

Intermediate feedback session: I received detailed feedback from the interviewers, which was very positive overall. Consequently, I was approved for the second round.

Final feedback session: I did not receive an offer, which was fine. However, the reasons given were interesting. They concluded that I lacked sufficient motivation and energy during the interviews. When I asked if there was any feedback related to my motivation and energy, the recruiter gave no specific facts; he just repeated that there were no facts, only a conclusion.

My thoughts:

• Concluding that I lacked motivation after I agreed to and completed this demanding interview process doesn’t seem reasonable. Moreover, I involved my family early on to decide if we could relocate and how we could manage it.
• Stating a conclusion without referring to any specific feedback is not serious.
• Measuring the energy of participants in online interviews is quite an interesting concept, but...

My modest advice: Either provide meaningful feedback at the end or skip those feedback sessions altogether. Otherwise, the effort and dedication of all company employees who conducted the technical and managerial interviews can be compromised. Moreover, the image of this generally interesting and attractive company could be harmed.

How do you motivate your team?