Screening - Got a referral from a ServiceNow employee.

Round 1:

• One LeetCode hard problem similar to the Gas Station problem.
• Executed working code on the HackerRank platform.

Round 2:

• Detect and find a loop in a linked list.
• Indirectly asked to implement the Topological Sort algorithm with code.
• Some project discussion.

Up to this point, the process was smooth, and the recruiter was responsive. However, the worst part I have ever experienced then began.

Hiring Manager Round - 1:

• Started with an overview of the projects I had done.
• Followed by some behavioral questions.
• Then a medium problem, LeetCode 394: Decode String.
• Able to explain the logic, and the round went fairly okay; neither the best nor the worst.

Result: Put on hold for almost 3 weeks, neither selecting nor rejecting.

Literally, every 3-4 days, I had to call and ask for a conclusion. After 3 weeks, they said they would arrange one more HM Round.

Hiring Manager Round - 2:

• Started with project discussion.
• Then asked a fairly new question, which I was unable to find anywhere on the internet.
• She literally had a document to explain the problem statement with a diagram, which she showed by sharing her screen.
• I had to remember the problem and code. (She again shared and showed me the diagram of the result once more in the middle of the interview so that I was not going in the wrong direction).
• The problem was about labeling versions according to hierarchical order (ignoring this, as it's hard to explain without the document and images she had).
• I proceeded with the assumption that Topological Sort would work, but with some extra logic of using Graph BFS traversal after finding the topological order.
• She said she was fine with the logic by the end of the interview call but asked me to share the working code within the next hour to the recruiter's email, even after the interview. I did the same.

Result: The recruiter said, "You have cleared the round, but we are looking for JavaScript experience, and you are from a Java background." I was like, "What the hell?" My resume clearly shows I am from a Java background. Why did they ask me for this interview? Put on hold again, LOL.

Two weeks later, they called again and said one more HM Round. By that time, I was in the last week of my notice period, and I attended one more round.

Hiring Manager Round - 3:

• Project discussion, lots of behavioral questions, and a probability question.
• Problem: There is a couple who is looking for a baby boy and will keep trying for a boy if they have a baby girl, only stopping when blessed with a boy. What is the ratio of boys and girls? Solved this as I had already read it somewhere.

Result: The recruiter said, "Cleared, let's discuss the CTC part." We discussed, and he said he would get back with their numbers in 2 days.

No call followed from him. I pinged him asking for an update, as I only had 1 day left in my notice period.

Recruiter Response: "Hi, the manager is asking for one more round, and the panel is not available."

I had to withdraw my application because I understood they would interview for my lifetime for fun.

Now, whoever reads this, please tell me: after 1.5 months of process, after so many rounds, and after discussing the CTC part, who would expect this from an organization with such a reputation? Extremely disappointed. Waste of enormous time and energy. I really wish whoever was involved in this process would face the same at some point in their career and be reminded of this.

I heard that they are holding multiple candidates in the pipeline for a single position so that at least one of them joins, and they benefit by putting other candidates' careers in limbo.

Anyway, they are going to play a game with you, so look for better ones.