I applied through a recruiter.

The technical interview used HackerRank’s live coding environment, which experienced severe technical issues that prevented me from typing reliably. Multiple keyboards were tested, but the problem persisted. Despite this, the interviewers concluded it was “definitely on my end,” without meaningful troubleshooting or offering any alternatives.

Before attempting to code, I asked clarifying questions about the problem, as one would expect in a collaborative engineering environment. I was simply told to “look at the HackerRank tests,” with no discussion, clarification, or collaboration. There was no attempt to talk through the problem, screen share, whiteboard, or adapt the format in any way.

For a senior engineering manager role, I was surprised by:

• Lack of flexibility when technical issues arose
• No alternative interview options offered
• No collaboration or discussion when questions were asked
• Immediate dismissal rather than problem-solving

This experience raised concerns about how unexpected issues are handled and how collaboration is valued during high-pressure situations.

Pros: Interviewers were punctual and the process was clearly structured.

Cons: Inflexible interview process, poor candidate experience when tools fail, lack of collaboration during technical interviews.

Advice to Management: For senior and leadership roles, consider evaluating problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills, not just performance in a live coding tool. Having contingency plans when tools fail would significantly improve the candidate experience.

A HackerRank live coding exercise. When I asked clarifying questions before coding, I was directed back to the HackerRank tests rather than discussing the problem or approach.