Real, anonymous reports from people who interviewed for Software Engineer at Attentive, newest first and distilled into what to expect across the loop.
After a recruiter screening, I had a managerial round. I was given the job description, but the details about the structure and what they expected ended up being off. Even before the questions themselves, the interaction felt uncomfortable, like the tone wasn’t respectful.
I started with an initial phone screen. After that, I was expecting a fairly standard continuation: a second round with coding and system design, then a third round with more of the same kind of assessment, followed by meeting the team. The process ended before it could get that far—the role was closed—so I never made it into those later rounds. It left the whole pipeline feeling like it was about to expand, and then it just stopped.
Initial recruiter interactions vary significantly; some candidates report positive experiences with clear communication, while others describe unprofessionalism and a lack of follow-through, leading to frustration early in the process.
The interview process typically includes multiple rounds, often comprising coding, system design, and behavioral interviews, but candidates have noted inconsistencies in how these rounds align with the job description and expectations.
Candidates can expect a mix of coding challenges and system design questions, with some reporting that the difficulty level is manageable, while others experienced mismatched expectations regarding the technologies used in assessments.
Behavioral rounds are included in the process, but the quality of these interactions can vary, with some candidates feeling that the interviewers were dismissive or unhelpful, impacting their overall experience.
Candidates have expressed frustration with the lack of timely communication and follow-up throughout the process, often feeling left in the dark about their application status or the next steps.
The final decision-making process can feel opaque and frustrating, with candidates noting that offers may be influenced more by specific experience rather than overall performance during interviews.