Real, anonymous reports from people who interviewed for Software Engineer at Perk HR Consulting, newest first and distilled into what to expect across the loop.
I went through a fairly structured set of interviews and stayed hopeful because the early signals were decent. After the recruiter step and the subsequent technical and hiring-manager conversations, I was left with what felt like silence instead of closure. At one point, after everything was supposedly completed, the recruiter effectively disappeared and I was left emailing without getting a reply.
I started off with a recruiter-led process that looked like it would go somewhere. I went through a full set of stages and even when the last interview ended, the recruiter’s messaging didn’t point to a problem. But shortly after the final step, I was told they were pulling all their engineering roles, which explained the process ending so abruptly.
Candidates reported varied experiences with recruiter communication, often highlighting a lack of follow-through and abrupt changes in status, leading to feelings of being ghosted or misled about their progress. Many expressed frustration over the inconsistency between initial positive signals and later rejections without clear explanations.
The technical interviews were described as structured but sometimes confusing, with candidates feeling that the expectations were not clearly communicated. Some reported that the coding challenges were straightforward, while others experienced unexpected tasks that did not align with prior communications.
System design interviews emerged as a critical and often challenging component, with candidates noting that the evaluation criteria were sometimes unclear and that communication during these sessions was crucial. Many felt that their performance in this area significantly influenced the final outcome.
Behavioral interviews often utilized structured formats like STAR to assess cultural fit, with candidates experiencing a mix of supportive and critical atmospheres. Some felt that the feedback received did not align with their responses, leading to confusion about the evaluation process.
Candidates noted that the interview process could be lengthy and intense, often spanning multiple rounds with significant time commitments. While some appreciated the thoroughness, others felt that the extended duration did not correlate with the depth of technical discussions.
Feedback after interviews was frequently described as lacking or generic, leaving candidates feeling unsatisfied and questioning the fairness of the evaluation. Many expressed a desire for more constructive feedback to understand their performance better.