Side interview process & guide 2026
Everything we know about interviewing at Side: the process stage by stage, what each round tests, and reports from candidates who interviewed.
- 1Application Screening
- 2English Assessment and/or Written Assessment
- 3Recruiter Call and HR Screening
- 4Technical Interviews and Technical Rounds
- 5Training Program and Final Assessment
- 6Final HR Round (Contract and Cultural Fit)
Interviewing at Side
Side runs a hiring loop that is heavily gate-based early on, with language and aptitude checks before you get to deeper technical discussion. Multiple candidate reports describe English or language testing appearing early, and some reports describe a written test as a clear go/no-go step.
Across the topics they test, you should expect a mix of QA and game-context evaluation plus core CS fundamentals. The extracted interview topics show Project Management (soft skills and leadership) at the top, along with Game Testing Fundamentals, Data Structures and Algorithms, and then Technical Interview topics, Manual Testing, Bug Identification, and coding, plus React for some engineering-track questions.
The most unusual part in the reports is what happens after you pass initial screens: candidates often move into a multi-day Training Program at the office, followed by a practical evaluation or final assessment, and in at least one report failing training ended selection. Candidate reports also describe some cases of delayed or unclear outcomes after verbal communication, and one report shows long silence or missing written follow-through.
Passing the early language and written gates appears to be the main determinant of whether you reach interviews or training, and at least one candidate report indicates that performance during the training program is another critical gate for securing a contract.
How hard is the Side interview?
Aggregated from 369 interview experiencesAbout 1 in 2 candidates with a known outcome convert.
The interview process, end to end
6 rounds · based on 369 candidate reports- 1Application Screening
They start by initially reviewing applications to filter candidates based on qualifications. If you are successful here, you move to early assessments like English or aptitude-related checks.
- 2English Assessment and/or Written Assessment
Candidates are assessed for English language and communication skills, and there are also reports of written tests that include grammar, translation, logical reasoning, or basic aptitude. Candidate reports describe this as a clear gate in multiple journeys.
- 3Recruiter Call and HR Screening
You may have a recruiter call to discuss the role and assess fit, followed by HR screening that covers resume review, career goals, and basic communication. Reports frequently describe motivation and fit questions here.
- 4Technical Interviews and Technical Rounds
You then go through technical interviews or technical rounds tailored to the track, with strong emphasis on game testing context and QA fundamentals. The extracted topics also show DSA, coding, bug identification, manual testing, and React in the set of prominent topics.
- 5Training Program and Final Assessment
Some candidates enter a multi-day training program at the office, followed by tests between sessions. Reports indicate you may need to pass training assessments to secure an official contract, and then complete a final evaluation.
- 6Final HR Round (Contract and Cultural Fit)
There is a final HR round where they finalize compensation and assess cultural fit. Candidate reports also include cases where outcomes after verbal communication became delayed or unclear, so you may want to follow up on written details.
What Side actually tests for
How prominent each skill is across reported loopsFind the guide for your role
This is your next step: open the guide for the role you are interviewing for. Each one carries the questions Side interviewers actually ask that position, the loop structure, and pay by level.
Real interview experiences
What candidates said about the loop, difficulty, and outcomes, straight from recent reports for these roles.
What separates offers from rejections
Patterns from candidates who got offers, and the mistakes that most often sink a loop.
Do this
- Treat the early English and written assessments as a primary gate. Prepare for grammar and vocabulary style questions, because multiple reports describe an English/language check before technical rounds.
- Be ready to connect QA answers to game testing specifics. Several reports describe gaming-focused discussions and bug identification using concrete examples from games you play.
- If you are interviewing for engineering, prepare for both DSA and practical coding topics. The topic list includes Data Structures and Algorithms at the same prominence level as other core areas, and it also includes Coding Round and React.
- For project-management style rounds, practice clear planning and stakeholder communication. The extracted topics put Project Management, Communication Skills, Stakeholder Communication, Outcome Communication, and Leadership at very high prominence.
Avoid this
- Do not assume you can rely only on generic QA knowledge. Reports describe gaming context as a differentiator, including how you report mistakes and how you would evaluate what you played.
- Do not underestimate language accuracy and writing quality. Multiple reports mention grammar or English tests as early bottlenecks, and one report shows a candidate failing a written test.
- Do not show up without being able to operate through process expectations during training. At least one report describes selection hinging on passing training assessments, and another report emphasizes onboarding and readiness to learn.
- Do not ignore timeline uncertainty after interviews. One report describes long silence and a mismatch between verbal communication and the written offer follow-through.
Side interview FAQ
Answered from real candidate and workplace dataWhat is the difficulty level like?
From candidate reports, 48.8% of the process difficulty is rated easy and 46.0% is medium. Hard cases are 4.2%, and very hard is 1.1%, so most loops feel manageable for most candidates.
Do candidates get offers from this company?
In the aggregated candidate reports you provided, the offer rate is 0.0%. The sentiment is positive at 59.5%, so candidates may feel the process is smooth even when they do not receive offers.
How long does the loop take?
The reports mention processes over about a week for some candidates, and also describe multi-day training at the office for others. One report also describes long delays and months of silence after paperwork, so the overall timeline can vary.
What should I prioritize for preparation?
Prioritize English and language assessment preparation first, because reports repeatedly place English or written checks early and describe them as gating steps. Then focus on game-related QA fundamentals and bug identification, and for engineering-track roles, also prepare DSA and the Coding Round topics, with React showing up in the extracted topics.
What happens if I pass interviews but struggle later?
At least one candidate report describes selection hinging on passing training assessments, and another report highlights onboarding steps and a practical evaluation after multi-day training. This suggests you should expect meaningful evaluation beyond the initial interview rounds.
Can I reapply if I do not pass?
Your provided data does not say whether re-application is allowed or how it is handled, so I cannot confirm a policy.
What people say about Side
Verbatim snippets from employee and candidate reviews“Night shifts and lower pay can be challenging aspects of working here.”
“Side offers a great work-life balance, supported by a friendly team environment.”
“The supportive seniors and friendly environment create a positive workplace culture.”
“Higher management should prioritize understanding employee sentiments.”
“The company may hire quickly, but employees often face termination within three months.”
“Working under Project Manager Sreenivas Polisetty provides a strong foundation for growth, showcasing exceptional leadership and vision despite operational hurdles.”
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