Benchling Manager Interview Questions
& Process

I was headhunted by an external recruiter and then had four interviews directly with Benchlings. In addition, I had two interviews with internal recruiters and two with hiring managers, all lasting about 30 minutes. The interviews were general chats where they asked technical questions and inquired about why I would fit into the company. The feedback I received from the recruiter was that they had a large pool of candidates and that I didn't show enough reasoning for making this career move. I had prepared extensively by reading all the reviews on Glassdoor, watching their YouTube presentations, downloading their software, and reading about their expected IPO, all of which I demonstrated in the four interviews. This feedback seemed contradictory given my efforts. If someone has made the effort to attend four interviews, it feels like there should be more respect in providing credible feedback. It makes one doubt the entire process, especially since this was a headhunted application initiated on my behalf.

Started with an intro call with the hiring manager, then a screen with a recruiter. Next was a take-home assignment, followed by a roughly 3-hour onsite interview. The final step was supposed to be an interview with the new CMO. After the 3-hour onsite, spending about 6 hours total on the process, a recruiter said she'd call the next morning about next steps, win or lose. No call came, and the recruiter and hiring manager were slow to respond to my job status inquiry. Late Friday afternoon, I got a cheerful rejection email wishing me luck, with no feedback. I asked for feedback, which they eventually provided and felt fair. The company seems great, but they're growing fast and some processes are breaking down, impacting the culture I was drawn to. The experience left me okay with moving on.

The interview process involved several stages, including phone calls, two presentations, and Zoom meetings. The presentations were demanding but enjoyable due to the research involved. Benchling's hiring process felt rigorous, offering a clear perspective on the role and a good chance to connect with the current team.