Bending Spoons Machine Learning Engineer Interview Questions
& Process

So, there were six coding and problem-solving take-home questions, then three interviews: one behavioural, one problem-solving, and a technical one. The technical interview involved discussing past projects, answering questions about neural networks, and explaining how I'd build a specific real-world feature. After that, they did a reference check, contacting all three references. It felt like they really cared more about how you think and your potential than just your past experience.

Since they get tons of applications, the process is partly automated and pretty competitive at every step. They really care about how you think critically, solve problems, and your behavioral skills. You don't even need direct experience to be a good fit. After an initial screening, you'll do some logic and behavioral tests before the actual interviews. I had three interviews: one focused on behavior, another on problem-solving, and the last was technical. The technical one was all about my AI background, discussing past projects, and answering questions about AI concepts and problem-solving. After passing those, they did a reference check before the final decision, where they either give you an offer or not. It was a really organized and well-thought-out process, and the hiring manager kept me updated transparently. They seem to want to learn as much as they can about a candidate's potential without taking up too much of your time.

After reviewing my application, they contacted me for two rounds of tests, totaling about 10 hours. This was followed by a behavioral interview. I was then informed about one or two more interviews. Subsequently, they suggested I was a better fit for a more technical role. I had another short interview about this new position. For this, I was given two more tests, taking about 3 hours, which involved optimizing brute force algorithms. Unfortunately, I didn't pass these tests. Their feedback was that my approaches were incorrect and I needed to improve my problem-solving skills. I had evidence to the contrary and sought clarification, providing examples, but they stood by their decision without offering further evidence. I also provided feedback on their recruiting process, suggesting improvements for speed, as it took over a month. I sensed some disorganization and communication issues, possibly due to remote work. Despite the rejection, I cannot consider the overall experience positive due to the feedback and communication issues.