Booking.com Interview Questions
& Process

after applying, i got a quick response to schedule the first interview. during the interview, i met a young interviewer. he started by asking about my past experiences, but didn't really dive deep into them. throughout the conversation, he seemed disengaged with his eyes mostly closed, which made me feel uncomfortable. there wasn't much explanation about the job responsibilities or what the role entailed. he made some comments about a bonus, repeatedly checking if i understood and was okay with working in an english-speaking office. asking this to someone looking for a job abroad (i'm in italy) felt a bit off, as it could imply an underestimation of my english skills or that i hadn't considered the implications of working internationally. the interview concluded with him stating i didn't fully meet the requirements (despite having 7 years in IT) and that he would consult with the manager about offering a standard one-year contract for holland, even though i had agreed to it. this was honestly the worst interview experience i've had so far.

A recruiter reached out, and I had two initial calls before moving on to three main interviews: System Design, Coding, and a Culture fit. The interviewers were very approachable. I spent a good amount of time studying to cover my weak spots and gave it my all. About a week after my last interview, I emailed the talent coordinator for an update. It's now been a month and a week since that final interview, and I haven't heard anything back at all, not even a standard rejection. This has been the longest process I've ever experienced in my career, and I've never been ghosted like this before.

The interview had 4 parts: HR, an impromptu business case, a take-home case, and a final round with the hiring manager. The case questions were random and not always related to the job. You had to come up with solutions and answer many questions about them. The hiring manager round was tough, they asked behavioral questions and seemed to have a bad attitude from the start. They questioned my project examples, even when they were relevant to the job description, which felt disrespectful. They didn't give any positive feedback and just sent a generic email. It felt like they might have interviewed me regardless of passing earlier stages. They should really treat candidates better.

The interview process was laid out after the first interview, with five stages planned over about 1.5 months. It kicked off with a brief HR chat to gauge company fit and check for core qualifications. After that, the Hiring Manager reviewed my CV. Then, there were two interviews with subject matter experts, and finally, a session with the Hiring Manager where I had to prep and present a business case including initiatives for the target market. Overall, it was a good experience. The interviewers were nice and helpful, the process was clear, I got feedback quickly, and communication was on point the whole time.