Columbia Bank Interview Questions
& Process

The interview seemed to go well, and I thought I was going to get hired. After the interview, I was contacted to update my resume, which I thought was odd. I resent an updated resume to HR and was never contacted afterwards. I also followed-up with the Hiring Manager and still no answer. I figured they didn't want to pay me the extra dollar in pay I negotiated since I am very qualified for the position. I interviewed at the Carlsbad, CA location.

The interview process was pretty easy and straightforward. It started with a brief phone screening, followed by an in-person interview with the branch manager. They asked mostly behavioral and customer service questions and explained the role clearly. Overall, it felt relaxed and professional, and the interviewers were friendly.

It started with an email checking in on my application and what department I was hoping to intern in. Then, I had a Microsoft Teams call with some managers from engineering, both software and QA. There were seven interviewers, which felt like a lot. They asked about my resume projects and experiences, letting me talk about my tech skills and how I work with others. Near the end, I had to do a LeetCode-style coding problem. I shared my screen and did it in a text editor, explaining my thinking. I got an offer about two weeks later. They seemed like a good company, professional and fair. However, it didn't feel like a super lively or fun place. I chose another opportunity, but I did respect their interview process.

The interview process involved multiple rounds with different leadership team members. My first contact was with Samantha, a senior corporate recruiter at Umpqua. It began with screening questions like why I wanted to work there, to describe my past work experience, my familiarity with Umpqua, and which location I preferred. I had researched the bank and its offerings beforehand. The job description mentioned a starting range in the mid-20s, but Samantha, who had a condescending tone throughout, offered me minimum wage ($18/hour), which was different from what was advertised. She justified this by saying some internal employees don't make mid-20s and might retaliate if they found out. Due to her predatory behavior, I declined further engagement with the organization. I advise others to be cautious of this place and check their location reviews, which seem to indicate member dissatisfaction and unethical practices.