FinQuery Software Engineer Interview Questions
& Process

First, a recruiter gave me a call and was super friendly, asking basic questions that were already on my resume. Then, I had a technical coding assessment, but it was weird because we used a plain text editor instead of a proper coding platform. The interviewers were also strange, taking control of my keyboard while I was coding to type messages, and they wouldn't even use a video call or phone. They asked vague questions like 'What's wrong with this database?' and would cut me off mid-sentence, saying 'That's not the point' without explaining. After that, I had to make a call to the SWAPI API using an old method in the same text editor, which was really slow. They didn't mention that copy-pasting was buggy, so they just watched me struggle for 30 minutes without saying anything. I was told I'd get feedback from the recruiter, but I never did.

It was a fast and chill process. They had a one on one chat about my background and how I'd fit with the company. Took about two weeks total.

The interview process kicked off with a manager conducting a pair programming exercise, which was a new experience for me. It went well, and a second interview was arranged on the spot, despite my upcoming vacation. The second interview involved five people from different backgrounds. They presented a 'code smell' challenge, another unfamiliar concept. Although I felt my mind went blank, one developer reassured me afterward that I did well and they even shared their own interview experiences. That concluded the interviews. I had high hopes, but the next day received a rejection letter. It felt like a betrayal given the positive feedback. It was a peculiar interview with a mix of new challenges and unexpected emotional feedback.