Firstup Interview Questions
& Process

It started with an initial 30 min call from the Internal Snr TA Partner. Then there were 30 min calls with the Hiring Manager, Sr Eng Mgr, Sr Product Director, VP Eng, Team meet + greet, and finally the CPO. The entire process wrapped up in under 3 weeks, could've been quicker but holidays caused a small delay. There were 7 separate 30 min meetings in total. They were super organised and communication/feedback was handled really well, with feedback the same day and prompt movement to the next stage. The interviews included a mix of technical and product questions, and everyone was really engaging. My main contact, Ane (Snr TA Partner), managed all comms from start to offer, making it a confident and reassuring experience for me.

HR responded quickly to my application and walked me through the whole thing: First, a screener to check who I am and my salary expectations. Then, two tech tests. The first was about data structures and algorithms, and the second was about systems design and architecture. After that, I interviewed with the line manager and then the department manager. Finally, they extended an offer.

The recruiter was the only good part of this interview experience, super great and totally upfront. They mentioned the hiring manager might be skeptical about someone moving from a big company to a startup and that it could be a hurdle. I was still keen because the vibe and values seemed awesome, and the job matched my skills. I progressed to the next stage with the hiring manager, but they bailed twice (no explanation given), both times super last minute, setting things back by two weeks. I get that stuff happens, but after the second cancellation, it felt like a game and I sensed some bias. It was also kinda weird that my LinkedIn was checked under a fake name right before our scheduled calls. By the time we actually talked, I wasn't really feeling it anymore and probably wasn't at my best. They never addressed the cancellations and asked basic stuff, but did ask in a couple of different ways why I'd want to join their company from a bigger place. I didn't have the 'perfect' answer they were looking for, so I flipped it and asked the hiring manager (who also came from a huge company) why they made the switch. At that point, I figured I was done and was just curious. Their reason was pretty subjective and just plain odd. Looking back, I should've just withdrawn after the second reschedule. I understand not everyone's a fit, but don't waste people's time asking questions you already know you won't like the answer to, no matter how many times you ask. At least I got some interview practice out of it, so not a total waste.

The interview was in-depth. It kicked off with a discovery call with a recruiter, followed by a meeting with the hiring manager. Next up was a presentation/work demo, and the final stage was a meeting with the CRO. After the second interview, I was going to withdraw my application because my current company gave me a substantial raise. But then SocialChorus/First Up increased their offer to get me to stay in the process. It was a good sign they liked me! I went through the whole interview process, including meeting the CRO. I didn't get hired in the end because of concerns about my experience with 'independently solutioning against problems.' The whole thing felt like they really wanted to hire me, but then I never got an offer. It was a big waste of time interviewing for this company, and I got a lot of mixed signals. So, if you're interviewing, take the interview process with a grain of salt.