FreshBooks Software Engineer Interview Questions
& Process

I went through two out of four interviews before being turned down. The two interviews I participated were pretty standard for an experienced software engineering position: 1) a screening call with a recruiter, 2) a one-on-one conversation with a technical lead on the team I was applying for. Both people I spoke to were warm and easy to speak to, and left me with a positive impression of FreshBooks, even though I didn't get an offer. Additionally, both people were _very_ forthcoming about the culture and challenges facing their company - much more so than you would usually get this early in the interview process.

I thought I was ready for this interview, but I knew Freshbooks wouldn't hire me. This is because I had another interview with them in 2014 and they asked me the exact same questions, following the same interview path. I found the questions on Glassdoor back in 2014, and they hadn't changed a single one! I don't know if Freshbooks genuinely wants to hire people or if they're just using interviews to improve their own skills. I must admit, their skills have improved significantly since 2014 when they seemed quite beginner-level; by 2017, they were at least more professional. I won't be applying again for any position at Freshbooks (I've already tested my chances twice with them!) and I think there are better places to work. Their interview process took a lot of time (you'd think they were working on rocket science!), but I suspect the company founders are making a fortune, so they've left the company to some 'just graduated' folks to use as a sandbox. I asked them why they switched their technology from PHP to Python, and they said it was because many people in the company advocated for Python. To me, this sounds more like a decision made by junior people right out of university who want to experiment without worrying about the consequences for the company. I'd recommend applying if you have the time (and be ready for 4 rounds of interviews, yes, they have 4 rounds!), but don't expect to be hired. It's mostly good for gaining more interviewing experience, after which you can apply to a better company for your dream job.

The Freshbooks staff seemed very friendly, though perhaps a bit sleepy, but overall it was a good experience. What threw me off is why they've been hiring for over 2 years. With the reviews off Glassdoor and their hiring time, it seems a lot of people have been leaving and they've been struggling to replace them. The process included: 1) A phone interview, 2) A face-to-face personality interview, and 3) A technical interview.