Grayce Software Engineer Interview Questions
& Process

So I interviewed in April 2024, and I got to stage 2, but then they didn't move my application forward. I asked for feedback and got a call back. They said everything was good, except they thought I should be 'mindful when probing the interviewer'. This was about my answer to the 'think outside the box' question, where I said it's unfair for uni students because we're told what to do and don't work on cutting-edge problems, so there are usually existing solutions. I also gave an example of a project where I used online resources to solve a problem. I was respectful, but I guess the manager didn't like my different perspective. It's a shame because I really wanted to join. Someone from Grayce at a job fair told me to email them about it, but they just said to reapply. Stage 1 was an interview with a hiring professional to learn about you and what you can bring to the Grayce team, focusing on your transferable skills, values, knowledge of the programme (Change+, Data+, or Tech+) and the business world. Stage 2 was an online interview with a Delivery Manager, including a presentation about yourself, an additional exercise, and competency/scenario questions. Stage 3, for the Digital learning pathway, had a final technical skills assessment to gauge your starting point for training and matching you to client needs.

The interview started with a phone call and then a team screening interview, where the interviewer just read questions without much follow-up. I then had to prepare a presentation about myself, why I wanted to join Grayce, and analyze companies. This seemed like a lot for a graduate software developer role, especially given the low salary, which felt more like an internship pay. I showed up for the next interview early, but nobody came for almost half an hour. After emailing some people, I eventually rescheduled. The next interview went better; the interviewer was nice. A week later, I was notified that my application wouldn't be moving forward. The role was advertised as a 'Grayce Software Developer Programme,' but the interviews felt more geared towards an analyst role (tech, project, business, data, etc.). The final interview only had one question about software development, asking about Agile/Waterfall. The rest were standard competency questions about teamwork. The advertisement felt misleading because the interviewers didn't seem to understand software development and appeared to be pushing towards an analyst position. The Excel data analysis task for a software developer role was particularly confusing, as I'd expect a coding assessment or understanding of core concepts instead.

It started with a phone call with competency and get-to-know-you questions. Then there was an hour-long online interview split into three parts. First, a presentation: introduce yourself and your background, discuss a successful and an unsuccessful tech company, then talk about Grayce, why you want the role, and why you're a good fit. Second, demo something you've worked on, explaining the process. Third, interview questions covering competencies, industry knowledge, company knowledge, and getting to know you. The process took 4 weeks due to their issues like messing me around, forgetting about me, changing times last minute, and technical problems. I got the job and was ecstatic. They present themselves professionally. I thought this was my break, especially as an autistic woman dealing with underemployment and poverty. They mentioned a 4th stage of client interviews might take time but would happen, with a point of contact for updates. I told my family and friends and even got a uniform from a charity. Now, I feel scammed. No contact for over 2 months despite my emails and calls. They're just a recruitment company, and I feel like a fool, like my time was wasted. I'm very upset.