Headstorm Interview Questions
& Process

So there are three rounds in total at Headstorm. I got through two and didn't make it to the third. The first one was a phone interview where they asked about my background and just general stuff about what I'm interested in. Then there was a Coderpad round, which was a technical interview where you can pick whatever language you want. The onsite interview included a 1-hour technical round, a 1-hour interview about consultant-type questions, and then a 30-minute behavioral chat with HR.

The interview process started with a phone screening, followed by a two-part technical interview. The first technical part involved a data structures and algorithms exercise. The second technical part was a case study and software architecture question, requiring detailed discussion on building specific software for a client. After this, there was a final interview with an architect, which was mainly cultural/executive, focusing on soft skills rather than hard skills. Although I was offered a Senior Consultant II position, the recruiters were hesitant about negotiation. My attempt to propose a better negotiation range led to silence for about a week, after which they stated they couldn't improve the offer. After verbally accepting and providing details for the official offer document, they again went silent for another week. Eventually, the recruiter contacted me to inform me that Headstorm was rescinding offers due to a lack of budget for new hires. Thankfully, I hadn't resigned from my previous job and had other offers, but this situation could be difficult for less experienced candidates. My advice is to be cautious, do your own research, and don't resign until you have a signed offer on paper, especially if the company has a history of rescinding offers.

This company, unlike many tech firms, still uses technical challenges. The whole process was fine. First, I chatted with a community manager who acted as a recruiter. It was a chill conversation where they explained the company and my potential role. Next up was a 30-minute technical session, though it really felt like 15-17 minutes to solve the problem because of introductions and Q&A. It's a shame companies overlook good candidates by only focusing on quick problem-solving in a short time. They didn't even ask about my current job or projects, just judged me on a problem I might not solve instantly. I got an email the next day saying I was a cultural fit but lacked technical skills, which is pretty ridiculous. I'm glad it didn't work out with them.

The HR manager reached out to me to schedule a call. We talked about my background and Headstorm, and they explained the interview process which is pretty thorough, including a coder pad and in-person interviews. I passed the coder pad and moved on to the onsite interviews, which included tech, culture, and executive interviews. The tech interview was intense. A few days later, the hr manager told me what I missed but said they really appreciated me coming in and gave me praise too. I appreciated the candidness. Overall, it was a good experience.