Hotjar Interview Questions
& Process

I was really looking forward to the first interview with HR, which was a pleasant and professional conversation and seemed to go well. After that, I got positive feedback and an invite to the next step. I was asked for my availability to set up a video call with the Design Team. I sent my availability as requested, but then I never got an invitation. I followed up multiple times with the person I first interviewed with about my interview status, but I never heard back. Six months went by, and I still haven't received any feedback. I was essentially ghosted. For a company that says 'Trust and transparency' is a value, I'd expect at least a message about closing the process rather than leaving me hanging for so long.

The interview process at Hotjar was one of the most positive that I've experienced during a job search. From application to offer, the process took exactly 4 weeks, which fell within the range described in their recruitment FAQs. Anna did a great job of clearly explaining each stage, including what to expect and if/how I should prepare. The first couple of stages were pretty similar to any other interview process (HR screener, interview with hiring manager), but the most challenging and unique part was the last stage, where candidates are asked to complete a task for the team they would join. Candidates are added to the company Slack channel and encouraged to be part of the team for the duration of the task. This really helped me get a feel for what it would be like to work for Hotjar, as well as get to know some of my potentially future co-workers. Overall, a very positive and transparent process.

You talk about transparency and structure, but you don't do that in reality. The HR person showed up and told me you changed the job requirements after a meeting last night. You say you respect candidates and candidates' time and effort, but I wasn't told beforehand about the change. I spent time filling out the application because I thought I was a good fit and preparing for the interview and questions. Then, I was told you changed your mind about the seniority level. If you don't know who you're looking for, why waste my time? And why not tell me so I can prepare for other interviews? It's not hard to send an email saying you've changed your interests. It was a waste of my time to apply to your disrespectful company, and you say the opposite of what you do in the interview process.

I applied in Jan 2022. After a recruiter call, I got a take-home task that I had a week to complete. The project was set up, and the assignment involved a new endpoint, which was interesting. I finished it in a day. After submitting, I let the hiring manager know. The review took 8 days past the deadline, so about two weeks after submission. Then came the technical interview, which was mostly a chat about my experience and ideas on Microservices, Monoliths, Python, and Databases. I thought it went well. They said they'd reply in about a week about next steps. A week later, I got an email saying I didn't make it because of the high quality of applications, work culture fit, and not just interview performance. The process was smooth but slow. They paid for the take-home task, which was great. My only suggestion is to be more transparent with feedback on why candidates are rejected, especially after the technical interview, since that info is likely summarized internally anyway. It would make Hotjar a better place if feedback was shared, especially for candidates who reach the interview stage, to help them in their future job searches.