Impinj Interview Questions
& Process

So the whole thing took about a month. The recruiter mentioned there would be 4 rounds: a recruiter screening for 30-45 mins, then a 30 min chat with the hiring manager, followed by a 1-hour technical interview, and if that went well, an onsite. The first two stages felt good, I was pretty hyped after talking to the hiring manager. But then the technical interview totally derailed things. It was with this experienced architect guy, and he was laser-focused on stuff related to his specific business apps. My resume had other business apps, ERP solutions, and project management experience, but he just brushed it aside even though project management was a big deal for this job. It seemed like he wanted someone who already knew his exact setup and wasn't interested in teaching anyone. Kinda funny because the hiring manager had just said they have over 50 business apps and wanted someone eager to learn since you can't know everything, which I really liked. Even though I knew some tech they needed and had transferable skills, he was kind of bragging about his own background. Near the end, I asked him for advice on what enterprise tools or tech I should pick up next, and he basically said he remembers tons of tables in Dynamics 365 Business apps and I should just stick with what I've done for the last 6 years. Which struck me as odd since I'd just said I wanted to expand and learn. The irony is he bragged about his own diverse experience earlier but then told me to stay in my lane. Logically, I get the specialist vs. generalist thing, but the way he came across and made me feel was rough. Made me second-guess myself. I really like the company and the role seemed amazing, but sometimes people are the issue.

Applied and then got a 45-min chat with the hiring manager, which was pretty cool because it was really two-sided, I got to ask a lot of questions and they sold me on the role. Then, a 45-min call with a teammate, who gave me a heads up on the good feedback from the HM. After that, a virtual interview loop with some HR folks. Finally, a 30-min call with the CTO. Offer decision was a bit slow because the CTO was swamped, but I got the offer the next week.

Saw the opening online and applied by submitting my resume and cover letter. Got an email the next day from HR to schedule a phone interview with the hiring manager (VP of Engineering). That happened a few days later and lasted about an hour, longer than I expected. I knew I wasn't as strong in a few areas of the job description. So near the end of the phone interview I asked the VP if he had any concerns I could address. We spent the last 10-15 minutes on those. At the very end I asked him about the next steps. When I've been the hiring manager I always let candidates know when they can expect to hear back, good or bad, but I think my asking made the VP feel a bit uncomfortable, like I was asking for a decision right then, which wasn't my intent. Anyway, he said he'd like to have me in for an on-site interview, which was scheduled for a few days later. The on-site was scheduled to be 6 1/2 hours long. (On a side note, while I appreciate the opportunity to meet more people and that the company is trying to be thorough and inclusive, in my experience after the first 3-4 people, the company isn't really learning much more from a candidate. By interviewer 4 or 5, every candidate is being asked the same questions and giving the same answers they gave three hours ago. Rule of thumb: If you really need 6-7 people on the interview roster, double up some of them.) The first 15 minutes was an intro to/demo of all Impinj's products, which was interesting and pleasant. The first person I met with for the actual interview portion was the VP I'd already talked to for an hour. So there was some covering the same ground and searching on both sides for new questions. As that hour went on, it became clearer to me (and I assume him, though he was reluctant to say so) that what he was looking for and what I could bring didn't line up as well as he wanted. So I forced the issue at the end of the hour by thanking him for his time and withdrawing myself from consideration.

They treat you like a human, not a coding machine. The interview process really focuses on the skills and expertise you bring, not just on solving simple coding problems. I applied online and a recruiter called me right away. Then, I had a technical phone-screen with a lead developer. The screen was about my past work and what they're currently working on. After that, they flew me to Seattle for 1:1 interviews. There were 5 of them, all about my skills and experience. I'd say the interviews were more like talking together. They asked about my experience, related it to their problems, and we discussed solutions. It was relaxed and professional; they seemed genuinely interested in my skills and knowledge. There were some technical questions, but the focus was on how I thought about the problem, not just the answer. It was challenging. The interviewers were very knowledgeable about their areas. The questions were relevant and spot on. You can't fake your way through if you don't have the skills. I got an offer within a week.