InsideView Interview Questions
& Process

I got referred by a friend. Applying online was tough. Six rounds in total - 3 in-person and 3 phone calls from the US. First, a phone screening with the hiring manager in the US. Then, 3 in-person interviews in Hyderabad, followed by two more phone calls with the VP and Product Officer. I really liked the phone interviews because they were professional, knew what they were looking for, got straight to the point, and finished on time. They were also happy to answer any questions I had about the company, people, future, etc. The in-person interviews were good too, but I didn't learn as much about the people or company.

So the AE role actually starts as an SDR for the first 4 months, even though they call you an AE from the start. Also, a note for the hiring manager: interviews are a two-way street, maybe be a bit more humble. It's concerning that a company that's been around for a while and has such a small team doesn't have a solid marketing team, meaning you'd be 100% responsible for generating leads and business. The hiring manager has been there for almost 16 years, making her a product expert. Candidates shouldn't be expected to know as much as she does; she should be sharing her knowledge and insights, which she really didn't do. Her whole demeanor felt passive-aggressive, which was a major turn-off. Also, saying diversity is important while having an all-white team isn't a good look.

So, this was by far the worst interview experience I've ever had. It was totally uncoordinated and disorganized. They made me wait about 45 minutes before the first person I met was the interviewer. The interview itself lasted about an hour and 15 minutes. The interviewer wasn't even paying attention to my answers during the icebreaker, just cutting me off after a couple of sentences. Then we got into the technical stuff. He asked pretty average questions, like reversing a stack, copying a linked list with a random pointer, a basic example of the decorator pattern, and the thread-safe singleton pattern. The worst part came after the interview. I was asked to wait in the reception area, which is just a big hall with meeting rooms – not a separate space at all. It has everything in it: waiting area, workstations, restrooms, reception. I waited there for about an hour and a half. Everyone went to lunch, and I was just sitting in this mostly empty hall. After an hour, I contacted the recruiter who set up the interview, but the person she named was out of the office. I got another contact from the security guard, the only person I could see. That person was also at lunch. When they finally got back after about 1.5 hours, the guard pointed out the HR person to me. The HR person was completely surprised to see me, apparently not even knowing I was there for an interview. I explained the situation, and she came back a few minutes later saying, 'This is the only round we can do today because most of the interviewers are absent.' Seriously? They wasted about 4 hours of my time, made me wait while I was starving, conducted only one interview, and now they expect me to come back for more rounds. I don't know about their work culture, but their interview process definitely needs a lot of improvement.

The company really focuses on finding candidates who align with their company culture and drive. They've had a few misses, but generally, they hire top talent. To minimize hiring mistakes, the CEO or VPs at InsideView interview candidates. The interviews are serious but also relaxed, and overall, it's a positive experience. Candidates should be knowledgeable about the industry and the product, as these skills are challenging to demonstrate but highly valued.