Kahoa Interview Questions
& Process

HR called and seemed unsure about the role's requirements, asking yes/no questions like a checklist. They asked for my current salary, which felt like a red flag, though they didn't insist on an answer. After two weeks, a technical interview happened with standard questions on Kafka, Java, Spring, and cloud tech. Then, silence from HR for two months, followed by an email with numerous Pluralsight tests on unrelated technologies, due in one day. I saw many red flags and advise caution with their hiring process, as it didn't seem agile.

They hired me really fast and didn't do any phone screening to check my skills, preferences, or personality. The Lead Developer seemed really smart and professional. But then one of the higher-ups, I can't recall his name, told me straight up that with over 3 years of experience plus my previous Network Admin and home programming background, I'd be lucky to earn 40k. I told him I already make 45k and am looking for 55k. This guy was super unprofessional and I knew I wouldn't get or want the job then. He then told the technical guy to really grill me with technical questions to see if I was a 'rock star' programmer. This had nothing to do with me not getting the job, they handled it unprofessionally. I later got offers for 48k and 55k, and I took the 55k offer. Thanks Solution Stream!

So I got a call from a hiring manager for a quick phone chat. The next day, he set me up for an on site. The on site was like four parts, plus the mandatory tour. First, two project managers and the hiring manager talked to me, asking standard questions about my background and digging into my resume. Then, a lead programmer and some developers interviewed me. They asked the usual stuff about data structures, algorithms, and general coding skills, just to check if I knew my stuff. After they left, I had a one-on-one with the lead programmer who really went deep on my experience with specific tools, especially hibernate. Then, I met with one of the owners. He was super upfront about the kind of place it is, the diverse projects, the tech I'd need to learn, and how hard it is to stay ahead. He called it 'drinking from the fire hose.' He was clearly proud but wanted to make sure I knew what I was getting into. He was really honest, and honestly, his description of the culture was spot on later. Lastly, I had a final chat with the hiring manager about salary and benefits. Overall, I thought the Hiring Manager and Owner were really upfront and honest.

SolutionStream connected me with the client for an interview. Once the client confirmed they wanted me for the role, SolutionStream proceeded to hire me. While each client's hiring process can differ, in my case, I had interviews with multiple individuals over a few hours. My interview with SolutionStream was more casual as I had previously worked with some of their staff at other companies.