Leaseweb Interview Questions
& Process

Leaseweb's interview process for a Product Owner is pretty straightforward and they let you know what to expect. It's got a few parts to it, and they'll be looking at how you handle Agile, how you decide what's most important (prioritization), and how you deal with people you're working with (stakeholder management). They're good about keeping you in the loop at each step, so it feels pretty smooth.

It was a well-structured hiring process, but it ended with unprofessional behavior. The process had three stages. First, I talked with the recruiting manager, and we agreed on the salary for the two positions (70K€). Then, I met with Product Managers, the Agile Coach, and a team representative to learn about the role and team dynamics. Finally, I was given a project and led a workshop with engineers and system administrators to show my skills and working methods. Three days later, the recruiting manager called to say I had passed. However, they said the salary offer would be lower than we agreed on initially because an external company managing remote hires thought the amount was too high for Italy. Since I don't like wasting people's time, I told them to skip the formal proposal because I would refuse it. It's a shame because I put a lot of time and effort into the process.

They seem to be looking for free consulting through the interview process. I was interviewed by two junior engineers who acted as gatekeepers for infrastructure. They manage a lot of the company's infrastructure using questionable methods. You can find videos of them online speaking at universities, and you'll notice they struggle with presentations and answering basic questions. Their 'revolutionary' solutions are actually quite basic, but they've convinced management. During the interview, they asked mangled questions. Even when I answered them all correctly and provided evidence, they reacted with disbelief and invalidated my answers, saying things like, 'Well, what an interesting way to solve it, although it is wrong.' When I stated, 'I'm sorry, but this is a documented industry standard' and showed proof, they immediately changed the subject. This pattern continued throughout the interview. They then reported to the recruiter that I lacked sufficient technical knowledge. It's ironic because the next month I was relocated to this city by a FAANG company. It appears they aim to maintain their control and prevent anyone from exposing their lack of expertise to management. They also use interviews to gather information when they face issues and to justify their inability to find competent candidates to management, as no one else interviews for these roles. One of them is in the US and the other in the Netherlands, yet they appear at every conference. If they are your interview panel, you know what you're in for.

My interview was really nice. The recruiter was very kind and answered all my questions regarding the vacancy, the selection process, and the visa (because I would need a sponsorship). I was very confident and very excited about the idea of being part of the team. After 3 weeks, I received the message that I had not been selected for the next stage. I didn't understand if it was because of my performance or because they prefer people who don't need a visa. I understand that there are many vacancies and giving feedback on all applications is difficult. Anyway, it was a shame. I dreamed about working with Leaseweb. Who knows about future opportunities...