Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Interview Questions
& Process

communication was not good, got a text 2 weeks later asking me to do an Excel assessment. Instructions were not clear until the assignment came via email, at which point I was told I could use SQL if I imported the CSVs myself. The questions themselves are okay, but the tools are old. If SQL or Python is an option, it should be through official links so I don't waste time setting it up. Using Excel for these assessments is a bad idea.

We had a few stages. First was a recruiter screen, then a tech lead screen that involved a very simple code exercise. The final interview was a bit longer: it had an async assignment that was a simple data processing task in any language you choose, followed by a 90-minute session with a code review and technical interview, and then a 30-minute chat about design and product.

I applied online in Dec. 2023 and got a recruiter call within 24 hours asking some additional qualification questions. They mentioned next steps would be an in person interview and that they hoped to fill the role in 2 months. About six months later, I got an email to schedule the next and final interview. At the interview, I met a panel of three people, and a fourth person joined via zoom but didn't speak. When I tried to ask questions about the role or clarify theirs, they stated they couldn't deviate from the questions and I should interpret them as best I could to ensure fairness for all candidates. I didn't get to ask about the role, culture, or salary, nor did I get a sense of the team I'd be joining. It felt like a one-sided interrogation where I had to provide all the information, and the hiring team shared nothing.

The interview started very abruptly with two interviewers, which was unusual. One interviewer rushed through the introductions and stated we had a lot to cover. I felt this was a poor approach for a Head of Product role, which needs in-depth discussion. I tried to answer quickly, packing in details. After only 15 minutes, they ended the questioning. I was surprised, expecting more questions given their setup, and offered to elaborate on my previous answers since I had rushed them. They declined and didn't seem to realize their structure was flawed. I then asked if there was anything else they needed to hear, and using the little time left, I addressed that. Overall, the interviewers set me up for failure and didn't correct it when I pointed it out.