NEOGOV Interview Questions
& Process

The interview process kicked off with an initial call, about 30-45 minutes long, with either HR or a recruiter. They wanted to check out my background, see my leadership exposure, and understand my technical domains. We also talked about why I'm interested in the role and if I'd fit the company culture. It was a high-level chat about both managing people and the technical projects I've managed. Next up was a technical assessment that lasted 60-90 minutes. This could be done as a take-home assignment or live. The focus was on practical problem solving, like writing or reviewing code, debugging automation, or looking at logs. They also asked me to design test strategies for different situations, like scaling, performance, or integrations. It was of moderate complexity, not super heavy on algorithms like a typical coding interview, but enough to see if I could still be hands-on.

It was a 4 stage interview process. They were really responsive, moving me to the next stage within 24 hours. The whole thing from application to offer took about 2 weeks. I did 4 interviews in one week: first the recruiter, then the manager, then the team, and finally the VP. Everyone was really nice and upfront about what to expect. The questions weren't too hard, mostly about my background. I didn't feel put on the spot or tested; it was a very friendly interview experience.

I applied online. I was emailed that I was selected to move forward and the next step was a cognitive test to uncover my abilities and a personality test to determine my fit. No conversation about my experience or interview scheduled. Moving further was dependent upon my score on these online 15 minute tests, which have varying results depending on the day and somewhat focus on speed in math problems. I think this is pretty disrespectful to those with decades of experience at fortune 500 companies and advanced degrees. It should be the resume that moves someone forward in a process rather than reducing qualification to tests that have no merit or reflection upon performance or responsibilities in a role. This made me concerned about the company's leaders. Maybe they don't trust their own hiring abilities. Maybe they selected poor performers in the past. Maybe they had already planned to promote internally and just needed to log candidate activity. Regardless, I determined this company was not going to be a fit for me.

It was a 3 step process: a recruiter call, then two video interviews. I finished it all but they hired someone internal. The first video interview was with the hiring manager, and the second was with her and another person who does the same job. The hiring manager wasn't ready for either meeting. She didn't have planned questions and just asked basic stuff from my resume, and then asked me if I had any questions multiple times. The other interviewer was more prepared. The hiring manager asked for work samples a few days later, which I sent. She said I'd hear back in a week, but I didn't. I followed up, and she asked for another week. Still nothing. I followed up again, and she asked for two more weeks. No response. My final follow-up led to me being told they hired an internal candidate. It seems like she didn't take my interviews seriously because of that. She strung me along for a whole month saying I was still being considered, which is unprofessional.