Netskope Test Automation Engineer Interview Questions
& Process

The interview process started with a recruiter screen, which was just a quick fact check. Next, there was a hiring manager interview that was heavy on system design questions. I'm not sure if most SDETs would have the experience for that. It felt like a step designed so that no one would pass. I'm even questioning if the position is real because it's been reposted for over two years, and they still haven't filled it, which is weird in this market. Since everyone else on the team is in India and this is supposed to be the first US hire they've struggled with for years, I'm assuming it's not a real job.

I was rejected in the first round, which I'm actually glad about given how it went. The interviewer didn't use their camera, which I found odd since I was expected to. I was given one string manipulation question that wasn't too hard, but I couldn't finish it. What was worse, the interviewer didn't offer any hints or help while I was coding. Afterward, they gave a long lecture about how the internet works and how curious I should be, essentially acting like a know-it-all. My experience as an interviewer has taught me to at least make a positive impression. The goal should be to see if a candidate can do the job, not to show off your own knowledge. Throwing out jargon doesn't impress me; it's just annoying. I've interviewed people who are ICPC finalists, and they are humble and analytical. This interview did give me a sense of the company culture, and I wouldn't want to work for people who are non-analytical know-it-alls.

So the interview process was pretty standard. First, a recruiter screening call. Then, I had a one-hour online coding interview over Zoom. After that, it was a virtual onsite with six technical interview rounds. I interviewed with a developer, two other SDET folks, the hiring manager, and the QA director. Five of those rounds involved coding exercises, which were about medium difficulty, similar to LeetCode easy to medium. The last round was all about scenario-based testing – they wanted to see how I’d approach different testing scenarios and identify use cases. The interviewers were really nice and helpful, focusing more on my thought process than just the final solution. The recruiter was super responsive and even sped things up because I had another offer. She really made sure I got placed on a team I liked quickly. All in all, a really positive experience, and I'm excited to join the team.