Oddball Software Engineer Interview Questions
& Process

I really liked how fast Oddball moved with their interviews. It seems like other places make candidates go through like seven interviews and a take-home project over a whole month, but Oddball doesn't do that. First, there was a 15-minute call with HR to see if I liked the project Oddball was working on. I did! Then, a 45-minute technical interview with two engineers where we talked about my resume's frameworks and experiences. No coding was involved, which was a nice change! It was refreshing to have interviewers who didn't seem to think I was lying about my resume. Next, a 90-minute pair-programming session. My interviewer was really nice and helpful, not like the usual 'aloof' or 'hostile' people. The problem was pretty easy, and I got to use my usual work tools and languages. I actually forgot about LeetCode for a bit! The fourth round didn't happen because the person I was supposed to interview with was the same person who referred me. I heard it's usually pretty casual, though.

It was a quick process, I had an offer within about a week of talking to the recruiter. The recruiter was always super responsive, faster than they said they would be. First was a call with the recruiter, then a technical phone interview. This was just a conversation about my experience, very low pressure, they helped me out if I was stuck. If I didn't know something, they asked related questions or how I'd handle it hypothetically. Then we did a paired programming interview. It was a problem similar to the actual work, not like leetcode. I thought I did badly, but they focus on the whole process and problem-solving, not just finishing on time. The last interview was with the hiring manager, super informal, just a vibe check to see if I'm someone they'd want to work with.

It was a 4 stage process. First was a screener call, then a technical chat, followed by a pair programming session where we worked on a real-world problem, and finally a talk with the PM. The technical chat was in-depth but fair, focusing on real-world knowledge rather than obscure trivia. The pair programming was also problem-based, not like Leetcode. The interviewers were chill and kept things low-stress. Neither of those calls were easy though, but if you know your stuff, it's straightforward. The last round wasn't technical, it was a chance to meet the PM and ask questions. They made a competitive offer, but I declined for personal reasons. I think highly of the company and their process and would consider interviewing again.