Olo Interview Questions
& Process

I accepted a product role offer, though the total compensation was on the lower side of market rates. The product area seemed interesting enough to try it out. The interview process was pretty standard. The recruiter was great, very responsive, and the panel interviews were relaxed. Everyone I met during the process seemed intelligent. No awkwardness whatsoever. After accepting, I arranged some informal chats with current product managers to start building relationships. These conversations were eye-opening. They all brought up my future manager, and not in a good way. Repeatedly, they described a situation where he dictates exactly what to build without providing clear guidance or strategy. Then, if the outcome doesn't meet his expectations, he blames the team. Additionally, several people mentioned that the organization feels unstable currently. Projects are frequently restarted, priorities shift suddenly, and people are tired of the constant changes. Talented individuals are working hard to deliver great products, but leadership's focus is on crisis management. By the second coffee chat, I had a feeling I needed to reconsider. After the third, I emailed the recruiter to withdraw my acceptance. If you're considering an offer here, I'd strongly suggest speaking with a few current employees before making a decision. Ask about the frequency of project changes and how achievements are recognized. While the product domain is appealing, the lack of stability is a significant concern, and I didn't want to face that challenge.

I was initially very excited about this company and the people. The recruiter call was great and I enjoyed my conversation with the hiring manager. I was moved to the next round, which was a working session that had a few red flags. Firstly, I was asked to choose a problem the business was trying to solve. Unlike working sessions I’ve had in other interview experiences, it felt like pulling teeth and not collaborative. One team member barely spoke, even as I asked for feedback throughout the session. I followed up about a week after and was told they were working through interviews and I could expect to hear back the following week. This was a few weeks ago by now and I’ve heard nothing. Luckily, it seems I’ve probably dodged a bullet and can move on to a better fit, but I would have loved to seen more respect around communication.

My experience with Olo was great! First, I chatted with a recruiter about standard stuff. Then, the hiring manager and I talked about the role and my management style. Finally, I had two 30-minute chats back-to-back with people from other teams I'd work with. They were really prepared, and Jessica, Megan, and Leslie were awesome – positive, professional, and made me feel valued. Even though company reviews are mixed, this team seemed like a fantastic place to be, and I was excited about the culture.

So, first I had a chat with HR, then an interview with the engineering manager, and finally a technical interview. I didn't move forward after that. The recruiter was really nice, we talked about my background, where I want my career to go, what I'm good at, and why I like this company. With the engineering manager, we went over some past projects and how I handle development work and being part of a team. The technical part was mostly about my C# and SQL experience, and also about how I've tackled different technical challenges before.