Parts Town Interview Questions
& Process

I started with a 30-minute recruiter screen where they asked high-level questions about my background and if I had experience with their tools. The recruiter mentioned the hiring manager wasn't in place yet and thought I was a strong candidate. She outlined the next steps: a discussion with a Sr. Data Scientist, then Senior Leadership, and finally the CTO. I was then invited to an hour-long in-person interview at their Addison office. Before that, I had to fill out an online form with my current employer's details and provide three professional references, which felt like a good sign. The second round was with someone from Data Science. They asked about my background and some conceptual technical questions, followed by a short, pen-and-paper SQL technical assessment. It was unusual not to have an IDE to test the code. I think I did okay on the assessment, but the code might not have been perfect. The interviewer wasn't the direct hiring manager, and it wasn't clear what the role's technical responsibilities were, which was a bit confusing since the recruiter couldn't answer technical questions. The interviewer also seemed unsure about the role's purpose. I didn't make it to a third round, which was expected given my performance, but still disappointing. This was about four months ago, and the position keeps getting reposted, so I'm unsure if they're hiring more people for it or what the situation is.

The interview process was excellent from start to finish. It began with an initial outreach, followed by a phone screen, and then progressed to an onsite interview. The final portion of my interview was wrapped up over lunch, which made the experience feel more conversational and personable. The individuals I interviewed with were incredibly engaging and took a genuine interest in getting to know me, both professionally and personally. They asked thoughtful questions, provided clear insights into the company and role, and were open and honest in answering all of my questions. I really appreciated how well-organized and communicative the process was. They provided timely feedback and kept me informed of next steps throughout. Overall, it was a fabulous experience, and I left feeling even more enthusiastic about the company and the opportunity!

The interview process was sloppy and unprofessional. My first interview was supposed to be with one person but someone else took her place. Then my second interview was scheduled with another individual, but again, someone else took her place. When I finally got to my second interview, it was a Zoom call. As soon as the lady saw my face, it was clear disappointment. Lots of eye rolling, no eye contact, and little interest in my qualifications. I don't usually bring race into things, but in this situation, it was definitely the case. I don't think there are any African American minorities working in admin at the Fort Wayne Branch, and I think it's due to the person who makes the final decision. The two questions she asked were about what the first interviewer said about the job and what I learned from that experience. I think she was more challenging the first interviewer, who is African American and worked at the Illinois branch, maybe to see if she's qualified. Instead of asking her own questions and being more detailed about her expectations for the candidate and the company's requirements for the position.

The interview process was quite unusual. There were about eight interviews in total: one with recruitment, two with the hiring manager, two in-person onsite, two virtual ones (with the CDO and Product Owner), and a final one with the VP of Ecomm. I really clicked with the hiring manager and liked how they focused on finding someone who fit the culture. But, the interviews got worse as we went along. During the onsite, one interviewer made a slightly condescending remark, “Oh, you’re a hand shaker,” and when I asked about her role, she snapped back, “We don’t do titles here.” These were definite red flags, but I kept going because I really felt the role, the business, and the hiring manager were what I was looking for. I pushed through, but I got really tired of all the interviews with people who didn't seem to understand the role's connection to the larger business. By the end, I was exhausted. The most surprising part wasn't the rejection, but the generic automated rejection email after so many interviews. I wouldn't advise continuing your interview process here if you notice red flags, and don't buy into their 'culture fit' narrative. A company that genuinely cared about fostering a positive culture, as they claim, wouldn't send an auto-generated email after eight interviews. I probably avoided a bad situation, but I'm still disappointed. I hope the hiring manager finds the right person.