Paychex Software Engineer Interview Questions
& Process

First round was a technical round for a full stack developer role. They asked questions mostly related to basics and then dove deeper into topics based on my answers. They also asked some core Java questions, like how to sort employee data by age and name.

Recruiter responded fast after applying. Had an initial phone screening where they asked about my experience and qualifications. The recruiter seemed unsure about the team, department, or if the job was even open. They focused a lot on my salary expectations, saying they were aiming for the lower end of the posted range. They told me I was moving on and would hear from the hiring manager in 24 hours. That didn't happen, and the recruiter ghosted my follow-ups for a week. I ended up withdrawing my application. Rated it hard because the recruiter was so unprofessional.

I had three interviews. The first was with the recruiter, which was great and really engaging. Then I had a second interview with the hiring manager, who was also excellent and super engaging. They were really thorough in reviewing my technical skills and experience and seemed invested in my success, even giving me specific topics to focus on for the technical interview. The third interview, the technical one, was a total mess. Two engineers led it, but one wasn't even facing the camera and seemed distracted, not paying attention. The good vibe from the first two interviews vanished. It started off really unfriendly and unwelcoming, without any mention of my skills or experience. They asked random questions, and it felt like they weren't happy with my answers and were being rude about it. Some technical questions didn't even match the job description, and they weren't anything like the topics the hiring manager suggested. After more than an hour of this, the hiring manager rejoined and said it was time to wrap up.