Samba TV Product Manager Interview Questions
& Process

It was a pretty typical process. One unique part was a personality assessment and another test that seemed like a mix of an IQ test and GRE/GMAT. They communicated what to expect really well.

I had a phone chat with HR, then met the VP of Product in person, followed by two onsite interviews with different team members. They gave me a verbal offer that was about $25k less than I asked for and they said was 'in the range,' and they barely budged on negotiating. I asked about people staying late at the office (I visited twice in the late afternoon and saw many stressed people), and the HR person told a story about how some people were annoyed when one guy left at 6 pm for a class twice a week. I mentioned I'm used to working long hours (coming from a startup) and usually start around 7-7:30 am, but I need flexibility in the evenings for my kids and can log back on after they're asleep. They did a reference check via email, which was very odd, and during that, they questioned my abilities in a way one reference called 'offensive.' When I tried to get an update via email and phone, I heard nothing. I finally emailed HR to say I was withdrawing, and they replied instantly saying it probably wasn't a good fit. I think this was pretty discriminatory, plus the salary bait and switch.

A recruiter reached out about three times to set up a phone interview with a VP. The hiring manager twice cancelled last minute, but the third time we connected. The VP's questions were easy, but he seemed insecure. Then I had an on-site interview with two executives and an engineer. The execs were tough, but the engineer asked the only good questions. The hiring manager bailed again mid-interview due to a scheduling conflict. The company has a 'Bro Culture' vibe, perhaps appealing to younger individuals who like San Francisco and focus on management structure.