SemanticBits Interview Questions
& Process

Had a 20-minute phone screen where they asked typical phone interview questions and some about government contracting. They also shared more about the company and its mission in healthcare and with government clients. The recruiters were super friendly and helpful. Then, there was a 1-hour video interview with deeper questions and a chance for me to ask about the job or company. Two HR employees conducted it, and they were friendly and direct. Mostly communicated through email and some texting.

The interview process was really professional and chill overall. First off, SB's HR is awesome. The person who reached out was super responsive and professional. Then, I had this interview with a senior or lead developer, which started as Q&A but ended up being a really natural conversation. They seemed to have a ton of experience, both technically and with management stuff. After that, there was a coding interview that was pretty fun and a bit tough. What was cool was that, unlike some places where the interviewer just lets you code solo, the two developers were really involved. They offered hints, shared their best practices, and guided me through it, almost like a mentorship session instead of just an interview. I got the results call the day after the technical interview. HR was incredibly understanding about my personal situation and was okay with me waiting over a month to start.

Had an initial call with HR to check my experience and salary expectations. They moved me quickly to an interview the same day with a Senior Program Manager and a Program Manager. The Senior PM led most of the interview and came across as arrogant, boasting about the company's consistent on-time delivery and competitive wins. He seemed more focused on finding reasons not to hire me than on my potential contributions. His rigid ITIL approach clashed with my extensive software development project experience since the late 90s, and I felt he emphasized theoretical skills over practical project management. The other PM was nicer and more empathetic, but the Senior PM dominated. Given their salary offer ($90-110K), the expectations didn't match, which might explain why the role has been open for a while, especially since I usually get calls for roles starting at $125K+.

The HR was pretty fast in setting up an interview. My first interview was a phone call where the interviewer asked me about my background and work experience, basically questions about my resume. Then they asked me to send them a sample of user stories I'd written. I wrote them and they immediately got back to me for a final interview. This last round was in person, and they seemed really impressed. The interview took place at Panera bread. After it was over, I asked for some feedback and they told me my answers were precise and on point. The interview went really well, but I got a reject a few weeks later.