Shopify Interview Questions
& Process

Applied for a Senior Manager FP&A role at Shopify in Canada. First, had an interview with the hiring manager, which went well and I answered all their questions. Then, received an HR email suggesting an "exploratory chat" with a higher-up in FP&A. This second chat was a disaster. The higher-up immediately said the FP&A team codes in the morning, their roles change constantly, and they have "positive dysfunction." They described it as a cult, believing everyone wants to work there. They compared the process to a Simpsons episode, thinking they are unique when in reality, any company makes a profit. My advice: don't be swayed by Shopify; it's just another company that will lay you off.

Started with an OA including 1 LC medium question in any language, 1 Ruby question, and 1 C++ question. Then there was an IQ/Cognitive assessment and a culture fit questionnaire. Next was a pair programming session with a simple design question, which was a great experience as the interviewer was very nice. This was followed by a very informal life story chat, also a great experience. Finally, a short informal talk with a senior engineer. Since I had a competing offer, they expedited the process very quickly and were very accommodating. Overall, a great experience.

An engineering manager from Shopify reached out to me directly. After a couple of initial conversations with them and a recruiter, I was scheduled for a pair programming interview. I felt good about the process going in. I solved the problem using a mix of coding and AI, which they explicitly said was encouraged, I spoke through my thought process and updated my solution based on questions from the interviewer, and I was clear about where I took shortcuts due to time constraints. It quickly became apparent that there was no real interest in understanding my background or leadership experience when my pair programming interview was followed by a generic message saying they were moving forward with candidates better aligned with the team’s needs. How that determination was made without a single question about my leadership track record is unclear. Evaluating fit for an engineering manager role based almost entirely on a pair programming interview makes zero sense. When I asked for feedback, I was told it was “too early in the process” for them to provide feedback. Thanks for wasting 4 hours of my time. I was also encouraged to apply again in six to twelve months, despite never having applied in the first place. The process felt like a box-ticking exercise rather than a serious hiring conversation. Be clear about what you are hiring for. Don’t waste candidates’ time. Treat people with respect, regardless of seniority. I won’t engage with Shopify again, though I expect they will continue to reach out to support their outreach numbers. At this point I’d rather work for minimum wage at a local cafe than to engage in any way with Shopify.

I was contacted by a recruiter and had a really good initial connection. We had two interviews, and I always felt positive about them. She was attentive, understanding, and always smiling, making the whole process feel easy. However, the final interview involved two SDR managers, one from the Netherlands and another from Spain who struggled with English. They made me really uncomfortable, criticizing my case study work. They questioned everything rudely. At one point, I considered leaving the call, but I stuck it out. I'm sure I wouldn't want to work with people like that.