Smart Wires Interview Questions
& Process

It was a thorough three round interview process. The first round was with a single interviewer. We did a meet and greet and discussed my background, then talked about the responsibilities and the job role, including travel and schedule. The second round was a demonstration of technical skill, interviewing with the wider engineering team. We discussed my knowledge of SCADA systems, PFC/FACTs technology testing, and my understanding of substation safety and protocol. The third round involved further demonstration of technical competency, E2E testing, and discussions about start dates, equipment kits, and planning skills.

The interview was held in two phases - first with the recruiter and second with the hiring manager. Currently, while the company is relocating their headquarters to Raleigh, people are based remotely around the world. The conversations went well, which made it that much more disappointing when Smart Wires informed me (three weeks later) that they were "going in a different direction". Additionally, Smart Wires reposted the position to solicit additional applicates 10 days after the hiring manager interview, which was also disappointing. Advice - Be wary of applying if you are over 40.

The interview process was pretty different from the usual, which I actually liked because it helps figure out if it's a good fit for both sides. It had a few steps, all done remotely for me because I don't live near an office and due to COVID, so it might be different for others. First, I applied online with my resume and a cover letter that answered some questions about me and my future goals. These questions were pretty straightforward and didn't take long. A few days later, the recruiter reached out after reviewing my application. They asked me to create a PowerPoint presentation answering five questions about my past jobs, my strengths/weaknesses as seen by previous employers, my relevant experience, my five-year plan, and what excites me about the role and Smart Wires. I had a few days to complete this. After they received the PPT, the recruiter scheduled a phone call to go over the presentation and general interview questions like 'why do you want to work here?' and 'what's your experience?'. This call was recorded and sent to the hiring manager. This happened the week after I sent my PPT. If I advanced, the next step was an interview with a team, including the hiring manager. I met with the hiring manager and a senior director, so it was a small group. This lasted 30 minutes, was pretty relaxed, and felt straightforward, which I appreciated. This was about a week after the recruiter call. The final round was an interview with the senior director of the department. I heard back about scheduling this just 2 hours after the previous interview, and we set it for the following week. This interview lasted about an hour and was the toughest part, really pushing me to connect my experience to the role. The senior director was very direct and informative. I got an offer the week after this final interview. The whole process took a little over a month. The recruiter was great about responding quickly and her messages weren't the typical generic ones, which made me feel welcome even before an offer.

They started with an initial phone screening. Then there was a virtual interview that lasted about 30 minutes. It was super laid back and focused on behavioral questions and fit, like asking why I was interested in SmartWires. Nothing technical at all. No other interviews happened after that, and there was a significant wait between communication about moving forward. It turns out they don't hire rising juniors, which they only mentioned at the very end.