Time Inc. Software Engineer Interview Questions
& Process

I had an initial online assessment on HackerRank with one programming question and seven multiple-choice questions, which I had to complete within 30 minutes. After about two weeks, I was invited for subsequent interviews at the office in Marathalli, Bangalore. I went through a total of five interview rounds. The first round involved a coding exercise where I had to solve two programming problems while the interviewer observed and asked related questions. The second round also featured a coding exercise, followed by technical questions based on my resume, covering various aspects of development from start to finish. The third round was technical, focusing on data structures and multithreading; I found it challenging but managed to get through. In the fourth round, a panel of two interviewers asked me questions about data structures, which I found difficult, and also about SQL and Javascript. I felt that went reasonably well. The fifth round was quite demanding, with a broad range of technical questions. I didn't perform as well as I hoped and was asked to leave for the day. I suspect there might have been another technical round if I had cleared the fifth one. The interviewers were very helpful and supportive, making it a positive experience overall. A key takeaway is to be thoroughly prepared to discuss every detail on your resume.

I went through a HackerRank online test that had some easy Java MCQs and two algo questions. Then, there were two face-to-face technical discussions, followed by a managerial discussion and an HR discussion. They asked about my current and expected compensation and joining time. After that, I heard nothing back, and there was no further communication. I ended up calling the consultant who referred me to Time Inc. and told them not to send people there without checking if they could meet the candidate's expected compensation. I'd seen similar Glassdoor reviews before going, but thought it was just a few people, but it seems like this is a regular thing at Time Inc. I ended up wasting my whole day.

This whole experience was completely unprofessional. The recruiter called me early, then missed our scheduled appointment. We rescheduled, and this time he kept his appointment. The interview went seemingly well, and then... I was ghosted. It's been over a week with no email, phone call, or anything. If you're a talented engineer, I'd suggest taking your talents elsewhere because a poor interview process often indicates a poor company culture.