Twenty20 Interview Questions
& Process

I first got a message from the HR person on LinkedIn. Even though I had just started a new job, they still told me about their company and why it might be a better fit for me. After some emails, I had a quick phone chat with John. Then I went in to meet the team. I did a few programming challenges, which weren't too tough, maybe because I'd done a lot of interviews recently. The most important part for both of us was discussing how to approach a problem and design a system for it. This showed how we both think and work, giving a good sense of what it would be like to collaborate. Once the tech team approved, I had a long talk with the CEO about salary and compensation. It was a really good experience overall.

This was probably the most awkward interview I have ever done. It was a group interview with two managers, one recruiter and six candidates. The room was pretty packed and cramped. They would ask a question and everyone had to answer the same question one by one. We all came from different work backgrounds, from college recent graduates to someone with 10+ sales experience. It really didn't make any sense; looks like they don't know what type of candidates they were looking for. The questions were simple, but how do you really get to know someone by asking them in a group setting when everyone is competing for that same job. After the group interview, they rushed the individual interviews. The individual interview was with a young recruiter (why am I not speaking to the department manager?). Anyhow, the recruiter straight up said, 'I haven't looked at your resume at all, so just tell me your background.' I know they're rushing their hiring process, but when someone takes time out of their personal schedule, the least you can do is show them respect by looking into their background and presenting them your company's core values. They did not talk about anything in terms of their core values and mission. I left with knowing nothing about the company; shouldn't this be a two-way street? I get to know you, and you get to know me? It looks like the company is being run by a bunch of recent college graduates who have no sense of professionalism. Hire an HR team because whatever you're doing right now is only letting you miss out on good talent.

I was initially contacted by Twenty20 through AngelList by their in-house recruiter, who made me feel comfortable starting the process. We had a phone screener that went well. Then, I was invited to meet the team. I came prepared with my portfolio, but instead, the product manager and I spent about 2.5 hours whiteboarding app ideas and new features. Afterward, I met with the Head of Engineering to discuss workflow and designer-developer communication. However, some employees couldn't make it, so I was asked to return. On my second visit, I met the UX lead and a Co-Founder. We spent another 2 hours whiteboarding potential pain points and features. Following this, the product manager joined us for an additional half hour of brainstorming. The session ran long, so I had to leave due to other commitments. Finally, I was scheduled to meet another Co-Founder for a coffee chat, which was intended to be the last interview. After some initial chat, I asked about company culture and work-life balance, but the co-founder was evasive. He then wanted to workshop the app. I offered to discuss design philosophy and best practices, but after spending over 5 hours demonstrating my process and contributing ideas, I wasn't comfortable developing more of the app's UX for free. The CEO then got up and left. The recruiter later emailed, saying they were moving in a different direction and was disappointed I didn't want to discuss the product further.

Recruiter reached out via LinkedIn, which was nice. I went in for three separate visits. Each visit I met with different people. The whole process was conversational. We interacted and brainstormed a lot, which helped me understand how our perspectives aligned and differed, which is important to me.