Xero Interview Questions
& Process

The interview process started with a 1-hour HR screening. This was followed by a 1-hour technical interview involving coding on Hackerrank. The next round was also 1 hour, focusing on system design on Hackerrank. The final round was a 1-hour behavioral interview with the hiring manager. After a verbal offer post-4th round, there was a week of no communication, then a call stating the role was no longer available due to team changes. This was disappointing given the time invested in the process. It would have been better to have a hiring freeze beforehand to avoid wasting everyone's time.

It was an initial phone screening. Compared to other phone screenings, the recruiter had a neutral, unfriendly tone of voice and didn't seem to smile or make small talk it was just reading a standard script and asking the usual questions. It made me uncomfortable and left me with the feeling of having failed the interview despite the fact I met most of the job requirements. There were also some awkward silences after I had clearly finished speaking and it wasn't clear if she was listening or typing or waiting for me to give more detail.

The Talent Specialist who guided me was great. they clearly explained what to expect in each round, so I felt prepared going in. They kept me up to date at every step and were really accommodating. The process included an HR round, Hiring Manager interview, System Design & Live Coding (Hacker Rank), and two more rounds afterward. I made it through to the live coding stage. The interviewers themselves were respectful and friendly, and the interview felt easy overall, (but I know I could have done better, but it is what it is.) The only drawback was the communication toward the later stages. They were excellent about keeping me updated early on, but once I was no longer moving forward, the updates became dead silence so it was disappointing but still positive experience overall.

It was a shocking interview experience. I had a case study interview, put a lot of work into it, and then had a 45-minute interview. I didn't get feedback for a couple of weeks. Then I got an email from Danielle saying she heard I did a great job on the folio review and she'd circle back on Wednesday regarding next steps and team feedback. This was followed by an automated email from Xero saying they enjoyed reviewing my application and that I have impressive skills, but due to a high response rate, they couldn't proceed with everyone. They said they'd keep my application on file for future roles.