A long overall application process that is overly complex, requires a big time commitment, especially considering the final decision is usually kept until the very last minute, and each step takes weeks
I applied online. The process took 2 months. I interviewed at Canonical in May 2024
Interview
TL;DR Quite a hellish interview and hiring process, I would advise to please contact your hiring manager about salary ranges (and other vital info) beforehand.
As everyone else in this review section has already mentioned, Canonical has one of the most elaborate and cumbersome hiring processes I have seen (and I have seen a lot). They first make you do an online assessment, a written essay which is easily 3-4 pages minimum, and then a LOT of interviews afterwards. Each round also takes multiple weeks in between. I went up till the first round of interviews which consisted of 4, 3 of which were with team members and 1 with HR. All my interviews went well and the people were perfectly pleasant.
My problem however lies in how this system is structured and how slow their execution is. I did not get any information about logistics and practical things beforehand, for example the salary scale, visa sponsorship, etc. This was all discussed in the HR interview round which was about 2 months after my application submission. The reason for my rejection at the end was very clearly my expected salary, as their range was significantly lower than the industry standard.
The only reason I was putting myself through this process is because I thought there might be something going with this prospective offer, but there was nothing to like. I would ask recommend looking in other places if you have the luxury to do so, and if you REALLY need a job and this is your only lead, please reach out to the hiring managers beforehand for all vital information.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Describe some of your previous design projects? Show me some high quality screens you designed?
I applied online. The process took 3 weeks. I interviewed at Canonical (Barcelona) in Jul 2024
Interview
I got question which I had to reply in writing. Lot of questions about education, mainly high-school and grades. I also get a cognitive test to complete. Not sure why I got rejected, but when I followed up I got a reply. I did not get a very specific reply, but at least I got one. The whole process was very straight forward.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
What am I most excited about Canonical's projects/products?
What were my high-school grades?