It was an in-person interview with two interviewers from the design team, people who this role would work directly with. They were nice and friendly, it went for about an hour.
I applied in-person. I interviewed at Colonial First State (Sydney) in Dec 2025
Interview
Thank you for the opportunity to interview for the role. I appreciate the time provided by the panel.
However, I would like to share some honest feedback regarding the overall interview experience. The session felt heavily focused on rapid-fire technical questioning, with limited space for a balanced discussion around real-world architecture, collaboration, or practical delivery.
The atmosphere throughout the interview was noticeably uncomfortable and quite tense. Some behaviours during the session, such as visible nervousness, lack of engagement, and checking the time toward the end, came across as unprofessional and dismissive.
While technical depth is expected, the format felt more like an interrogation rather than a constructive conversation. Many of the questions were highly theoretical and could be answered through reference tools rather than reflecting how senior professionals operate in real environments.
Overall, the experience raised concerns for me about the team culture and communication style. Based on this interaction, I do not feel this would be the right environment for me moving forward.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
So many technical questions which they were not even clear with their questions.
I applied through an employee referral. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Colonial First State (Sydney) in Jan 2023
Interview
The interview process is quick and professional, focusing mainly on internal hires. The role is positioned as a gateway to upward mobility at the firm, with prior market experience being advantageous.