This has honestly been one of the worst interview experiences I’ve had. Right from the screening round, I clearly stated my expectation - 26 LPA, considering my current fixed is 18 LPA. They agreed to it upfront. Then they rushed the process saying the role needed to be closed ASAP, asked me to come in person, and crammed all rounds into one day. I travelled 25 km for this. The interviews went well. They even made me take the UCAT test, which I cleared. Everything seemed positive, and I was waiting for the HR discussion. Then suddenly, after a week, they come back saying I need to go through another technical round. Fine, I did that too - only to be asked completely random puzzle questions that had nothing to do with my AI experience or actual work. And then comes the real shock — I’m told I’m selected, but the role is downgraded from SE2 to SE. Seriously? On top of that, the offer is now 21 fixed + 4 variable. When I questioned this, all I got was: “You’re lucky you got selected, otherwise we usually have 3 rounds.” Excuse me? I already went through a coding test, an in-person AI discussion, and another technical round. What exactly was all that then? This entire process just feels like a complete waste of time, effort, and energy. Honestly, it’s frustrating beyond words.

Got the CCAT the day after applying, efficient, right? Then a recruiter called, asked the usual “what are you looking for” and “are you authorized to work” questions. I finished the assessment on time, followed their instructions to email when done, and… radio silence. Emailed again. Nothing. Finally called, only to be told I’d been rejected. Impressive communication skills. If you enjoy wasting time and being ghosted, highly recommend. Otherwise, maybe look elsewhere. As for the CCAT assessment, I'd say it's completely pointless and useless. It's completely unrelated to the role itself.