There were multiple rounds in the interview process as it was outlined to me. I only experienced the first four:
1) Recruiter screen
- The recruiter asked general questions about my experience, interest in Liquibase, etc. Very standard. They were very polite.
2) Hiring manager interview
- My meeting with the hiring manager was very nice. They were on-time, respectful, and very interested in my experience. I was able to get answers to many of my questions about the company and the support team. At this point, though, it started to sound a lot like "you are expected to be available 24/7 for on-call issues" which was a red flag, but I didn't want to withdraw until I understood more about their support operations.
3) Technical interview
- This was conducted by the hiring manager, and two senior engineers. It included a slide deck presentation about the Liquibase product to demonstrate an understanding, as well as answering several questions about the product, and an example customer scenario. This went fantastic. Liquibase is a very easy product to learn, so this was a breeze, and the people I interviewed with were exceptionally kind and engaged, which made the next step all the more surprising.
4) Senior leader interview
- This one was interesting, and really drove me away from the company. During the interview, the VP I was speaking to asked many intrusive, personal, and offensive questions. It was bizarre. He was also several minutes late to the interview, and throughout the interview he frequently made odd, hostile remarks about hypothetical "bad candidates," like saying that it's only scheduled for X minutes, even though he has a full hour, in case he doesn't like the candidate. It's really uncomfortable to listen to someone throw around their accomplishments while simultaneously speaking so poorly of others. It did not feel like a friendly culture. So much for "No Punks, No Jerks."
- The senior leader also talked about how they want an "exit" for the company. It really didn't seem like there was a long-term vision, and when I asked about an upcoming SaaS offering, they didn't seem very excited to talk about it. This was another huge red flag.
5) CEO interview
- If the VP likes you enough, I guess, you get an interview with the CEO. I didn't get that far.
Overall, the process was pretty good. I had already checked out Liquibase's reviews on Glassdoor and was very concerned. But, I didn't want to form opinions based on feedback from potentially frustrated folks who might be biased.
However, after having interacted with several individuals in the company, including a senior leader, I am inclined to believe that the feedback on Glassdoor is legitimate.
Do your research.
My advice to Liquibase: Don't act so hostile during interviews. It seemed like the leader I spoke to had a chip on their shoulder.
And don't show up to a 4th round interview late and wearing a hoodie.