I applied online. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Roblox
Interview
First step was a phone call with the recruiter. They were very friendly, helpful, and professional, and I had a good time talking to them. After this first phone call, I had a positive impression of Roblox and the company culture, which made me excited to move forward with the hiring process.
Second step was an interview with the hiring manager. This was a lot different than what I originally expected, based on the phone call with the recruiter. This second interview overall was a negative experience for me as a prospective candidate.
The interview was shorter than I expected because the interviewer arrived late to the Zoom meeting. I was pressed for time when answering questions due to the limited time remaining; the interviewer also interrupted me/cut me off once, wanting to move on because there was not enough time for them to listen to my full response. Also, it seemed clear that the interviewer had already made up their mind beforehand that I wouldn’t be able to do well in this role. The conversation shifted from an interview about my work experience to trying to defend my capabilities as a technical writer to the hiring manager, who repeatedly communicated that I was unfit for the position.
I would like to emphasize that my negative experience was not related to not being selected to move forward in the interview process; I understand I was not the right candidate for them and their needs. Rather, my negative experience stemmed from how the interview was conducted. I am writing this review to provide constructive feedback in hopes of helping other candidates who might have been in my shoes.
It would be beneficial if the interviewer worked on providing feedback to candidates with more empathy and in a more professional manner. It could also be useful to make it clearer what type of technical writer they are looking for: If they are prioritizing looking for technical writers who have programmer-level expertise, that should probably be listed in the job posting. This would benefit the hiring manager and the prospective candidates in the long run because expectations for the role are set from the very beginning.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
1) Describe something technical.
2) Talk about a time you wrote documentation and explain your thought process.
I applied online. I interviewed at Roblox (San Francisco, CA) in Apr 2021
Interview
Applied online, had a quick phone call w/recruiter. Then had a Zoom call w/hiring manager. It was more of an exam than an interview. He kept interrupting to give critiques or ask deeper questions. Seems his goal was to put you under as much duress as possible and see how you handle speaking about technical subjects under pressure while being interrupted and put-down.
Next step was a 2-part assignment: do Roblox courses to create a game, and some writing responses: aka one coding/software project, one writing. I completed both and didn't hear back for a week. I then asked the recruiter for an update and she said they are moving forward with someone else. Overall, got a clear idea of the manager's style--he clearly enjoys making people squirm under his power. I knew I wouldn't mesh with that environment. If he enjoys being sadistic during an interview, I can only imagine how abusive he is as a manager.
I applied online. I interviewed at Roblox (San Mateo, CA) in Mar 2021
Interview
Five steps: phone screening with recruiter, interview with hiring manager, take-home written skills assessment and demonstration, on-site with four team members (product managers, software engineers, writers), hiring manager, and recruiter (all six individually), then on-site with three executives (each individually).