Applied online, was contacted by their internal talent person who was friendly and helpful. They shared additional information about each step, provided context and advice as ultimately they want candidates to do well. I had to do a take home task, then was invited for a whole interview day. The day was very intense and consisted of 4 interviews: take home code review, systems design, discussing an existing system I worked on, and a behavioural interview discussing a case study. It was an interesting experience overall but they do it all in one day. While I appreciate this makes things move quicker, it was a tough day and also requires booking a day off work for anyone currently employed. It was good feedback, and a good learning experience but in hindsight I wouldn't do it again.

The interview process started with a take-home test, which had to be completed within 48 hours. After passing that stage, the next step was a 3-hour onsite interview. For someone currently working full-time, I found it difficult to justify travelling to the office and spending 3 hours during the working day for a role I may not get. Thought Machine did not seem willing to compromise on this, which was disappointing. That said, the recruiter was very understanding, flexible, and gave me plenty of time and freedom when arranging the process. Overall, it was a positive experience, and I really like the company’s vision. However, the time commitment made it hard to continue, especially as I am currently leading a project in my current role, so I decided to withdraw from the process. Good luck to others who are able to make the time for the onsite interview.

I interviewed for a Software Engineer role at Thought Machine in London. The process consists of a take-home coding challenge followed by an onsite covering code review, DSA, and system design . Throughout the interview I answered all questions confidently and received positive signals from the interviewers across every round. Despite this, I was rejected with no meaningful explanation. After investing considerable time and performing strongly by every measure I could assess, the lack of transparent and actionable feedback was frustrating and frankly disrespectful of candidates' time. For a company of Thought Machine's calibre, the post-rejection experience should match the rigour of the interview itself. The role is worth pursuing if you are technically strong, but be prepared for a process that may not close with the clarity or professionalism you would expect.