I applied online. The process took 7 weeks. I interviewed at DigitalOcean in Aug 2023
Interview
The recruiting team was very attentive throughout the interviewing process. There was an initial interview with the recruiter and 4 rounds with the hiring manager and respective peers. The interviews were very engaging and questions were generally situational. They were focused on my past experience, culture fit and future aspirations. Some of the topics included cross-functional engagement, conflict resolution, handling tradeoffs, technical program sense, influencing without authority and handling failures/setbacks. They were transparent with their responses when asked about the various challenges they face within their organization and how this role would help them succeed. The recruiting team was very accommodating with the understanding that I had another offer in hand. They were able to put an offer on the table and kept up with subsequent conversations in a timely fashion until it was signed off. It was a positive experience overall.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Tell me about a time where you had to balance between what the business wants and what the engineering teams are able to deliver within the specified timelines?
I applied through an employee referral. I interviewed at DigitalOcean (New York, NY) in Apr 2017
Interview
The interview process was a little circuitous largely due to the fact that the original hiring manger for the role changed mid-process. It started with a phone screen with the recruiter which included some comp questions. Next was a hangout with the original hiring manger. This was followed by a long pause, then I flew to NYC for interviews and presentation which was a little weird because the hiring manager was not here - but I did end up meeting the person who ultimately became the hiring manger. Another long pause. A couple more hangouts with TPMs.
Then offer and acceptance. This is to the best of my recollection 2 + months later.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
How do you balance the need/desire for delivery "commitment" with the effort and time required to be able to commit?
