Interview Stages

Round 1: Technical Interview

• Process: One-hour technical interview, no prior HR call or tech screen.
• Topics: 30 minutes project discussion, 30 minutes coding (a common LeetCode problem).
• Focus: Coding required compilation and passing test cases. Algorithmic thinking seemed key.

Round 2 & 3: Design Interviews

• Process: One round per week, scheduled via email. Early termination if failed.
• Topics: Design questions (specifics not recalled).
• Focus: Performance was average due to early preparation stage.

Outcome & Team Matching

• Initial team chose another candidate. Matched with a different team afterward.

Round 4: Hiring Manager Interview

• Process: Project deep dive in Chinese.
• Focus: Technical depth and clarity under pressure.

Round 5: Director Interview

• Process: 20-minute behavioral + project overview (non-repetitive from prior rounds).
• Focus: Motivation and impact, less technical detail.

Offer Stage

• Recruiter requested competing offers for negotiation leverage.
• Declined offer after receiving Meta's offer.