I applied online. I interviewed at OutSystems in Feb 2021
Interview
I only spoke with the internal recruiter, but that's all I need to know. The initial conversation was typical getting to know each other, and helped me understand a little about what the company needs. I found it a bit interesting. Prior to the interview, they requested a writing sample (or that I do an exercise). I submitted the sample.
However, they presented a second exercise that was so comprehensive that anyone at this level should run. This exercise is either intended to see how submissive you are, or to get work from you for free. I asked for details about the assignment, and was told the recruiter would need to consult the technical team. I could hear the interest die on both sides.
Also, I highly recommend that you (the organization) don't play salary games. Be honest about what you are willing to pay. Otherwise, great candidates will do one of the following: not give you a number, shoot so high you might think you can't afford them, or simply move on because they prefer to work with a transparent company.
I hope this helps not only a future interviewee, but maybe it will help Outsystems as well. You lost a fantastic opportunity today. Best of luck!
They sent me a writing exercise whose instructions were so poorly worded that I had concerns about the technical writing team right off the bat. I asked to speak to the recruiter first and had that interview, expressing concern about the quality of the English in not only the exercise but also their own product documentation. Even the marketing web site has English errors all over it! I tried to frame things in a positive way, as in "I can help solve this," but I believe they took offense. The recruiter's exact words were "They have a style guide. Are you saying you would change it?" I explained that a style guide applies to style and doesn't enforce correct English grammar/syntax. Technical writers who are not native speakers need an editor who can fix their mistakes. I opted to send my own writing samples, which they said was an option, and completed the part of the exercise that asked questions about my leadership. A few days later, I received a canned rejection.