Not what I expected at all.
It's a classic corporate interview disguised as a relaxed one. Be prepared to confront many problems with schedule, no one answering you or just ignoring you for months.
Absolutely lack of ownership as there is no real hiring manager, only many people that casually work together.
If you don't have gaming professional experience, don't even bother. Almost all the interview will be about why you're not fit because of that. Pretty boring.
Very bad follow up (if any), they can let you linger for months without an answer, even when that answer is positive.
Only apply to Riot if you're already on another place, have no rush or economic issues. Even you have the luck (emphasis in that, as they way they choose seems pretty random, besides the funny but fake concept of hiring the best). If it's your first and only choice, then be prepared to have quite a few complications. Don't put a hold in your life to get there.
I was expecting a tricky but fair process conducted by great people. I received instead a particularly long process, poorly managed by not so great people. After all I read previously from Brandon Beck and Jabout Riot's "secret sauce" was the people, being treated so corporately was weird and tragicomic.
The story:
I was part of 2 different processes in different places.
1 Process took 4 months of interviews (about 1 each month), and then they brought me on site.
Expenses. Make them pay you everything in advance, don't accept further refunds as you'll find yourself fighting over a month to get it
Lack of ownership is probably the biggest issue along the processes, as it occurred many times (e.g. "it was their responsibility not mine; the hiring manager should have told you that; they didn't contacted you yet?” etc.).
* Interviews. Phone call interviews were classic, relaxed Riot interviews, with the exception of HR (or Talent, how they like to call them) which was a typical HR interview.
On site interview. It started with a few questions about the position that the hiring manager forgot to mention (e.g. different locations and long etc),
About the onsite: I went to the office, have a 6 hours interview in a small closed room (with 45 minutes lunch outside) and left the building. Nobody will explain you much, even you'll receive questions about a position you didn't were aware of.
After that, a month without an answer.
I returned to my home thinking something I did not expect: "I hope they don't call me back".
2nd process.
After the classic delay, they send me a request for an interview, I answered with my availability and no answer afterwards. They scheduled the interview without confirmation and previous notice. If you're available at that time, ok, if not, you'll most likely miss it.
They won't say sorry for missing that. It seems the main issue is HR lack of commitment to the job, the candidates or who knows what...
Bottom line, for a company that sort of make his hiring speech that they're all about people, this is most likely the worst Hiring process I've ever been in my life.
No organization, no ownership of the process. No respect for the candidate, even mistreat. Ridiculous delays with no updates, and a long, long etc.
The difference between expectations and reality is pretty big.
Getting into must be really nice, the road to get it, not at all and makes you wonder if the first part is actually true, or it's just everyone to afraid to comment.
