Science Corporation interview questions

So at first, I thought, “Wow, this company is actually working on something meaningful that could help people.” Then I had my first call with one of the full-stack engineers. We chatted about my experience, and I started asking specific questions about the company. When I asked what they were currently working on, I didn’t really get any clear answers. The interviewer seemed rushed, even though we still had plenty of time left in the meeting. I thought, “Okay, maybe I’ll get more details in the next interview.” I passed the cognitive and personality tests and got invited to another round. They asked me a very simple algorithm question, and after solving it, we discussed complexity and optimization. I honestly expected something more challenging, but I figured maybe that’s what they were looking for. Then I was invited to the next stage. A 30-minute project presentation followed by 30 minutes of Q&A. I came very prepared, presented a complex project I’ve worked on, and even included multiple diagrams. But the session felt a bit like a joke. There were seven or eight people on the panel, and I was asked only four questions, none of which meaningfully evaluated my technical skills. The questions were along the lines of: How long did it take you to complete it? What is that thing you’re doing there? (a very basic part of the project) You mentioned working closely with the customer, can you elaborate? Afterward, I got a call from the recruiter (not from Science) telling me I passed, but I received no feedback whatsoever. Honestly, it felt like a waste of time. What surprised me most was that after meeting the rest of the team, I finally got a little more information about what they’re working on, and it wasn’t what I expected. Without going into too much detail, the team isn’t really working on the company’s main products, except for one person who handles infrastructure. Overall, the people seem nice, but they also seem a bit lost. I got the impression they aren’t entirely sure what they’re doing or what they’ll be working on next, probably because the direction from management is shifting frequently.

I had a disappointing experience with the hiring process for an Engineering role; the process felt unprofessional and showed little regard for candidates' time. The initial interview with the hiring manager was straightforward. However, Science Corp then requested a cognitive test, a personality test, and a design challenge. Interestingly, the design challenge closely mirrored one of company’s main business problem. Although the instructions stated the project should take X hours, it clearly required at least 3X that amount. I invested significant effort and provided documentation and a detailed design. After waiting for a couple of weeks, I received a rejection via a generic do-not-reply email with no feedback. Overall, it seemed Science Corp was more interested in collecting creative solutions from applicants than genuinely evaluating candidates for employment. I strongly believe companies should respect applicants' time. My experience highlighted a lack of respect and transparency, leaving me disappointed in Science Corp’s recruitment practices.