45 minute phone tech screen (simple, functional code questions). Onsite with CTO/technical founder, other engineers.
Here is a summary of the experience you will have, and some cautions I'd like to throw out. Everyone has different experiences and different fits as they tackle a job hunt, so I don't want to discourage anyone from applying here. Simply put, be aware and cautious, and make your own judgement in the process.
Next door to their office is a company that actually stands in stark contrast to the vibe/environment of instawork. Gusto is next door - you typically hear cheering, a youthful and fun crowd, and a lot of excitement. I have plenty of friends that work there, and I could hear them through the wall during the time. In contrast, instawork had a few red flags I perceived immediately. There is a heavy feeling/perception of being serious. People carry themselves in a way in which I saw people carry themselves in another startup I had worked for previously. They are overworking, and tunneled into what they are doing without a sense of enjoyment in the process. If you've seen this environment and what it does to people, you will pick up on this. Typically, people in this work environment will not have full clarity in their words and will have varying levels of tenseness in their presentation. Again, this is my perception, but I do want to throw out the warning.
As far as the interview goes, I have to say I was a bit surprised from the cofounder. There is an interview problem I have asked over 200 times from candidates in another company I worked at. The question was based around building an LRU cache. I quickly built an LRU cache and solved it in the correct way. The cofounder was confused, and did not actually seem to have a true grasp on how an LRU cache functions. Seeing his past history and accomplishments, this threw me off a little, but an interesting observation.
I was given another interview on technical analysis that was solid. This engineer knew what he was doing. I was also given an interview by the frontend expert. His questions were easy. A bit of caution - I have written 4 production redux-react apps at this point. He did not seem to structure things well or have a fluent understanding of the tools he was using. I would put this as a huge red flag and would be concerned if I were interviewing here for a frontend position. If you are interviewing for a frontend role, please do you due diligence and make sure to go deep on the current structure. Maybe they have improved, and maybe they hired people who have a bit more depth of knowledge.
The cofounder seemed to continuously ask about work life balance. He seemed dead set on hiring people who would be available 24-hours out of the day. He told me that if I worked there, I should expect to answer inquiries/questions/be available on slack until I go to sleep. This question and approach to me was interesting. I believe motivation is organic at a company. If you have a team that believes in a product and is excited about it, you do not need to state expectations for 24-hour availability. The natural motivation and talent of the team will keep people engaged constantly. I would say this conversation was a big red flag, and shows an overly aggressive/forced work hard culture. At the end of the day, they are building a job app for the service industry. How big will it go? With the current system of silicon valley, employees will rarely even get a huge payout, especially after continued rounds of dilution. You may get a few hundred thousand dollars, but if you put 15K in bitcoin or throw money in a ROTH ira, invest, or even do some side work you will probably make significantly more than that over a few years. Is the tradeoff for your blood and sweat over 3 years at a forced work culture? Especially with a review (posted recently) that takes pride in the fact that no one is in their 20's and the environment is missing a youthful, exciting influence. Heed caution here, and maybe see that there are companies that will let you work remotely, make significantly more, are in exciting industries, have diversity in age, and have people who are working hard because they believe in the cause. Look at emerging industries (blockchain, AR, etc.) that do have a passionate workforce and can have an impact on the world.
Finally, after the 2nd onsite, I pulled myself out of the process and chose to work with another company that was flexible, and remote. I work a lot right now, but it's actually because I'm with people who are passionate for a cause.
I just wanted to throw this caution out. It is rare I would take the time to write such a thorough review like this, however, the environment there rubbed me wrong. This was not due to a rejection, bitterness, or anything else. As I said, I pulled out of the process after the onsite and accepted one of the 3 pending offers I had.
