No information was provided before the technical screen about the interview structure or what would be assessed.
I was told it would be a coding round, but the question required writing code within a large existing Java project rather than solving a standalone programming problem. I was not informed beforehand that familiarity with a specific project structure, framework, and libraries would be required, nor was I given the option to use my preferred programming language.
A significant portion of the interview was spent understanding an unfamiliar codebase, navigating project files, figuring out dependencies, and interpreting framework-specific code instead of demonstrating problem-solving or coding ability. Success depended heavily on prior exposure to that particular ecosystem rather than on universal software engineering skills.
Technical interviews should assess transferable skills such as logical reasoning, coding ability, debugging methodology, and algorithmic thinking. If expertise in a specific language, framework, or project setup is expected, candidates should be informed in advance so they can prepare accordingly.