You will go through 6 Interviews with this company, and even if you do well on all of them, and complete the coding challenge, you might still not get an offer.
I really thought this company is different than most companies out there that just waste your time, because they don't know what they are looking for.
I was told that MessageGears is the type of company that understands that people get stressed during coding Interviews, so they might not be at their best. Well, that's not true. You will need to complete their coding challenge with one try, preferably under a minute to get a passing grade, but people who can do that go to work for Google or Amazon, not MessageGears.
Before the final Interviews, I was told that everyone really likes me as a candidate, and the final Interviews are just a formality. "Just show up and you will be good". I am glad I did not listen to that advice and chose to prepare myself well for the Coding challenge. I did complete the coding challenge. It took me some time, and I was going over some potential approaches, before I finalized the challenge. They ran the code, and got the expected results. I answered all their technical questions, showcasing my skills and knowledge, which clearly illustrated that I would be a strong addition to their team.
Their environment and tech stack is pretty much what I do in my current role, so for me it would just be continuation of what I do. I could come in and do work from day one, after setting up my environment, and getting familiar with their app.
There was a lot of positivity, I received great feedback, and everyone thought I was a strong candidate. At the final Interview they talked to me about the offer, and if there was any obstacles on my end that would prevent me from accepting an offer from them.
In the end I did not get that offer. I was told that I was not communicating my approaches well enough during Coding Interview (I disagree with that). I was also told that the Interviewers thought I would not be able to contribute right away on their team. I totally disagree with that. As I stated earlier, their environment and tech stack is similar to what I work with currently, and what I have been doing for many years. I could come in and do work on the Front End, Back End, Databases, and DevOps. I am also passionate about learning new concepts, and using them on the job. I did have great meetings and discussions with 2 gentlemen from their Leadership team. They do have great leadership at MessageGears, or at least that's the impression I have got. The individuals doing their Technical Interviews are not good at recognizing talent and potential fits for their team. Not impressed at all with their Tech Lead. They can do much better in that regard.
I think part of the reason I was not selected maybe has to do with culture fit. I looked professional for the Tech interview, but I should have probably just wear a Call Of Duty T-Shirt, Star Wars Hoodie, and a Marvel hat, then probably the Technical Interviewers would accept me.
I still think MessageGears is a great company, offering innovative product, and the Interview process was mostly positive.
