I came into the Personio interview process not expecting much, to be honest. I read the Glassdoor reviews and seen some of the news, so I was preeeetty sceptical. But I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed the whole thing.
It started with a short call with HR who was lovely, then moved on to an interview with the hiring/line manager. After that was a take-home task: not the usual “here’s a dataset, now do a week’s worth of unpaid work” but more concept-based questions around data modelling and how you’d approach a business problem. I appreciated that. It was challenging enough to make me think, but it wasn’t overwhelming, and it gave a sense of what working with the team would be like. That’s when I started getting intrigued. During the presentation with the Head and Lead Analytics Engineers, the team felt sharp, thoughtful, and collaborative.
The final stage was with a VP and a culture-fit round. In all stages, what stood out was how thoughtful, human, and fast the process was. Every interviewer came prepared, asked meaningful questions, and seemed genuinely interested in who I was, not just as a candidate, but as a person. And the speed was remarkable! I received the email notifying I got to the next stage within minutes of finishing interviews.
Even after getting the offer, I had doubts, especially as I had a few other strong offers. I was upfront about it, and they didn’t get defensive; they gave me space to ask questions, explain my concerns, and even offered time with other team members so I could get a better feel.
Now, just over a month in, I’m really glad I said yes. The team is genuinely one of the most creative, brilliant, and down-to-earth groups I’ve worked with. The work has been intense but exciting, and the environment is much better than I expected.
If you’re interviewing... ask all your questions, be honest, and if it feels right, take the leap. I did, and I haven’t looked back.