1) Applied online
2) Initial phone interview with peer
3) Take-home assignment
4) Phone interview with Head of Trust & Safety
5) 6 hour on-site interview + culture-fit lunch
Unlike most tech-companies, Discord moves quite fast. They'll notify you right away about next steps. The process was pleasant overall, and most of the 6-hour interview was intriguing and insightful. I thought the interviews (aside from the lunch) went well.
I feel that the lunch messed me up. Based on the schedule, I was supposed to have the lunch with 3 specific individuals. When I met with the people I was to have lunch with, they'd switched someone out. This was fine, and we all proceeded to the lunch location. As an avid gamer, I thought fitting into the culture wouldn't be too difficult, but all they talked about were games that I wasn't familiar with (or previously interested in) at all. They mostly spoke among themselves and occasionally threw me a question. I wasn't really able to engage in the conversation, and I guess this translated to the an assumption that I wasn't a good fit for the culture. I received an email a few days later that "this isn't good bye forever!" but that I wasn't a good fit.
I admit that I'm quite an introvert, and when it came to the lunch, I'd already gone through about 2.5 hours of continuous interviews and was quite exhausted, thus making me more quiet. What I'd eaten at lunch made my stomach a little uncomfortable, so I may have been even more quiet because of that discomfort. Perhaps I should have attempted to involve myself more and initiate conversation. I was qualified for the position and was passionate about Discord and T&S, but it's a little unfortunate that I may have been disqualified because I'd never played, nor was ever interested in playing, the specific games that my lunch mates were into.
My advice to potential interviewees: Play any and all games before you apply. You never know what your lunch-mates will talk about, and it may screw you. From what I've seen in the other interview reviews, this part messed a few other people up as well.
My advice to Discord: If there is a slight schedule change, let the candidate know. It may throw them off a little bit, especially if they memorized who they're supposed to meet at what time. The lunch event also seems a bit clique-y, and introverts will most likely not thrive in this portion of the 6-hour long ordeal. It's 3 vs. 1, and in any game, if the team of 3 is more skilled, the 1 person will not prevail. I completely understand the importance of the whole diversity thing, but it is extremely intimidating. A one on one lunch with someone they'd spoken with already, or just a 1 on 1 lunch in general, should allow for a more in-depth and personable conversation. The lunch was supposed to be a break of sorts, not an experience that's even more grueling and tense than the interviews themselves.
They asked me to reapply in a year. I personally will not be doing so. But I highly encourage others to. Discord is full of passionate individuals who really want to make something great. Just be careful of the lunch.