Overall, this was one of the best interview experiences I've had. The process was well organized, challenging, and gave me a good sense of the engineering culture at Qonto.
A special shoutout to my recruiter, Chi. She was outstanding throughout the entire process, always responsive, transparent, and proactive in her communication. She clearly explained what to expect at every stage, shared preparation tips, and was always available to answer questions. I also really appreciated how quickly she followed up after each interview, providing feedback either the same day or the following day. Even when there was a change in the interview process, she communicated it openly and made sure I understood what to expect. That level of transparency and responsiveness made the experience much less stressful.
The interviews themselves focused less on algorithms and more on engineering judgment. Topics included product thinking through Value Engineering, code reviews, technical leadership, system design, collaboration, and understanding the reasoning behind technical decisions. I appreciated that the interviewers were interested not only in what I had built, but also why I made certain decisions, how I worked with teammates, and the impact my work had on customers and the engineering organization.
The process is definitely rigorous, but I always felt the interviewers were trying to understand how I think rather than trying to catch me out. Every interviewer was respectful, engaged, and gave me the opportunity to explain my reasoning.
Overall, I came away with a very positive impression of both the engineering culture and the people at Qonto, and I'm excited to be joining the team.