Interview process is comprised of an initial technical screening video call, a take home assignment, a follow-up technical discussion on it and finally a cultural fit interview. During the initial technical screening I was asked to give an overview of my work experience, reasons for looking for a new job and motivations for applying for the role. The take home assignment was very time consuming (several hours) and would honestly not do it again. Next company that asks me to complete one will get a hard pass.

I appreciated the opportunity to interview with Starling and found the overall process to be well-organised. However, I was disappointed with how the final stage was handled. While the earlier stages were clear and professional, the last interview felt somewhat one-sided. The questions were mostly open-ended, and although I gave technically accurate answers, even going beyond what was asked at times, I felt the feedback I received didn’t fully reflect my performance. It seemed that rather than digging deeper or asking follow-up questions, assumptions were made based on delivery or interpretation rather than technical correctness. Additionally, there didn’t seem to be a genuine effort from the final interviewers to get to know me beyond the technical side. Cultural fit is important, and I was surprised that I wasn’t asked any questions to assess this properly, despite it being mentioned in the feedback. Overall, I left the process feeling that the evaluation was more subjective than I had expected. I still respect the company and its mission, but I believe the interview experience could be improved, particularly in terms of fairness and communication at the final stage.