I recently went through the interview process at Autodesk for a senior/principal engineering role. The process consisted of four rounds: 1. Technical coding + backend discussion with a Principal Engineer 2. System design, architectural decision-making, and leadership discussion with a Distinguished Architect 3. Hiring Manager round 4. Director-level technical and behavioral round I successfully cleared all four rounds. In fact, during the final Director round, I received very positive feedback and was informed that I had performed well consistently across the earlier stages. However, the post-interview experience was disappointing. After the final round, communication from the recruitment team stopped completely. Emails and calls went unanswered for weeks. After multiple follow-ups, I was eventually informed that my profile had been put “on hold” because they were looking for stronger candidates. While I understand that companies may continue evaluating multiple candidates, the lack of timely and transparent communication after such an extensive interview process was discouraging and unprofessional. Candidates invest significant time, preparation, and emotional energy into these interviews, and they deserve clear updates and respectful communication regardless of the outcome. My feedback to prospective candidates: focus on the interview experience itself, but be prepared for potential delays or lack of communication during the hiring process.

Possibly the worst experience I've ever had interviewing for a tech company. The recruiter I spoke with was incredibly condescending despite the questions she asked me indicating a lack of technical expertise/knowledge on her part. I ended up stopping halfway through the initial interview and telling them I wasn't interested.