After applying, I get an email from the company inviting me to a quick screening call. The call is casual—more of a conversation than an interview. The hiring manager asks about my experience, what I’m looking for in a role, and gives me a brief overview of the company. It’s short, maybe 15-20 minutes, and there are no tricky questions—just getting a feel for whether we’re a good fit. I get invited to a technical discussion. Instead of some stressful whiteboard challenge, I’m asked about past projects I’ve worked on. The interviewer wants to know how I approach problems, why I made certain technical decisions, and how I collaborate with others. If there’s a coding task, it’s practical—something I’d actually do on the job, not some abstract algorithm puzzle. It’s a fair test of my skills, and I appreciate that they respect my time.