I recently interviewed for a Staff Software Engineer position at ServiceNow and, unfortunately, it was one of the most unpleasant interview experiences I’ve had. The interview was a technical round involving a LeetCode-style programming exercise, which is fairly standard. Typically, these challenges are designed not only to evaluate coding skills but also to understand the candidate's thought process. As such, I made an effort to think out loud, explore possible solutions, and ask clarifying questions. However, from the start, the interviewer appeared impatient and disengaged, as if conducting the interview was an unwelcome obligation. My questions were frequently interrupted, and overall he looked annoyed. At one point, the interviewer, in a curt tone, said: "Can you solve this quicker? You’re taking too long, and I have other exercises for you to complete." This comment completely threw me off. Rather than focusing on the task, I found myself questioning how to respond to such an unprofessional remark. I explained that I was working as quickly as I could, but honestly, at that point, I no longer felt motivated to continue. After this comment, I just couldn't focus on the exercise anymore, and I was just thinking about how to answer a comment like that. I just mentioned that I had been trying to solve it as quickly as I could, but to be honest, I didn't want to continue with the interview. For candidates considering this company: be aware that your experience might depend heavily on the individual conducting the interview. For ServiceNow: I hope this feedback helps you improve your interview process. Candidates often take time off from work or personal commitments to participate in interviews, and they don’t get paid for this time. Interviewers, on the other hand, are compensated for their time, and part of their role should be to create a professional and respectful environment. The interviewer is familiar with the exercises and the solution may look obvious by now, but is new to the candidate, who is often nervous and under pressure. A little patience and empathy can go a long way in making the process more constructive for everyone involved.

The process was straightforward: phone screen, meeting with the hiring manager, three more interviews with team members and department head involving technical and behavioral questions. However, at the end of it all, even though they said they wanted to proceed to hire me, they stated they did not (yet) have a budget/headcount available for the position and wouldn't be able to make an offer until next quarter IF they get the budget... so why were they interviewing for the position now in the first place? Frustrating to have spent all that time interviewing only to learn this AFTER the whole process.