My interview experience with Instacart was frustrating and disappointing. From the beginning, the process felt dragged out and lacked transparency. I was led on for weeks with little proactive communication. I had to repeatedly follow up with the recruiter just to get basic feedback, which felt unprofessional and dismissive. In the end, I was passed over for reasons unrelated to the actual job responsibilities which is a frustrating outcome after investing significant time and energy. The interview panel didn’t inspire much confidence; the team seemed average at best, and there was a lack of diversity in perspective. After speaking with former employees, it became clear that this dysfunction wasn’t isolated. I heard consistent stories of poor internal leadership, disorganized priorities, and a tendency to chase shiny distractions like Super Bowl ads instead of focusing on building high-performing teams with the right talent. Advice to Management: Be honest and respectful with candidates. Streamline your interview process, invest in leadership development, and prioritize substance over optics.

The interview process took around 4 weeks (one interview a week). People were friendly and asked reasonable questions. I was surprised at how nice it was talking with everyone. They told me the salary range right away and afterwards offered me the highest end. Positive experience overall.