Unprofessional and disorganized interview process
I interviewed for a backend engineering role at Pliant. The technical interview was conducted by two interviewers, and unfortunately it was one of the least professional interview experiences I've had in my career.
The questions were often incomplete or ambiguous. When I asked clarifying questions — which any senior engineer would do before jumping into a problem — I was met with visible frustration and an aggressive tone rather than a constructive response. Throughout the session, both interviewers showed little engagement; one of them came across as dismissive and condescending toward me as a candidate.
At the end of the interview, I asked what specifically they were looking for in a strong candidate. The answer was, almost word for word, that they didn't know themselves. I received a rejection shortly after.
If the panel cannot articulate what success in the role looks like, it's hard to see how candidates can be evaluated fairly — and harder still to recommend this process to other experienced engineers. Interviewing is a two-way signal, and this one told me a lot about the internal culture.
Advice to management: Invest in interviewer training and calibration. Define a clear rubric before interviewing candidates. Candidates — especially senior ones — talk to each other, and in a market like Berlin that matters.