I applied through a staffing agency. The process took 3 weeks. I interviewed at Rakuten (Beijing, Beijing) in May 2025
Interview
Get reached out by headhunter, 5 rounds of interview in total, 3 technical rounds and 2 bq rounds with cross-sites interviewers and CTO.
The whole interviewing process is okay-ish, but somehow I get threatened by the headhunter in the final step.
Headhunter said something like the offer is in progrss already, but if u can't promise to take the offer and onboard to rakuten, I will decline the offer instead of u directly, even though at this stage both the salary and job rank are not disclosed - at all. That's very shocking : )
Applied online. Initial screening with the hiring manager. Questions from resume. Technologies used. Java basic questions. Salary expectations. About the role and team. Leetcode question - no coding - just mention the approach. System design question.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Leetcode question - no coding - just mention the approach. System design question.
Disorganized, no HR reached out to discuss about the administrative details and salary and benefits, the hiring manager reached out directly, scheduled a meeting and asked about HR questions(visa, RTO etc.)
The hiring manager was late for over 5 mins minutes, no apologies, no greetings. Negative experience
The interview covered Python libraries, networking, and my software engineering experience. While questions were basic, they can be tricky for seniors. Review your definitions alongside your past projects to succeed.