After submitting an application online, I was contacted for an in person interview in their Manhattan office. I went to the location and met with two designers on the team as well as two product managers.

Combinedew process itself is fairly standard, but there are a few things worth flagging for candidates considering applying. First, the design task asks you to redesign their own product — which is widely considered poor practice in product design interviews, since it puts candidates in an awkward position and doesn't allow for a fair, neutral assessment. My approach to the task was grounded and realistic: I worked from known facts and proposed changes that were genuinely feasible. The feedback suggested they were looking for something more speculative and high-concept — a "wow" hypothesis rather than a well-reasoned proposal. That's a legitimate difference in philosophy, and I respect that. What's harder to overlook is that after I was rejected at the task stage (second to last round), several of my suggestions appeared in their product. Could be a coincidence, but it doesn't leave a great impression. It also feels worth mentioning that the role has been open for nearly a year. Combined with everything above, it's hard to shake the feeling that the process isn't entirely genuine — whether they are actively hiring or simply using the interview cycle for other purposes.