The phData interview process is conducted in three stages.
■ Stage 1 is the standard screening interview with peopleOps (phData’s HR).
■ Stage 2 is an informal interview with the technical manager.
■ Stage 3 is a formal group interview.
Stage 1 is the standard screening process to verify a candidate’s background, communication skills, and interest in the position. phData is looking for the right candidate for the job. However, my background at a cursory glance did not match phData’s ideal candidate. I was in the process of pivoting my career, so I had lots of indirect experience related to the job but no formal training or work experience in critical areas. Many interviewers do not take the time to see how a candidate’s prior experience makes them qualified for the position. Fortunately for me, phData took the extra effort to make those connections between my experience and their needs. After a 30 minute conversation over the phone, phData scheduled a second interview with the technical manager in 4 days.
Stage 2 is an informal interview via Zoom with the technical manager. It was scheduled for 30 minutes but lasted 45. phData’s HR person mentored me through the process. She told me the style of this interview was conversational and informal and that business casual would be completely appropriate for this meeting.
I did my due diligence before the interview by researching the company, reading the company’s blog posts, and watched some youTube videos given by phData’s leadership. However, none of this preparation was necessary. The interview with the technical manager was a casual conversation just like I was told it would be. There were no direct technical questions. The questions were the standard “tell me about yourself,” “why are you interested in this position” etc. I think at one point we talked about each other’s hobbies.
Once I made it past Stage 2, I was given a technical project. The technical project was challenging but aligned with the skills needed for the position. phData has a different project for the data scientist, data engineer, and machine learning engineer. Each project emphasized a particular skill set specific for the position. I could spend as much time on the project as I liked. As a guideline I was told that past applicants spend approximately 10 hours. At this point, I already knew I wanted to work at phData so I spent about 30+ hours on the project. I had the time and I found the problem interesting.
After reviewing the project’s requirements, phData asked me when I would like to schedule the Stage 3 (and final) interview via Zoom. The final interview would be a thirty-minute presentation followed by questions from a group of 5-6 people. The presentation and interview were uneventful. I didn’t complete all the requirements of the project. This was not a problem. The questions that were asked were all reasonable, straightforward, and based upon my presentation. There was no trick or gotcha questions. I wasn’t able to answer all the questions that they asked, but that didn’t seem to bother them.
Overall the whole interview process was conducted professionally and quickly. At times I felt that phData mentoring me through their process. They answered all of my questions. The whole interview process took two weeks. phData is growing and are looking for people with the right skill set. At the time, I was not competing with other candidates for the position. phData offered me a job the next business day after my final interview.
Since I accepted the position, I have had a chance to learn more about phData from the inside. phData is a great company. They live by their core values: Psychological Safety, Grit, Community, and Curiosity. These values are a pervasive part of the company’s culture. phData is always looking for opportunities to learn, improve, and grow. I can’t imagine working anyplace else.
