I applied through an employee referral. The process took 7 weeks. I interviewed at Shopify in Mar 2020
Interview
A lengthy, interview process (expect about 3 interviews, ranging from 30 mins to 3 hrs) but was otherwise a great experience. It felt like a two-way conversation and everyone was extremely friendly. The recruiters were quick to respond and schedule interviews; it took them a few days to schedule interviews, which meant I had an interview scheduled with them about every other week.
It started off with a call with the recruiter who asked me about my background and what I was looking for in my career. After that chat, she invited me to the second round which involved a portfolio review and the Life Story. The portfolio review was a standard design review. You present 1-2 portfolio pieces to a staff designer. The Life Story was quite a new experience for me. You basically talk to the recruiter for an hour to chat about how you got to where you are. Just be genuine and be yourself, no need to prepare for that portion of the interview.
The last portion of the interview was a 4 hr virtual onsite, consisting of three 1-hr interviews and a break. You meet with the hiring manager to talk about your career goals and your background, then do a deep dive (basically another portfolio review), and finish off with a whiteboarding session. Everyone was knowledgeable and friendly. It was great that team members from different parts of the company are involved in the process. It gave me a better understanding of how the company operates as a whole.
The recruiter was extremely transparent during the entire process and would always respond within the given timelines. She reached out a week after the final interview with an offer.
Straightforward, the recruiter was friendly and very informed about the role. Very transparent how the company runs and able to communicate expectations and next steps clearly. Questioning and flow was smooth, comfortable and very accommodating.
The first thing you’ll get is a recruiter screen which is fairly standard. After, you’ll progress to a portfolio review with craft person and a panel, and a hiring manager chat.
It’s been almost a decade since I wrote about a candidate or job experience on glassdoor, but this was bad enough to share. I’ll spare folks the details and focus on the feedback.
It’s one thing (and completely reasonable) for Shopify to have bumps in the recruiting process and still decide to not move forward with a candidate. It’s *another* thing to have a recruiting process SO sloppy that candidates walk away associating Shopify with red flags and stale, slow-to-ship designers.
If emotional acumen isn’t part of your recruiting culture, then fine. You can still share pronouns in your introductions, diversify your interview panels, and ensure that ALL candidates get the same level of comms/prep at every stage of the recruiting process. Candidates shouldn’t have to answer biased interview questions and leave the experience feeling grateful that they DON’T work at your company.
Shame on you, Shopify! It’s 2024... do better.