The hiring process can be arduous and even downright frustrating.
A lack of open communication and stages that aren’t clearly defined can undermine prospective hires’ ability to put their best foot forward and a company’s ability to secure the best candidate for a role.
The process can be especially time-consuming for software engineers; coding interviews are no joke. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Mustafa Ali, who was recently hired as a software engineer at Method, said the company’s hiring process was smooth and expeditious.
“Unlike most other engineering interviews, the process did not begin with a leetcode-style coding assignment,” Ali said. “I first had the chance to meet with the founders personally over coffee chats. This allowed us to build a relationship, get to know each other and better gauge each other’s motivations and culture fit in general.”
Built In Austin spoke to Ali about the qualities that drew him to Method, the hiring process, and what advice he has for other engineers interested in joining the team.
Fintech company Method is an API that works with over 15,000 financial institutions to enable data retrieval and debt repayments to any type of consumer liability.
What initially drew you to apply for an engineering role at Method?
I initially found out about Method from its CEO, Jose Bethancourt, and I was thoroughly impressed to learn about the team’s engineering efforts and how much they had already accomplished in such a short period of time. Their pace of execution, not only in engineering but across all company functions, was stunning, and as someone with a passion for building software, I found this quite appealing.
Additionally, the company’s positive attitude toward adopting a hybrid work environment, emphasis on professional development and focus on fostering a highly collaborative, transparent and trust-based culture were in line with what I sought in an ideal workplace. Overall, I felt confident in the engineering leadership at Method and could see myself fitting in well with the company’s culture.
What was the hiring process like, and how was it different from other experiences you’ve had?
As an engineer, I could not have asked for a better hiring process than what I experienced with Method. Unlike most other engineering interviews, the process did not begin with a leetcode-style coding assignment. Instead, I first had the chance to meet with the founders personally over coffee chats. This allowed us to build a relationship, get to know each other, and better gauge each other’s motivations and culture fit in general.
Later in the process, I was given a take-home assignment that was reflective of the day-to-day technical skills and abilities that would be necessary for the role. I highly appreciated this as it allowed me to get a taste of what the role would entail and also allowed Method to judge my competency level. Overall, the interview process felt smooth throughout, with prompt communication on both ends and an emphasis on ensuring a strong culture fit.
You would have the opportunity to play a significant role in shaping the culture here and setting examples for future engineers.”
What advice would you give to fellow engineers thinking about applying for one of your team’s open roles?
If you are an engineer passionate about building software, have a history of working on large-scale projects and appreciate working across various parts of the technical stack, then I would highly recommend applying for one of the open engineering roles. We would love to learn about the breadth of your technical experiences and any prior engineering challenges that you found particularly interesting.
The engineering team at Method is small; you would have the opportunity to play a significant role in shaping the culture here and setting examples for future engineers. Our engineers have the unique opportunity to interface directly with our clients as well, driving integral conversations about the future of our products.
If you want to learn more about any of the roles or about the engineering culture in general, don’t hesitate to reach out to any of us!
