Before I write this, note that I never take a rejection to heart. It happens and it always take awhile to find your dream job. Procore is a very nice place, I had the chance to meet the CEO before my interview even started which was very pleasant because he seems like a very stand up guy. I actually hope he gets the chance to see this.
I first got interviewed via phone call by a senior engineer. He was an awesome guy, made the whole phone interview process very delightful. Talked a lot about my technical background, was very honest from the get go that I'm a junior level engineer. Our conversation actually went on for an hour plus. Then assuming he gave a good word about my personality and skills, he happen to get an in person interview. Keep in mind, I work full time and I live almost 100 miles away from Procore. So doing an in person interview wasn't easy but they seemed great so I took off work to go. I was told the in person interview was 3 and a half hours: it consisted of a tour, intro panel interview, data mapping with 3 seniors, one on one with Sam the CTO, then the paired programming.
Once I get there, the tour was great, although at the start everything seemed so shallow, it was as if everyone was hired out of pacsun catalogue. Regardless, once the intro panel started, three seniors came in along with Sam who seriously came in with the most unenthusiastic attitude from the start. Real hiring managers and especially CTO should know situations like that are intimidating and a little nerve racking. We spoke for 30 minutes which seemed a little attackish on the technical questions part. Then two of the engineers came back for the personality assessment part, that part was great. Then the technical recruiter comes into the meeting room, excuses the engineers then tells me oh sam and the team had a huge bug problem they had to deal with and they can't finish the interview... Obviously being as confused as I am because I'm not an idiot, I know it doesn't take a team of 35 engineers and a CTO to "fix a major bug problem" I just thought to myself, if they really didn't think I had the talent why didn't they just finish the interview to see what I can dish out and most importantly out of respect for me driving that far. The recruiter told me that I'd hear back in a week. Literally the next morning I hear back from my recruiter in LA saying that Sam said I didn't pass the technical part... So let's connect the dots, two lies were present here: clearly there was no bug problem and it was a very cowardly way of rejecting someone which should not be a personality trait a CTO should have and second lie, he told my recruiters I didn't pass the technical test that I didn't even get the chance to take!
It was honestly the most demeaning thing that could have ever happen to me. It's one thing if Sam ended the interview early himself, had a talk with me explaining that I was too early of a developer for that company. But to make such a cowardly lie and treat me like I'm some idiot was horrible. It actually made me leave Procore feeling crappy about myself. Which is NOT okay. He is honestly one of the most unprofessional executives I have ever heard of in my entire life. I hope one day the CEO sees this review and takes proper action. The interview process should never be deameaning, and shameful. Ironically one of the companies key values is 'openness'. Interviews are hard enough on people as it is, don't make it worse.