Palo Alto Networks Interviews

On January 6, I received a test invite from Palo Alto Networks and completed it the next day. About three weeks later, the recruiter informed me I scored well and we proceeded with further rounds. The recruiter initially seemed open but their approach became increasingly problematic towards the end.

My first two rounds were scheduled on the same day. Round 1 focused on Data Structures & Algorithms along with project discussions. I felt I performed well, though the interviewer expected a more optimal solution and even argued about the time complexity of PriorityQueue.poll() operation, insisting it was O(n) instead of O(log n).

Round 2 went much better, covering High-Level Design (HLD) and Low-Level Design (LLD). The discussion revolved around designing an Amazon-like e-commerce system, with a deep dive into one specific component.

Two weeks later, the recruiter called, expressing surprise that despite my high test score, feedback from the rounds wasn't very good. They wanted to schedule more rounds for a final verdict, even though I mentioned having an offer with a short deadline. I emphasized the need for proactive feedback, to which they responded that employees were busy and struggling to provide it, and that other candidates were also being rejected. Interestingly, they also changed the position from "Staff Engineer" to "Senior Backend Engineer."

Round 3, purely focused on DSA, went exceptionally well. I solved two questions optimally within 30 minutes. After another two weeks of silence, the recruiter confirmed Round 3 was very good and wanted to conduct a final hiring manager round. Despite my tight timeline, I agreed one last time.

Round 4 was decent; I answered some questions but struggled with others outside my experience. The interviewer also asked about the Low-Level Design of a Snake game. Following this, I was ghosted for another week.

The recruiter eventually called again, stating the previous round was decent and they were awaiting a manager's decision for an offer. They repeatedly asked about my other offer, its stock components, and then tried to devalue the other company, claiming Palo Alto Networks was superior, had FAANG employees, offered better compensation and stock, etc. This continued without any concrete confirmation of my candidature. I found this behavior unprofessional and manipulative, especially given the lack of transparency and constant delays. I had reiterated my limited time countless times. If I were to reject my current offer based on their empty promises, I could end up jobless. I've seen similar complaints about their hiring process on Glassdoor.

Ultimately, I would not accept an offer from this company, even for a very high compensation, as I prioritize transparency and mutual respect. I advise other candidates experiencing similar ghosting or delays after multiple rounds to reconsider and save their time and energy.