[steven2012]

There's no way a competent hiring manager would ask someone to come in for a "couple of hours" to meet the team, and then ambush them with a full-on technical interview. This would not lead to a successful outcome.

I think from the context of the entire article, you need to read between the lines and assume that it was obvious to both the candidate and the hiring manager that the next step was a full technical interview. The hiring manager was simply wording it in a way that sounded less intimidating.

[bjacks]

Actually, this exact thing happened to me. I was asked to come in for a couple of hours to meet the team and see the office. When I arrived I was taken to a room where I was interviewed for 3 hours, by 3 different interview teams. Two of them were whiteboard interviews, then an interview with management.

Needless to say I rejected the offer, I was so unimpressed with the hiring process. Disgusted actually.

[otoburb]

Did the disgust manifest after, or during, the 3 hour process? Curious to know whether there were other factors in play (perhaps curiosity?) that made you stay throughout the ordeal.

[bjacks]

Afterwards. I was basically in shock at the start of it..

[dilap]

That sucks.

I recently did some interviews which were described as "can you come meet with our engineering team in more depth". Which I read (correctly) as "technical interviews", but the description was certainly a bit coy.

I think people tend to use euphemistic language to try to preserve a "we're all buddies here" atmosphere, and out of sense of discomfort with the idea of interviewing.

(Though it's not such a huge deal, to me -- any time I'm talking to someone, if we're considering working together, it's fair game to get into technical questions, IMO.)

[gsg]

Wow, that's quite the misrepresentation. I can imagine it left a bad taste in the mouth.

Did you get the impression this was a deliberate strategy, or just an oversight?