Inside Grafana Labs’ hiring process for backend engineers

Grafana Labs' hiring process for backend engineers is designed to assess a candidate's potential performance and fit within the company through a series of structured interview stages. The process begins with an initial phone call with a tech recruiter, followed by four interview stages: the hiring manager interview, a coding exercise, a non-abstract system design exercise, and a reflection and offer stage. Each phase aims to evaluate not only technical skills but also problem-solving abilities, communication, and cultural fit. The coding exercise emphasizes collaborative problem-solving and communication, while the system design exercise focuses on a candidate's ability to conceptualize and reason about complex systems. Throughout the process, candidates meet various team members, providing a comprehensive view of their suitability for the role and offering them insight into the team and company culture. The final reflection stage allows both the candidate and Grafana Labs to assess mutual compatibility before making an employment offer.