Backend Engineer Candidate
I went through a multi-round interview process with Flowmingo AI, referred by a headhunter. The recruiter was responsive and the process itself was smooth. The technical evaluation consisted of two rounds — one with an AI-powered interviewer, one with the Tech Lead. Both rounds focused heavily on backend engineering and system design. AI-related questions were minimal and surface-level at best (think: "what is AI?"). I passed both rounds with strong results, and according to my headhunter, I was the only candidate to pass the Tech Lead round. The rejection feedback, however, cited a gap in "AI knowledge relative to the team's expectations." This was never reflected in the job description, never surfaced during two rounds of technical interviews, and never communicated as a key requirement at any stage of the process. After the process, it became clear the actual expectation was closer to an AI-focused engineer embedded in product development — a meaningfully different role from what was advertised. The CEO's own uncertainty about the product direction added to this lack of clarity. The team seems capable, but candidates should ask explicitly upfront what the actual AI depth expectation is. Passing both technical rounds is apparently not enough if the goalposts aren't defined from the start.