Recruitment Stories - Saad's Experience at Optimizely

Saad Al Muttakee is currently working as a Senior Developer at Optimizely. He completed his B.Sc. in Computer Science and Engineering from BUET, and has over five years of experience as a Software Engineer. Throughout his career, he has worked at Enosis Solutions, Field Buzz, and Dingi Technologies before joining Optimizely. While he began his journey as a Python developer, his current tech stack primarily includes .NET and React.

Getting Referred to Optimizely

Saad’s path to Optimizely began with a referral from a close ex-colleague. The colleague submitted his CV through the company’s internal job portal. Shortly after, Saad received a confirmation email acknowledging the submission of his application.

A Quick Overview of Saad’s Role

At Optimizely, each product team operates independently, with its own interview structure, technology stack, and responsibilities. Saad works with the Content Management System (Optimizely CMS)—a widely used product with a strong market reputation and a notable client base. His team’s working hours generally align with the EMEA region.

Interview Process at Optimizely

Phase 1: Phone Screening

The first round was a phone screening conducted by the Talent Acquisition team, approximately four weeks after the application was submitted. The discussion covered Saad’s experience, his then-current role at Enosis, reasons for seeking a change, and his background in e-commerce projects. The interviewer also explained that he would be contacted regarding the next round soon.

This round was held mostly in English. Saad didn’t do much preparation for it but focused on articulating why he wanted to join Optimizely and how it aligned with his career goals.

Phase 2: Technical Interview

The second round was held onsite, within a few days of the screening. It was a three-hour session conducted by two managers.

• Part 1 (90 minutes): Saad was given a low-level design problem and had to implement a solution in .NET, following good coding practices and using appropriate design patterns.

• Part 2 (90 minutes): This segment involved follow-up questions on his solution, as well as:

  • Frontend frameworks mentioned in his resume
  • How JavaScript works in the browser
  • Strategies to ensure zero downtime during deployment
  • Behavioral questions, such as handling conflicts with a manager

To prepare, Saad:

• Practiced LeetCode problems (mostly easy to medium difficulty)
• Reviewed low-level and high-level design concepts
• Revisited the fundamentals of .NET and React

Interestingly, the interview didn’t include a problem-solving round, although he noted that recent interviews often do include a 30-minute coding challenge. According to him, solving some LeetCode easy/medium problems should suffice. Candidates also have the option to attend this round virtually.

Phase 3: Director Interview

The final round was a Zoom call with a company director. The discussion revolved around:

• Saad’s previous experiences
• Reasons for switching jobs
• Familiarity with Optimizely’s products
• Willingness to work EMEA hours
• Salary expectations

There were no technical questions, and the conversation was conducted in English.

Preparation Tip: For this round, Saad briefly explored Optimizely’s products to get a sense of what the company offers. He suggests that the key to doing well here is to demonstrate fluency in English, as the role involves working in an international team.

Special thanks to Saad Al Muttakee for taking out the time to share his recruitment experience with me. If you have any queries, feel free to contact him at muttakee9@gmail.com