Initial screening, technical interview I, technical interview II, HR high level interview III, In person, phone interview IV
Firstly, leaving Accenture because of the suck up culture and lower than market rate pay, I knew what I was getting into with Avanade right off the bat. With that said, Avanade (and Accenture) have extremely huge clients. I've worked with the best of the best here and been flown across the country wined and dined and put up in nice hotels. The downside? corporate suck up culture (you won't move up unless you do it). Projects ran by people who have no clue what they are doing. Your talents won't be utilized fully. You will be staffed anywhere (I've also been sent to a few absolute hellholes).
Now I'll explain the interview experience I had ( and why I believe anyone with talent is better off elsewhere) First Avanade's corporate cheerleader calls and we go through the usual set of question/answer routine. She calls back the next day and schedules interview two. Interview two calls he is very much the coder guy type. Friendly and is purely assessing my skills based on whether or not I've done Azure or other buzzwords (very difficult to assess a skill level based on technology buzzwords). Then we go into a pretty standard technical assessment, interface vs abstract class, etc.
interview III comes along and its a managerial type reading some canned questions from a sheet technical wise, interspersed with some mundane HR questions. This guy is typical of Accenture scumbags and interrupts constantly, seems disinterested and mostly I didn't like him.
Next cheerleader calls back and her tone changes and seems somewhat concerned. I'm guessing at this stage she breaks out the BS and starts low balling. Well, she says, you laddered or rated or something at a consultant level rather than blah blah blah. WHen I know full well she is trying to low ball me. Firstly the offers I ended up taking were in the 118K level and she states they can offer 86,900. However I realize that working here is basically a free for all and I'll get free hotels and flights and be in a different city whenever I want. So fine I say ok.
Next is the in person. Meet so and so at the Westin for lunch. This guy is cool, he buys me lunch at the Westin, makes sure I don't drool on my self and tells me essentially I'm hired and this is the confirmation interview. We eat lunch, part ways and few days later cheerleader calls back asking if I can you ANOTHER interview. Sure, whatever, I tell her. The final guy is a complete jerk asking asinine questions, being snooty and vague and then basically tells me there is no work in the local area long term.
Essentially given the run around and the final decision is not to offer the position for whatever reason. I'm writing this to point out, having worked for Accenture 4 years. If you like the travel and suck up corporatist hegemony, you don't mind travel, you like the perks, you will work for 30-40% less than market rate ( the clients and travel can actually compensate that well), you won't mind it there. Plus they have second to none client lists. I worked in Hollywood, the top banks, the largest companies there. But if you like to be utilized well and your work to be important and your voice to be important and you want the market rate and don't suck up to people, but work based on respect -- Accenture and Avanade are not for you. Basically they are hyenas and they will eat their own babies.
There are many many companies that you will be much happier with. Take your vacations on the weekends and the higher rate somewhere else.
Any question they will ask can be found by reviewing the interviews on glassdoor.
