What to expect
Four stages, run by people who've sat in your seat. Bring your normal tools, ask anything, think out loud. No tricks, no gotchas — we want to see how you actually work.
15–20 min · CTO
Screening call
A short chat with our CTO. We'll talk about you, what you're looking for in your next role, and what makes you special. It's low-key — think of it as a mutual sanity check before we both invest more time.
45–60 min · Oliver, Co-Founder & CEO
Founders conversation
An open conversation with Oliver. This is about getting to know each other — your motivations, what drives you, and whether Flowstate is the right place for you to do your best work.
Format
A relaxed, two-way conversation. No structured interview questions. We want to understand the human behind the CV.
What to expect
Questions about your trajectory, the work you're proudest of, and what you want from the next chapter. Plenty of room for you to ask us anything.
Preparation
None required. Just come as yourself.
~90 min live · CTO · ≤30 min take-home
Software engineering challenge
You'll build a small data-driven application. Use whatever AI-assisted tooling you normally work with — Claude Code, Cursor, Copilot, whatever. We're not testing whether you can write code from memory. We're interested in how you think, the architectural decisions you make, and how you navigate tradeoffs when things get complicated.
Format
A short take-home brief lands in your inbox 48 hours before. Then a live ~90 min session where you build, talk through your approach and respond to evolving requirements in real time.
What to expect
A problem involving data modelling, financial calculations and UI. The requirements will shift during the session — that's intentional. We're watching how you adapt, not whether you finish.
Preparation
Have your dev environment ready: Node.js / TypeScript, a React setup you're comfortable with, PostgreSQL or SQLite available locally, and your preferred AI coding tool installed.
60 min · CTO
Behavioural & product thinking
A conversation and a live exercise. We'll talk about how you've worked in the past, then work through a product scenario together in real time. No coding.
Format
Half conversation, half collaborative exercise. You'll think out loud and we'll think with you.
What to expect
Questions about how you've navigated ambiguity, worked with customers and made decisions without perfect information. Then a hands-on exercise where you'll break down a real-world customer request.
Preparation
No preparation needed. Just come ready to think out loud.
No tricks, no gotchas. We want to see how you actually work.
What happens next
After the interviews
We move quickly. Here's what the wrap-up looks like once we've finished talking.
Step 1
Decide
We deliberate, fast. You'll hear back within a few days — never radio silence.
Step 2
Offer
When we make an offer, you choose the equity-to-salary ratio that suits you. Compensation that reflects your value and removes life stress.
Step 3
Meet in person
Once you accept, we fly you out to meet the team. London or New York — whichever fits.
Prefer to meet in person?
Any stage can be done in person on request — London or New York. Tell us when we book the time and we'll make it happen.
Ready when you are.
Find the role that fits, then we'll take it from there.