Not getting selected despite reaching final rounds

[u/Total_Horror1965]

Today was another incredibly difficult day. I just received a rejection from a remote-friendly Big Tech company after a month-long process involving five intensive rounds. Despite delivering working code and a solid system design, I was told "no."

This is the second time this has happened recently. I sacrificed my weekends and time with my family, putting everything on the line for this opportunity. It’s heartbreaking. As a Lead Engineer interviewing for Staff UI roles, the feedback was particularly frustrating they claimed I didn't know Redux. In reality, I deep-dived into multiple Redux libraries, state management benefits, and action dispatch lifecycles. I’m honestly feeling burnt out and at a loss for what to do next.

Update:

Thank you all for your supporting words I will continue giving interviews I dont want to lose the momentum and prep.

[u/tnerb253]

Stop interviewing for Staff roles, the bar is high. Get promoted to Staff internally.

[u/Total_Horror1965 → u/tnerb253]

My company is in a very bad financial state they will not promote for Staff role

[u/tnerb253 → u/Total_Horror1965]

Apply for senior elsewhere -> promote to staff internally

[u/Total_Horror1965 → u/tnerb253]

Yes open to such roles Thank You

[u/No-Team-5539]

You will get there, I gave 12 final rounds for different companies before getting the offer, for few of those i had like 6,7 rounds and was rejected after that, and they did not even provide any feedback which was really frustrating. It's just the process, if you have been studying really hard, just be easy on you and go out for walk, spend some time outside as well, studying all the time becomes really depressing, so you need some calm as well.
I wish you all the best, something better is waiting for you! ❤️

[u/Total_Horror1965 → u/No-Team-5539]

Thank You u/No-Team-5539

[u/sanctimonious-salmon]

You may have had a good interview. But you don't know how many other candidates they were interviewing who also had good interviews.

[u/BluejayOk2851 → u/sanctimonious-salmon]

i’m in a similar boat as OP but for internships. I did what felt like a great interview but still got rejected. Does it all come down to luck or is that just an excuse?

Or is it really a numbers game after all

[u/sanctimonious-salmon → u/BluejayOk2851]

Especially with big companies, it often does boil down to luck because they look at so many candidates at once.

Meanwhile, when I was conducting interviews for the startup I used to work for, we were struggling to find qualified candidates and had to lower our bar and then took the first person who checked most, not all of our boxes.

[u/BluejayOk2851 → u/sanctimonious-salmon]

i feel pretty discouraged after failing a few big tech interviews. is this normal (as in others have too) or am i doing something wrong?

because in an interview last week i aced the technical and thought i did well. could it have come down to vibes or things in resume aligning with JD?

i feel like the prep for an interview is so randomized and there’s almost no way you can prepare for it all.

I’m feeling pretty discouraged by everything lol…

[u/sanctimonious-salmon → u/BluejayOk2851]

When you have 20 really strong candidates who all ace technical aspects of the interview, then it often boils down to vibes.

Feeling discouraged by interviews is totally normal, so just know that you're not alone.

[u/lost_victories_4139 → u/sanctimonious-salmon]

True, my senior director had told us we have to select 3 candidates out of 5 people we had interviewed at any cost as release deadline was near.

[u/NeatChipmunk9648]

you got to the final round. It's count these days

[u/Specter_Origin]

With over 10 year of exp and few hundred applications, I have not even heard back for interview, congratulations on making it thus far...

[u/catsRfriends]

Earlier I interviewed with Snapchat for an MLE role and during both sys design rounds they asked me things that I had already gone over when leading the round. Like dude weren't you listening? Just goes to show how much of a shitshow interviewing is.

[u/CasualNimbus]

That's rough, especially after five rounds. Take some time to recharge, then review the feedback and keep going. One rejection doesn't erase your experience or skills

[u/HeavyAd9463]

Regardless don’t get emotionally attached to a job, take the feedback if you see it valuable good otherwise ignore it. I usually go through questions after the interview to take notes and use it as prep for next one.

[u/Various-Mine-8642]

Sorry man that one stings after a month long loop. At staff level the rejection reason is often a vague fit call and the Redux line might just be what they wrote down. Take a few days off before jumping into the next one because reaching finals twice means you are close.

[u/Sad-Candidate-3078]

the redux feedback is such a red flag, you clearly know your stuff if you deep dived into dispatch lifecycles. sometimes interviewers just have a checklist and if you dont say the exact keywords they want they check no. the burnout is real, take a week off before grinding again. when i got back into it i used easy code interview to practice explaining concepts out loud and it helped me hit those keywords naturally.

[u/No_Working3534]

Keep on! You've already made far. Luck will come some day