Candidate Experience
How we hire.
Hiring well takes time. Hiring badly costs everyone more. This page tells you exactly what to expect when you apply to Maaya — how long it takes, who you'll meet, how we evaluate, and how we give feedback.
Total target: 4–6 weeks
Application to offer. If it is running longer, we tell you why.
No ghosting, ever
Every candidate gets honest, specific, kind feedback — usable for your next opportunity.
Structured ASK scoring
Every panelist scores Attitude, Skill, Knowledge independently. Ties go to no-hire.
Accommodations welcomed
Mobility, sensory, neurodiversity needs accommodated at every stage. Email people@maayasoft.in.
The Maaya hiring process
Seven steps. Documented. Same for everyone.
- 01
Day 0–5
You apply (or we reach out).
You submit through our job board. Or, if we found you through a referral, LinkedIn, a conference, or a community, we reach out first. Either way the first formal step is the same: your application and a short form via the careers site.
We respond to every application within 5 business days. Yes, every one.
- 02
Within 10 business days
Screening conversation (30 minutes).
A conversation with someone from our People team or the hiring manager. Purpose: understand your motivation (the Attitude in ASK), share context about the role and Maaya, answer your questions. This is not a technical screen.
- 03
1–2 weeks
Skill assessment (role-dependent).
Engineering: take-home or live pairing. Consulting: customer scenario discussion. Product: portfolio walkthrough. Sales: mock customer call. Marketing: writing task.
We pay for take-home formats requiring more than 4 hours of work. Live sessions are unpaid (they benefit both of us equally). We tell you upfront which format your role uses and how long to budget.
- 04
Within 2–3 weeks of assessment
Depth interviews (2–4 conversations).
45–60 minutes each. At least one with a peer, at least one with a cross-functional partner, at least one with the hiring manager. Structured interviews using the ASK scorecard — we share the scorecard dimensions in advance so you can prepare.
- 05
Within 1 week
Founder conversation.
A conversation with Janagaran. Every new Maayan meets the founder before joining. Cultural check, context-setting, and a chance for you to ask the toughest questions about where the company is headed.
- 06
Within 5 business days of references clearing
References & offer.
We check 2–3 references you provide. We also ask to speak to one person of our choosing — typically a colleague, manager, or cross-functional partner you haven't named. We ask you first; nothing happens behind your back.
- 07
Always
Feedback regardless of outcome.
Whether or not we offer the role, you get feedback. A short written summary by email if you completed at least the screening. A real phone call if you completed depth interviews. No ghosting — ever.
What we evaluate
The ASK framework.
Each interviewer scores each dimension on a structured rubric, independently, before debriefing. We hire when the team's scores converge on a strong "yes" across all three dimensions. Ties, in practice, go to no-hire — we would rather miss a great candidate than misfire on a hire.
Self-image, traits, motivation. How you approach work, conflict, learning.
Ability and experience to do the work. Demonstrated through real shipped examples.
Domain information relevant to the role. Specifics, not surface familiarity.
How to prepare
What helps.
- Read the Culture Code — we will ask about parts of it.
- Look at the role description for the specific outcomes expected in year one.
- For technical roles, review our blog for the kinds of problems we work on.
- Bring real stories. We are evaluating ASK — specific examples of how you have acted, not hypothetical preferences.
- Ask hard questions. "Why would someone leave Maaya?" is welcome.
On AI tools
The bar.
You may use AI tools for take-home assignments unless we specify otherwise. Tell us you used AI and how. We are far more interested in how you worked with AI than in whether you did. Live interviews are AI-off by default; we will say so explicitly if this changes.
We've written more about our AI talent philosophy on a separate page — read it here.
Accessibility
We accommodate at every stage.
Mobility, sensory, and neurodiversity needs are accommodated in every stage of our hiring process. To request an accommodation, email people@maayasoft.in at any time. This does not affect your evaluation.
Ready when you are
Browse our open roles, or introduce yourself.
Most of our hires arrive after a long courtship. The application is the start of a conversation, not the end of one.