My name is Chinedum Ezeozue, an Economics graduate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I’m currently a Mobile Developer and also work part-time as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of an emerging startup.

My Experience with Sippy (April–May 2025)

I applied to Sippy, a drinks distribution startup on April 14th, 2025. The first stage of the interview was held virtually on April 21st, and it went smoothly. Although I was informed it would be a three-stage process, it concluded after two stages.

On April 25th, I was invited to the second stage—an assessment. The assessment was highly difficult and more suited for a senior developer, despite the job description targeting junior-level candidates (0–2 years experience). I had to make several personal sacrifices—including missing a neighbor’s housewarming party—just to meet the one-week deadline. I submitted the task by May 2nd.

By May 9th, I received an offer letter, which raised multiple red flags:

• My surname was incorrect.
• The salary was ₦100,000, to be paid after the following month, not the working month.
  • During the interview, I stated a salary expectation of ₦100k–₦200k. They settled for the bare minimum.
• The offer did not specify working hours.
• No mention of paid time off.
• No clear job responsibilities listed.

I renegotiated the terms, and we agreed that:

• My name would be corrected.
• Salary would be paid within the working month.
• Paid time off would be included.

I signed the revised offer on May 10th (my birthday), and officially resumed work on May 12th.

Role Misalignment and Unrealistic Expectations

During my first week, I was asked to familiarize myself with their old codebase. Everything seemed friendly and encouraging.

However, in the second week, things changed. I was suddenly given a design file containing over 40 UI screens and asked to estimate a delivery timeline. This was far beyond the scope of a junior role, especially considering that I was the sole mobile developer on the team.

I estimated 20–30 working days, which led to visible dissatisfaction. They insisted I complete it within 10–14 days, a timeline even the senior developer they consulted considered unrealistic. I was pressured daily without any acknowledgment of my efforts.

Meanwhile, the web team had three frontend developers and one backend developer, yet I was expected to handle everything mobile-related alone. This imbalance became a source of mental and emotional strain.