To give some background, I was unhappy at my job that I had at the time, and had been casually applying to many different positions for a number of months. I applied to the assistant manager position at Athleta almost 2 months before I was contacted for an interview and was completely surprised to hear back at all. Regardless, I was pleased with my initial phone exchange; the representative was friendly and raved about the company where she had worked for over five years, giving me an awesome impression of the company. I know how the background bureaucracy works at some of these places, so I looked past the amount of time that had gone by since I was still seeking a different job. I was scheduled for an in-person interview a few days later at a separate location, where I shared an amazing connection with the general manager. We talked for over 1.5 hours about how pleased she was with the company, and how I seemed like an excellent fit for the job. She was candid that the store where I would be applying was in a bit of shambles due to a shake up of leadership, but I was eager to jump in and help improve the culture back to healthy levels. We then scheduled a followup interview with the district manager, who contacted me two days later. This interview was also extremely pleasant, and I enjoyed our 45+ minute interview where she told me I was a great fit, and thought I brought exactly to the table what the store needed. I was all but promised the position, but told I would be contacted in two days to let me know what start date would be appropriate given the complications of the holiday season and allowing for proper time for training. I was over the moon. Two days came and went, and it wasn't until three additional days that I was contacted, this time by text message from the first GM, who was very vague. She told me she was still conducting interviews (2 months after the posting?) and that she would be in touch later that week. It has now been longer than that, and I feel it is safe to say I did not get the job. I found the stringing along of me as a candidate to be extremely unprofessional, and completely heartbreaking to be assured I was the right fit, only to cut me loose in such a cold way. I would have loved to work for this company, and brought my all to the position. I love the values of this company, and initially felt that this leadership was some of the most passionate I'd ever seen. I genuinely fell in love with this job, but I do realize it is my own fault for allowing myself to do that. I am extremely disappointed with my experience. Additionally, I visited the store in person and was shocked by the ice queen culture. I was not greeted upon entering, and my friend and I, who were dressed in business-casual wear, were swiftly directed to the clearance section. I saw through these red flags, thinking I could help improve them internally once I came aboard. As it turns out, I should have seen these red flags for what they were and run away as quickly as possible. I sincerely hope that everyone else has a more positive experience with this company.