I recently went through the interview process at Deall for a Copywriter position, and while it was structured and fairly smooth on the surface, there were several moments that raised serious concerns for me. From the beginning, I was surprised that there was no HR screening at all. In most professional settings, an HR round helps set expectations and ensures alignment early on, so skipping this step made me question the structure of their hiring process. Another red flag was that some interviews were scheduled outside of regular working hours, which made me wonder about the company’s views on work-life balance. The final interview with the CEO was where things really turned. Instead of focusing on my qualifications or ideas, the conversation veered into whether I’d be willing to take on tasks outside the Copywriter role. He casually stated that AI could now handle most copywriting, and therefore I should expand my skill set. He also claimed that creative copywriting is “limited”—a particularly strange take coming from someone with no background in creative or agency work. I found myself explaining the actual scope of copywriting, from ATL and BTL campaigns to 360 digital strategies. At that point, I felt less like a candidate and more like a guest lecturer. After several rounds, I was told my salary expectation was higher than other candidates. It was baffling—why bring me to the final round if budget was the issue from the beginning? What’s more telling is that, despite recently closing that hiring round, Deall has now re-opened the Copywriter position. This suggests that either the other shortlisted candidates also declined the offer (perhaps for the same reasons I did), or the company rejected them in hopes of finding someone more skilled, but still willing to accept a lower salary. In the end, I’m honestly glad it didn’t work out. The experience revealed enough red flags to make me cautious, and I’d advise others considering Deall to do their due diligence—especially when reading overly glowing reviews online. Sometimes, what looks polished on the outside doesn’t reflect the real story.

The interview process at Deall for the Copywriter position was structured and ran smoothly, but there were a few aspects that raised red flags. From the start, I found it unusual that there was no HR interview, which is typically an important step in screening candidates. This could indicate a lack of proper hiring structure within the company. Another concerning sign was that they scheduled interviews outside of regular office hours, which made me question their stance on work-life balance. When I reached the final interview with the CEO, the conversation quickly took an unexpected turn. He asked if I was willing to take on tasks beyond my role as a Copywriter, suggesting that since AI can now handle copywriting, I should expand my skill set. He even claimed that creative copywriting is limited—an ironic statement coming from someone with no experience in the creative industry or agency work. I took the time to explain that copywriting is far more complex than he assumed, covering everything from ATL and BTL strategies to 360 digital marketing. At that moment, it felt like I was giving a short crash course rather than being interviewed for a role. Then came another red flag. After multiple interview rounds, the CEO suddenly pointed out that my salary expectation was higher than other candidates. If that was an issue, why did they pass me through to the final stage in the first place? It felt like a complete waste of time. I made it clear that I wasn’t interested in working beyond my defined role as a Copywriter, and honestly, I was relieved when they decided not to move forward with my application. Looking back, I’m glad I recognized the warning signs early on. For anyone considering applying to Deall, I’d advise being cautious—especially when reading overly positive reviews on Glassdoor, as they might not reflect the full reality.