I was made aware of an opportunity/Hilti's interest in my business school's graduates through our career development center (regionally respected part-time MBA program and I remained employed full-time). After applying online, I was contacted by an HR rep through email to setup an phone interview. Days later I was administered a 30 min. phone interview which was very basic, topical, behavioral questions. Every response I gave was on record as she typed it into the computer, and later read by various managers. Overall this first step was probably what most would expect.
Not very long afterwards I was contacted by 2 separate Sr. Directors - both hiring for unrelated positions. There was some confusion and very little coordination of efforts between these guys who had offices only feet from one another - it seems that both had thought they'd posted a position under the generic heading "Logistics Specialist" or "Logistics Analyst" but in fact only one had done so. I was ok with this b/c now I was effectively doubling my chances for success by interviewing for multiple roles, it just seemed disorganized on their part. To be brief, one role was more invovled with domestic trans, carrier selection, etc.The other was a little less operational and more analytical in nature - it involved materials purchasing, supply chain, sales forecasting, etc.
Both Sr. Dirs. followed the same process: an initial phone call for maybe 30 minutes getting to know each other, then setting up a more formal phone interview for 30 minutes...Much of this was a repeat of the initial phone interview or trying to take a deeper dive into certain answers. Both were followed by an invitation to come interview in Tulsa, OK to their HQ. I was reluctant to travel to Tulsa and spend time away from work but both managers assured me I was on a short list of candidates and it would be "well worth my time"...So on my own dime (which is highly unusual in my experience) - I traveled 4 hours round trip TWICE - they told me it wasn't possible to interview for both positions in the same day...On both occasions at Hilti I had a "marathon" of interviews - 4 interviews an hour long a piece.
It was standard fare for interviews, and my interviewers ranged from more "junior directors" if you will, to future colleagues, to people from other departments who I'd be working together with on cross functional teams. If anything the interview process lulled me into a false sense of hope, being that nobody picked at my answers, everyone seemed really down to earth, etc. Then again looking back it may have been as if some were just going through the motions. So I left Hilti feeling pretty good about things and was told I'd know something for certain in a week.
To give balance to this post I'll have to say I really liked the job descriptions, the promises of international opportunities, the seemingly fair pay (mid 50s to low 60s). However I was never extended an offer...In fact, a week passed and I heard nothing. I reached out to contact them unsuccessfully. Another week passed with only an email, "we haven't made a decision yet" - never explaining the reasoning for the revised time table and leaving me hanging in the balance over a lease that was about to expire. I shot off a couple more emails and left a vmail trying to explain my predicament, solicit more information, etc. Finally a month after my last interview I called irrate and demanded to speak to someone - I was pretty certain I didn't get the position at this point, but I thought it was gutless and cowardly to leave someone hanging without returning emails, phone calls, etc...Still, the admins told me nobody was available, they were in meetings, etc...The next day the original HR girl I had spoke with returned my call saying they went with different candidates but I "was basically the runner-up" - wow - great solace that is.
In the end I spent about 8 hours driving, 12 hours interviewing, $200 of my own money, countless time prepping for these interviews --- only to get a non response from two "gentlemen" who begged me to come up to Tulsa...They didn't even extend me the courtesy of knowing what the deciding factor was in their candidate selection so I could be armed with that knowledge going into my next interview....Not a really classy place in my opinion. Hey - everybody has to have a job and I can't blame someone for interviewing there - but if your lucky enough to have several interviewing options and are trying to decide which to go with - I'd say pass on Hilti...
