Approximately a week after submitting my resume for I received an email from one recruiter stating that I had been selected for an interview and that I would be receiving a seperate email from a different recruiter with a date and time. It arrived several days later stating it was a SECOND ATTEMPT. No first attempt was ever made. Anyway, I responded with my availability and was sent a TEAMS meeting request with the information and who I would be interviewing with. On the day of the interview, there were actually two people on the interview. Paralegal Managers from two separate regions. To me, this was not a yellow flag. You don't blindside people. Unprofessional. Second, the post for the position stated a specific salary, which I would expect from an in-house paralegal working for an insurance company - even if it is insurance defense work (i.e. - subrogation for auto or home claims) The key words being "in-house". Anyway, I find out, the salary is correct, but we are actually working with billable hours as if we are in a regular law firm. BIG red flag. If I am getting a flat salary, yet you are charging my time as billable hours, who is being charged? And why am I not seeing any of the fruits of my labor? Sounds a little hinky to me. Then, this was the kicker, and the more I thought about it, the more angry I became. The man I did not expect to be on the interview asked me if I thought I could "keep up" with the pace in a busy office. WHAT?! To be fair, I am not right out of college, but I also have 20+ years to work. I am a paralegal and an real estate broker - in this market! People actually tell me, I look young for my age, so I'm not sure what made him think I could not "keep up". I've been support C-level executives for the majority of my working life, worked as a paralegal for one of the major professional liability insurance companies in the country, and continue to run a successful real estate business. I have also worked a great deal within Human Resources, and I realize he is not in HR, but if hiring managers for departments are going to conduct interviews they should receive guidance from HR on what is and is not acceptable to ask. This was very clearly skirting age descrimination. I waited two days to post this hoping I would cool off, but it's been the opposite, so I feel it needs to be said. And I hope Liberty Mutual sees this and takes notice. The very next morning, I went back to the site where I originally submitted my application and marked myself as "no longer interested" in the position. That interview and those conducting it did nothing to make me want to be apart of Liberty Mutual's culture. Of course, later same day I sent notification I was no longer interested I received an email that I was not selected to move forward in the hiring process. Big surprise - NOT! I cannot speak for all departments, entites for Liberty Mutual or regions, but I was wholey unimpressed with the in-house insurance defense management for the Midwest and East Coast regions.
