A Comedy of Errors Disguised as a Hiring Process --------------------------------------------------------- I interviewed with LTC for a Data Engineering role, but what followed was a series of missteps that felt more like a corporate sitcom than a professional recruitment process. It all began in late April when a recruitment agency invited me to what was said not to be a hiring drive—spoiler: it was. The job description was wildly inaccurate, listing unrelated skills like JavaScript and DevOps for a DE role. Still, I showed up, willing to give it a shot. The technical rounds were disappointing. The interviewers appeared unfamiliar with basic SQL concepts( DWH Concepts, Oracle SQL syntax etc). After two rounds, they suggested I switch to a Quality Engineering role instead. I played along, if only out of curiosity at this point. Then came a long and awkward wait to speak with another person who didn’t even know they were supposed to interview me. That summed up the planning—or lack thereof. Weeks passed in radio silence. Then, out of the blue on a Friday night in mid-next month, someone from the recruitment team insisted on a “salary discussion” that felt more like an announcement. The offer came 17 days later after multiple follow-ups, with a joining date six months out, no clear explanation. When I asked for clarity, I was told it would be “fixed later.” Eventually, they kicked off the background check, which dragged on endlessly—until I decided to opt out entirely. That’s when it got truly absurd. Despite declining the offer, they asked me to give them "one more chance"—which involved signing a declaration that I’m not a criminal (a curious ask after a background check) and explaining how I financially supported myself during a career break. Apparently, a global bank has never heard of financial planning—an ironic twist, to say the least. Ultimately, I had to be very firm to prevent further intrusion into my privacy and shut down what had become a deeply unprofessional experience. Advice to the company: A little structure, basic courtesy, and respect for candidates’ time and privacy go a long way. And maybe, just maybe—trust your own background verification process.