The worst experience I’ve ever had. 6 years of working in tech across 2 continents, I’ve never seen an interview process that creates a joke out of the applicant. I interviewed here twice. In my first experience, the process took about 5-6 weeks with 3 interviews (technical screening, technical and culture fit). All three went really well and I liked the team as well. Eventually, I was told there were some budget issues and the position was offered to a person with lesser experience. Understandable, can happen at not-for-profit companies, but should have been communicated earlier. I was specifically told this - “We are not rejecting you and will be in touch whenever the next similar role comes up”. And it came up 3 months later. I still wanted to join this company based on my previous interviews with the team. I was told that the salary would be a little less than what I expect as the role is for an early senior dev and if I would still be okay. I said yes, considering the other benefits that come with working at non-profits. They said I would skip some initial interview since I had cleared 3 rounds earlier. The hiring manager was changed mid-way. The first interview went pretty good with the tech team lead and then I had to chase the hiring manager for next 2 weeks asking for updates. I was finally called and asked to do a final on-site cultural fit interview. No flexibility was given and I was just told a time and date. I showed up and it went really well once again. 6-7 years in the tech industry, it’s easy to know how you did in the interviews, whether the interviewers were happy with your answers and liked you. All my 5 interviews at this place had gone so well and I had got live feedback like “great answer”, “you would be a great fit”, etc. As soon as I left the building, I noticed that the job posting was taken off. I was confused whether to take this as a positive or negative sign. 2 days later, I was called by the hiring manager telling me they have hired someone else. I was in deep shock. I asked for feedback and she had nothing to say expect the regular “we found someone with more experience”. I said but I was told I’m already more experienced than the role requirements and agreed to interview. No answer! The phone was put down in a hurry. Turns out I was just a backup candidate two times here and the on-site interview was just a dummy interview just to show they have interviewed a certain amount of people. An absolutely joke of a hiring process. Despite doing so well in every interview that I did here (5), I wasn’t even given a solid feedback of why I wasn’t selected. Wasted a total of 10 weeks here. The entire process looks so dodgy in hindsight and it never felt during my second interviews process here that the hiring manager even considered me as a serious candidate. If you need to just fill your quota to interview X candidates before hiring someone you already had decided to hire, at least make sure to do it only once, not twice. They have no regard for someone’s time and energy, no transparency and absolutely zero professionalism.
