My Interview Experience: A Nightmare Finally Over Where do I begin? It was a nightmare, and I'm relieved it's over. Let me explain... It started off well. I received a call from a recruiter, which usually lasts 10-15 minutes. This one, however, lasted about 45 minutes. He asked me three situational-based questions, expecting STAR format answers, which I provided. I was selected to move forward and given plenty of information about the company, how to prepare, the eight competencies they focus on, and details about their projects. There were four more interviews scheduled on different days, each an hour long. This is where things got ugly. Interviewers: Recruiter: John Rodgers Hiring Manager (HM): Shari Hansen (20+ years at Progressive) HR Consultant: Marlene Lauer (4+ years at Progressive) Director of Business Systems: Tricia Smart (20+ years at Progressive) Director of Data Analysis: Patrick Werbeck (20+ years at Progressive) Competencies Covered in IT Manager Interviews: Creating a Culture of Trust Aligning Performance for Success Operational Decision Making Inspiring Others Coaching and Developing Others Facilitating Change Creating an Inclusive Environment Motivational Fit The hiring manager was the worst. During her "tell me about yourself" segment, she couldn’t stop bragging. These interviewers, with 20+ years at Progressive, seemed out of touch with modern interview trends. They felt robotic, with no connection, except a little with the HR consultant. AI could replace them and likely do a better job. During the 1-hour interviews, they asked 6-8 behavioral questions in rapid succession, expecting STAR formatted answers while they lounged back like flies on the wall. Their performance felt fake, and they expected me not to notice and just be myself. They asked the same questions with different wording, and I was expected to know about the company, the interviewers, core values, and more. They didn’t even pay attention to my answers. After my structured responses, they asked clarifying questions that felt insulting because I had already covered those points. When it was my turn to ask questions, I used my usual icebreaker: "If you had a superpower, what would it be and what would you do with it?" This question reveals a lot about the person on the other side. The HM and Director of Business Systems both answered, "I hope I can read people's minds, I want to know what they are thinking." This goes completely against their core values! A leader should never think like that. The HR consultant had a reasonable answer: "learn and grow." Patrick said, "I want to be able to fly so I can take my kids to the park without being stuck in traffic." FACEPALM! I had spent hours preparing the best answers from my experience, while he didn't take two seconds to come up with a better answer. I felt exhausted after the interviews. Nine days passed with no update. I followed up with an email and received a four-line response saying I wasn’t selected, right before Memorial Day weekend. They went off to enjoy their long weekend, leaving me wondering what happened with no feedback. Overall, I’m not frustrated about not landing the role but with how I was treated as an external candidate. The entire interview process showed no courtesy in providing feedback. I also called and emailed for feedback but never heard back. I firmly believe they are looking for people with fake stories who can talk up a storm and kiss up to them. No thank you!