pretty substandard with no coordination; asked to prepare a presentation but changed last minute, and the outcome was not communicated despite promised outcome window expired. in the end, given to "locals" without any research expertise.

I was shortlisted and asked to give an online screening presentation to the entire department. The topic was left vague — simply “talk about your research”. The invitation email was quite abrupt and strict, giving only two days to confirm participation, otherwise I’d be considered not interested. It also mentioned that there were only two fixed dates for in-person interviews — both scheduled within a week of the online session — and that anyone unable to attend those dates would be deemed uninterested. It felt like an obvious sign they only wanted someone already based in Birmingham, making the process look like an internal appointment exercise. The presentation itself was limited to 20 minutes, including questions. Hardly anyone seemed engaged — only three out of about thirty attendees had their cameras on. Afterwards, I was asked very superficial questions, including one about a topic I hadn’t even mentioned, seemingly to suggest I wasn’t a suitable fit. I was told they’d inform me if I was invited for an in-person interview, but I never heard back. Despite following up with the coordinators, I waited three weeks before finally being told they’d forgotten to notify me that my application was unsuccessful. Clearly to avoid having anyone question the process. Overall, it was a very negative experience — the whole process clearly felt designed for an internal candidate.