Clif Bar Interview Questions
& Process

I applied via LinkedIn and went through two phone screens before heading for onsite interviews. The first phone screen was with a recruiter who was really nice, smart, and asked some tough questions, showing she knew what she was looking for. She also took time to answer my questions at the end. The second phone screen was with the VP of Marketing. He shared his background, asked me a couple of questions (and follow-up questions to get more details from my stories), and then we talked about my questions. It was a very good experience. The onsite interviews involved five one-on-one meetings and a quick tour of the HQ. The team was very friendly, clearly prepared beforehand, and mostly asked behavioral questions. They also saved time for my questions. The interview schedule was pretty well organized and seemed designed for the candidate (like including a planned break) as much as for the hiring team. Overall, it was a very positive experience, even though it didn't end with an offer.

The head recruiter reached out via email after getting my submission to set up a phone interview. They weren't the quickest to respond, but we eventually got a time scheduled. The recruiter did call, but it was about 20 minutes past our agreed-upon time. For a company that talks a lot about empathy and living well, the recruiter sounded totally disengaged, like they were just going through the motions. I could hear them typing the whole time and their responses were pretty short, like they were multitasking with emails or something.

The recruiter reached out about the position, and I spoke with the hiring manager via Skype within 1-3 days of sending my resume. I got the sense they're looking to build internal teams/capabilities through this position and others on their website. Looking at the website, the company is very product-driven. There's very little information about their values. Although RofT is a values-driven company, it doesn't come to life on their website or other communication channels. They seem too product brand/sales focused, pushing product through all channels as opposed to lifestyle, where most progressive brands are heading.

I was contacted by an in-house recruiter for this Manager role and currently work full-time in a similar position. The interview process involved 4 phone interviews and a half-day on-site interview with 8 people, including a 10-minute break. I only spent about 10-15 minutes with the hiring manager and 45 minutes with the VP, who thought my experience would be beneficial. The final phone interview was with an external manager who mentioned my relevant experience in the slicks and food industry. It was unexpected not to receive an offer, especially since my current salary was already a stretch for them, which surprised me considering I progressed through the stages. I'm quite disappointed as I would have been happy with a salary match or the chance to negotiate a better package.