Compass Manager Interview Questions
& Process

I found the job on LinkedIn and applied on Compass, then messaged the recruiter on LinkedIn. The recruiter got back to me quickly and we had a brief call about the role and my background. They were really helpful and set up a follow-up with another HR person. After that, I had back-to-back video calls with 4 team members, including my manager and his boss. It was a lot, but it was good to meet everyone and learn about the company, culture, and work. The process was smooth and didn't feel like an interrogation. They really seemed to care about finding the right fit. The recruiter stayed in touch and was very transparent. I got the offer a week after the last interview and accepted.

My interview experience with Compass was a bit of a mixed bag. The first chat with the recruiter, about 30 minutes long, went well and was pretty straightforward. The recruiter was professional and let me know what to expect, making me feel good about moving forward. But then, the next part, a 1-hour video call with two managers, was a different story. I was upfront about my background, explaining that while most of my work has been supporting projects from start to finish, where I've been good at working with different teams and paying attention to detail, I was keen to move into roles that involve more direct client interaction. I made it clear I'm adaptable, and while I like detailed, process-oriented tasks, I'm also ready to push myself to connect with clients and lead things. Even though I presented myself as having a unique mix of getting things done and thinking strategically, I got the feeling the managers were looking for someone very specific, and my more adaptable approach didn't seem to fit what they were after. The questions they asked felt a bit off, which made it awkward and tough to keep the conversation flowing. It became pretty obvious pretty quickly that my experience and how I approach work weren't what they had in mind for this job. On top of that, I didn't really click with the managers. Considering they would have been my managers, I didn't see it working out in terms of their leadership or how we'd communicate. I sent a thank-you note afterward to show my appreciation and reiterate my interest. Two days later, I got the rejection email from the recruiter, which wasn't a shock given how the interview went.

The team was super nice and a few managers got in touch. The first interview was a really friendly chat.