Horizon Hobby Interview Questions
& Process

I applied online and heard back from the hiring manager the next day, who said I was selected and to set up a screening call. I scheduled it for the following day and spoke with the senior manager. I was told there'd be another round, but then received a rejection email after 3 days stating they went with another candidate.

The interview process with Horizon Hobby was very disorganized. A recruiter initially contacted me to inquire about my salary expectations. Later, during an interview with two individuals, they repeated the same question about my salary, which was surprising given the lack of communication between them. This happened in front of the actual engineers. They then asked if I would accept a salary 20-30% lower, essentially offering a junior engineer's pay. They also asked some questions based on my resume, which I answered. When I tried to ask them questions, they stated they were new to Horizon and unable to provide answers. After only about three questions, they abruptly ended the interview at 4 PM, despite it being scheduled until 4:15 PM, saying it was time to go. They seemed unable to answer any questions about the company or themselves. I would describe the interview and process as unprofessional, sloppy, and inexperienced.

The hiring process was a bit messy at first with some back and forth before they decided they wanted to move forward. After that, it was a phone call with the hiring manager, followed by an onsite interview not too long after. The onsite part was pretty professional and gave me a good sense of what works and what doesn't at the company. It was clear people there really care about the company and are proud of their dominant position in the market. I met with about 10 people. Their main market, the hobbyist one, feels like stepping back in time to 1984 – very separate, old-school, and loyal, without the pressure of big-box stores that other consumer product markets face. However, the emergence of camera drones is starting to push into mainstream retail, and the company wants a piece of that. The interview process made it obvious that this old-school market has led to an old-school company: limited investment in business systems, pretty much the same as you'd find in 1984. They often let customers lead rather than the other way around, and product development seems to be based on what product managers feel like doing. I also got the impression they might be too reliant on suppliers they don't control, lacking basic ordering and distribution systems common in other consumer goods companies. My overall feeling was that they want in on the new market action but are held back by a lack of experience in what it takes. Many questions focused on their current challenges and opportunities, and there was a clear divide among interviewers on the best approach, with a noticeable internal conflict between those who were resistant to change and those who were optimistic.

I applied online. The hiring manager called me about a week later. The interview wasn't too hard. I followed up via email because they said they'd let me know if I'd get a second interview with the purchasing staff, but I never heard back. I know Horizon Hobby is having money problems and cutting staff because sales are down. My advice is to train HR and managers better on how to interview.