Huxley Interview Questions
& Process

The last interview was with the company director, and it was quite unprofessional. They asked personal questions completely unrelated to the role. I didn't accept the offer because of how uncomfortable they made me feel.

My interview experience with Huxley for the Data Scientist role in the banking sector was pretty thorough and interesting. It began with a detailed application, then a phone screen where they asked about my background and why I wanted the job. After that, there was a technical interview that involved case studies about banking problems, a presentation where I talked about a major project I led, and finally, a chat about cultural fit with the department head and HR. They really focused on both technical skills and how well I'd fit their innovative banking culture. It gave me a good feel for the job and company values, and I eventually got an offer, which felt like they recognized my potential to help with their data initiatives.

So I have some experience with Huxley's interim division in the Netherlands, and honestly, it's pretty bad. Multiple people from their division contacted me about a wide range of open jobs, from entry-level to senior roles (which is a red flag), and somehow they always thought I was a perfect fit for all of them. I guess they use their own candidate database, but it seems like they don't even check what's currently going on with the hiring processes. What's really worrying is the pressure they put on you. You have to be available for their calls, where you keep repeating the same 'additional information' which is mostly already on your resume. Then, if you decide the role might be interesting and a good fit, and they decide to put you forward to interview with their client, they just hand over their responsibilities to you. Like, they contact you, give you some basic details, and then ask you to write your own motivation for the role. Why can't they take notes during the initial call? After you give your consent for them to present you as a candidate, they never follow up. In the last 3 months, they contacted me about at least 6 positions, which is already too many. We agreed on a time for them to call me, but they didn't. I initially suggested a later day that week, but they pushed back saying it was urgent and couldn't wait, and we ended up talking about the role three days after my original suggestion. They expected me to send my consent and motivation within an hour. They also pressured me to update them on whether my other interviews (not through Huxley) were progressing and to let them know if I received an offer before accepting it. It's a strange and unprofessional way of operating, and based on these interactions, this seems to be their standard practice, not an anomaly. If I were an employer, I'd be concerned about how they represent me and the impact on my company's reputation due to the candidate experience.

So, there are four main parts to this interview process. First, an initial phone chat with the internal Talent Acquisition team. They'll talk about what the job is and why you might want it, and also about your experience. Second, another phone call with internal Talent Acquisition, but this time it's more about specific examples of how you fit the role and what drives you in your career. Third, you'll have an on-site meeting with the hiring manager, who would be your direct manager depending on the brand the TA team thinks you're a good fit for. This part really digs into examples of personal goals you've set and how you met them, or a time you felt like quitting but pushed through, etc. The internal TA folks will get you prepped for this. Fourth, a two-hour on-site with that same hiring manager and probably their Director. You'll need to put together a Powerpoint presentation covering some of the same ground as the first on-site, but also including your plans for the first six months and what motivates you. They'll probably push hard on your motivations because they're clear this isn't a standard HR gig. It's very much sales-focused, and they need to be sure you have the right stuff. They're pretty upfront about that.