Network Building + Consulting Interview Questions
& Process

There was bad communication about where the interview was and how they would follow up. One person said I'd hear back in a week, but then an HR person told me I wasn't being considered. But then they contacted me again to set up another interview, even though I was told the day before that they were 'going in a different direction.' I got to the office for my interview and walked into the reception area, but there was no receptionist and no one to greet me. I wasn't sure if I was in the right place, so I walked down a hallway to check if it was the correct office suite. I found the person I was supposed to interview with, and they weren't happy that I walked into the hallways instead of waiting in the empty reception area. I thought it would show initiative. Things went downhill from there. I drove 45 minutes for an in-person interview that only lasted 15 minutes. My first interview with the HR director was 30 minutes. It felt like a total waste of my time.

Applied online and waited a month for a call. A nice coordinator scheduled my interview with the Managing Director. I spent a lot of time researching the firm, its history, goals, leadership, and projected 2014 revenue. I felt a real connection to the people and the company. I dressed professionally, was polite, and carried myself well. While waiting, I greeted and introduced myself to about five employees. The interview seemed to go very well from my end. The MD had to step out for another meeting during our discussion. I followed up with thank you notes and three phone calls (one each week), but only reached voicemail. I left a message for the coordinator asking for an update on the hiring status. I was told they would make a decision the following Monday. I haven't heard back from them. I'm guessing they might have thought I was overqualified, not a good personality fit for the director, or some other reason. Another possibility is they don't have the budget for professional salaries. I'm a bit disappointed because I really wanted to work there, now or in the future.

The most notable part of the interview process for me was the poor communication, which is particularly concerning when interviewing for an HR role. Good response time is crucial for customer service in HR. After an in-person interview, candidates should be informed about their status in the process. At the very least, an email asking if they are still being considered should be answered. This didn't happen for me, which was disappointing. Leaving a candidate uncertain about their standing is frustrating and reflects poorly on the company's HR practices, making me question how they treat their own employees. It's a shame because the company initially seemed like a great place to work.

I applied online and got a call within 2 days to schedule an in-person interview for the next week. The interview itself felt good, both the questions and connecting with the PM. A couple of weeks later, I got another call that also went well. They said I was their top candidate and just had a few internal things to sort out before extending an offer. Weeks passed with occasional emails updating me, but then all communication just stopped. It's a bummer because it seemed like a cool place to work.