Perennials and Sutherland Interview Questions
& Process

I was contacted about a sales role. The recruiter who screened me over the phone made it seem like I would move forward, but I never heard back. The questions felt uninspired. She inquired about my comfort level with managing a $3 million territory, to which I confirmed and provided my past sales performance data from considerably smaller organizations, which was still notable. If they're seeking sales professionals from larger companies, they should review candidates' work histories before initiating contact. Similarly, if they notice a candidate has only been at their current company for a year and they desire someone with more experience, why reach out in the first place? It feels like a waste of time. What also struck me as odd was that the entire sales team commutes between two showrooms. This seems illogical and disorganized. I suspect it might be another problematic company.

It was a long process with a big design project. The project was pretty detailed for just a screening, and took a lot of work. It felt like it should have been simpler, as the role was just for custom work, not new product lines. The project involved creating designs based on trends and research provided. Even so, they liked my project and I moved on to a video call with the director and lead designer. During the call, I felt like they hadn't really looked at my resume, especially the director. She seemed surprised I did custom rug development, even though it was on my resume. But I guess maybe she's not from textile development for rugs, or was in a rush.

The interview process included meeting with the hiring manager, the vice president, and the owner of the company. I was also given a tour of the design center. The entire interview spanned over four hours. They provided an overview of the company's business model and value chain, even though I had no prior experience in the fabrics industry before this interview.

I got a call because I knew someone who knew someone. I met with HR and then also talked to a marketing director. Then David Sutherland asked me to come chat with him. The company is family-owned and they are really passionate about what they do.