POET Interview Questions
& Process

It was a smooth interview, questions were asked in a logical order. The interviewers were very professional. They knew exactly what they were looking for and did a great job explaining the company culture and what they expected. Their process is unique and they were very informative about the renewable energy and Bioprocessing field for someone new to it.

The initial recruiter call was good, very professional and clear communication. Scheduling the next interview with the hiring manager was a hassle. The hiring manager showed up late and seemed bothered. During the Zoom call, she muted her mic but not her camera, and made a rude comment to someone else that they laughed at while I was speaking, then unmuted. It felt really unprofessional and made me not want to work there.

I applied and first had a screening call with HR, then a phone interview with the hiring manager. Although both went okay, I was told they usually prefer candidates with direct experience, which I lacked. However, they saw promise in my background and decided to offer me an opportunity. I was then invited for a lengthy 4-hour in-person interview. The first part was a panel interview with the team, which I felt went well. Following that, I had a standard interview with an HR representative. Then I met with the President of the Division, an interview I found disappointing as he repeatedly interrupted my answers and promoted an outdated work ethic of 'always go above and beyond' and 'always look for tasks,' suggesting a poor work-life balance. The final interview was with two senior executives from the division. They seemed distant and unwelcoming. When I inquired about how they recognize team achievements, they couldn't provide an answer. They also declined to offer feedback on my candidacy, raising concerns about their approach to providing feedback to their own teams. This experience left me feeling uninterested in the role, even if an offer were extended.

I sent in my application online back in late November 2015. They called me for a phone interview in mid-December, and then I had my first in-person interview in early January 2016, which lasted 3 hours. A week after that, I was invited back for a second interview, also 3 hours long. It took over a week of silence before I emailed the HR Recruiter. The next day, they called saying they might adjust the role to better fit my skills and would get back to me in a few days. Two more weeks passed with no word, so I reached out to the hiring manager. Another week went by without a response, so I called the recruiter again and left a message. Another week later, still no reply, so I contacted the hiring manager again. Four days after that message, he finally called to let me know they decided to move forward with another candidate. I later found out they had already hired someone by then. The most ironic part is that during the total 6 hours of interviews, they talked a lot about how much their company values mattered to them (like the golden rule, honesty, integrity, respect). Definitely not worth your time.