SavATree Interview Questions
& Process

I was contacted by a recruiter about a branch manager position. After I showed interest, I had a phone call about a week later. A week after that, I had another. These were with HR and District Managers. Then I didn't hear back for 2-3 weeks. They brought me in to meet the District Manager at the local office. It seemed to go well. All the questions in these interviews were your average open ended questions. After the in person interview, I didn't hear anything for a month. I attempted contact by email, telephone, and eventually the recruiter. It was ridiculous. No one would get back to me. After a month, I eventually got a call from the recruiter and was told they went internal. It took over 6 weeks for them to choose an internal candidate.

The hiring process was quite extensive, maybe even more than necessary, but I'd rather have that than a process that's too quick. It began with a recruiter phone screen, then an interview with the regional sales manager. Following that, I had another meeting with the regional sales manager and the branch manager for the specific location. The last step was a final interview with one or two senior company managers for final sign-off, which, if successful, would result in a formal offer and contract.

A woman called me and we spoke for about 5 minutes or less and she said the supervisor was going on vacation and would give me a call. After 2 weeks I reached out again and she said he was still on vacation. Be honest and if you’re not interested just say it. It’s not professional to just ignore string along. I specifically asked if they were going in a different direction and I was told no he’ll call when he gets back.

The office was a depressing, underlit, open-plan space from the 1970s, made of cinder blocks, in an industrial park, which was the worst I've seen from any major company. The manager was nice, though. They scheduled four interviews for hiring. You're expected to buy your own vehicle, no more than two years old (preferably white), for the job, and they give you a stipend for it. However, you're responsible for the loan and insurance forever. The questions were all about sales and not very focused on arboriculture, which I think is a major cause of destructive ecological management. The company is buying up other small businesses aggressively and wants to be international, but quality care seems less important than labor. A part of the interview involves obnoxious role-playing without any knowledge of what the company can actually do.