Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits Interview Questions
& Process

This was a total waste of time. The whole interview process felt like a red flag, and the hiring and recruiting team really didn't respect my time. Seriously, stay away from this company. There were 5 rounds of interviews and a big business case project. That project was a huge red flag for me – it felt like they wanted free work. It wasn't a quick 30-minute thing; it took about 10-15 hours total and they only gave me 3 business days to do it. I also had to do a whole presentation to a panel about my project. On top of that, every single interview round got rescheduled last minute. It was super inconsiderate to give me only 5-30 minutes notice before each round that they needed to move it. The recruiting team kept trying to reschedule for the same day and got impatient when I said I couldn't do it and needed to pick a different date. I didn't even get an offer, even though I was highly qualified and went through 5 rounds plus a project. Honestly, a hiring manager should know if a candidate is a good fit much earlier. I felt like they just used me for my ideas and free work. The recruiter didn't even have the guts to call me with the rejection; they just sent a two-sentence email. No wonder this company is struggling. Peak inefficiency. Waste of time. Red flag!

Got referred by a former employee who thought I'd be a good fit. The recruiter initially made me feel great, even saying I'd get top salary. We talked culture, but then he asked my current salary, which is illegal in NY and something an HR pro should know. I then met the hiring manager, who talked a lot about culture. I dressed formally (button-down, sport coat), but she wore a t-shirt and jeans. Despite meeting all job requirements and asking good questions, I got a rejection email a week later. The recruiter's reason was 'not a culture fit,' which I called out as a generic excuse. My referrer mentioned the company has never had a male in HR in 17 years. The whole experience felt off due to the illegal question, lack of dress code guidance, and generic rejection feedback, all pointing to a non-unique 'culture'.

The interview process was well-organized and kicked off quickly with clear details. There was a friendly initial screen, and they were transparent about timelines. The panel interview was concise and conversational. We then did a collaborative 30-minute whiteboard exercise. They provided fast, personalized feedback after each stage. The offer package was transparent, all of which made the experience relaxed, efficient, and respectful of my time.

I was extremely disappointed by the lack of professionalism, respect for my time, and overall communication throughout this interview process. It took more than five weeks between my first interview and receiving the final rejection email, with little to no updates along the way without my prompt. The term "breadcrumbing" seems fitting for this experience, especially since I was asked to complete a case study for the third and final round after two plus weeks of silence. After following up directly with the hiring manager, I received an automated rejection email the next day. It’s disheartening that, after investing hours in the process, there was no personal response or acknowledgement. If HR ever reads this; please be more respectful and transparent in your approach to candidates' time and effort.