Sterling Bank and Trust Interview Questions
& Process

The interview process went pretty smoothly. It started with a phone interview, and then I had two in-person interviews at different bank branches. Everyone I spoke with was really nice. I think it went well overall.

I had a phone screening, then an in-person interview was set up at the bank. When I got there, someone told me I wasn't on the schedule and the next appointment was 30 minutes later. After waiting, a manager had me take a math test with no explanation. Then she asked some general interview questions, but it seemed like she wasn't really engaged and was just reading from a script. Some questions were repeated. It felt like they might have already hired someone and were just going through the motions with other candidates.

I interviewed at their San Francisco office with the VP. It didn't really seem like a VP, honestly. They just rambled on, leaned back in their chair, and scribbled some chicken scratch on a notepad that wasn't legible. They walked around and had me meet like 6 people for no reason, as if I had already taken the job. They never discussed the actual details of the role. It was a weird, heavyset guy, and it made me feel very uncomfortable.

The whole application and interview thing took over 5 weeks. Sterling bank and trust had the most unprofessional interview process I've ever experienced. I applied and got a callback two weeks later for an interview. I went dressed up with my resume and brought sample work. The interview was chill, laid back, and had simple questions. I mostly talked about what I do now and other job stuff. The interviewer liked my background and said they'd call me the next week for a phone interview with someone from HQ (Michigan). I emailed them that day thanking them and waited. Nothing. I followed up two weeks later. They replied within 24 hours saying they were still interviewing and someone from HQ would reach out in the next week. Still nothing. Fast forward another week. I emailed again at the end of the week expecting a call or something. No call, no update, no email. Then, within 5 minutes, I got an email saying the same thing as the week before: still interviewing, and someone from HQ would reach out next week. This time they CC'd the HR manager. Three weeks and four days later, on Monday around noon, I got a decline email from the HR manager. You say you'll call, so what's a candidate supposed to expect? Honestly, I really wanted the job, but I might have dodged a bullet given how this went down. I got better offers anyway.