Tastemade Interview Questions
& Process

The team were all very friendly, polite and made me feel very comfortable, but it lacked real professionalism and showed inexperience. Eight interviews in total, all of them started late, with little to no correspondence between interviews. Lengthy delays in between interviews. Despite information being requested and emails sent, there was at times no replies and emails left ignored and questions unanswered. One interview started with ‘let’s get this over and done with’. Shows a real poor knowledge or inexperience in hiring and how it should work. It felt very junior, but at least with a very passionate team, all moved up through the ranks pretty quickly without wider industry or business knowledge. It was clear they were not sure what they were looking for, hence so many interviews, but surely go into the hiring process being clear what you want? In the end a waste of many hours and interviews when I could have been informed far earlier on, I was not someone to progress. Disappointing of course, as I wanted to still interview and be successful , but the end response could have happened 3 or 4 interviews in. But wishing the successful hire all the best.

Applied to the role and got an email to schedule a call. The call went well and I was quickly moved to an onsite interview. The onsite interview happened and I thought it went well, but then things got strange. I was called in and it was suggested over the phone that this was the final interview. During the interview, we talked about a lot of things related to a recruiting role, especially candidate engagement and experience. We discussed the importance of setting clear expectations early in the interview process to keep candidates happy and ensure a positive experience. This was a good sign to me because I dislike when companies state one thing (like the interview being 1-2 steps) and then change their story. This is exactly what happened. When I asked about next steps and decision-making timelines, I was told it wasn't the final step and that there would be 2-3 more, and I'd hear about them later. It wasn't a huge issue for me as I know things can change and processes need adjustments, but it felt odd given our conversation. Another odd thing was their unwillingness to answer the question about realistic expectations for working hours. I know it's a startup and most reviews suggest long hours, which I can handle, but I just wanted a clear picture. I didn't think it was an invasive question, but it might have cost me the job. The process concluded with an abrupt email the following week after I heard nothing, stating they had filled the role. Overall, it was an average experience at best, but definitely good practice for the next one.

This was hands down the BEST interview process I've ever been through. It was pretty long, and some parts felt a bit repetitive, but I really felt like I got to know each person individually. It made me feel comfortable asking questions, which isn't always the case. The first round was a quick chat with a recruiter, maybe 10-15 minutes. Then, I met with the team lead for about 30-45 minutes. We talked about the role's details, what's expected, and why they like working at Tastemade. She was really open about the company and what would happen next. I was nervous, but she answered everything. The third round was an assessment, which I was initially worried about. The first part was hands-on with the program director, and then I did the second half on my own, so I didn't feel totally abandoned. Again, everyone was super welcoming and helpful, and they were clear about everything. The fourth round was a 30-minute joint interview with another team lead and the director. We got to know each other more, and they discussed the role and expectations. Finally, I had a quick 15-minute chat with the head of people. Overall, some things overlapped, but I didn't see it as a communication issue; it felt more like they were genuinely interested in me as a candidate and how I'd fit with each person on the team. Seriously, the BEST interview experience I've ever had, and I felt super confident accepting this offer compared to previous roles.

I applied online and then heard back from HR for a phone interview a few days later. The HR person was okay, though I felt a bit uneasy about her as things went on, even though she was nice enough. She mostly asked about me and what I wanted. After that, I had a video call with the director who would've been my boss. He was really interested in a project I talked about, which made me feel good. Then I was supposed to meet another director and the CFO. The next director I met via video asked similar things but was more interview-focused and less about my project. He asked standard questions like weaknesses and strengths. He mentioned a possible Excel project that HR would send details about, but I never heard back. I then met the Controller by video call really early because she was in the UK. She was great, but seemed unsure about what was next. Finally, I met with the CFO. He seemed nice but uninterested, asking about the same project and my supervisor/CFO's names, which felt weird. Overall, there were too many interviews that didn't feel very valuable, with similar questions that didn't really let them know me. I also didn't get a super clear idea of the role. It almost felt like they were just trying to pick my brain about my project to replicate it, given their reactions to my other answers. They all seemed like nice people though.