The Chemistry Group Interview Questions
& Process

Started with a very basic, informal chat with Chemistry. Then I had to do some online assessments, which seemed irrelevant to the actual role and different from what others applying for the same job did. After that, radio silence for over a month. I tried following up multiple times via calls and emails with Chemistry, but no response. The people team also didn't reply until suddenly, out of the blue, I got a short, two-line email saying I wasn't the right fit for what they needed. It's fine to be rejected, but for a company that advises clients on improving their recruitment, they have a lot to fix internally.

So after I applied, they first sent me some personality tests to see if I was a good fit for the people at Chemistry Group. Once I passed those, I had a phone interview that was super chill and informal. They asked me about my past experiences, what drives me, and what I'm looking for in a job. After that, it was more questionnaires, but these were about intelligence this time. I then waited like 5 weeks to hear back, during which time I’d basically given up hope after all my unanswered calls and emails. Finally, I got invited to an assessment day which was awesome, really relaxed and fun. We had three main things to do: first, a task where I had to individually plan out a schedule with different events. Second, a series of six short interviews, each lasting 4 minutes, with people playing as customers. Lastly, we had a group presentation where we had to present what we learned from those interviews to the 'CEO' of the customer company. The assessment day really showed what it’s like to work at Chemistry Group and gave me a chance to chat with the employees to see what they like about it. My advice: really put thought into the interview task because it seems to be a big part of how they decide.

It was a really strange interview process. First, I had a phone call that went fine. Then, I did two tests: one for personality and one for how smart I am. I waited for weeks after finishing them and finally got to the last interview stage only after I reached out to them. The in-person interview included a behavioral interview, a presentation I had to prepare, and a 'show and tell' segment. Seriously? But I went through with it and did well in the interview, even getting complimented several times. After they said they'd let me know their decision within days, I heard nothing. Eventually, someone called and told me I didn't get the job because my personality wasn't a good fit for the team and I didn't make enough eye contact during my presentation. Is this how you give feedback to clients as a people analytics consulting team? If so, no thanks. And the personality fit excuse makes me suspect some bias might have been involved, and they just used that as a reason.

The whole hiring process was surprisingly fast and easy compared to other places I interviewed. The person I spoke with, Francesca Cockram, made me feel comfortable both on the phone and during our one-on-one meeting. She shared a lot about Chemistry and what everyone expected for this role. I got to meet some of the team, and they were all very welcoming. It was definitely the least stressful interview experience I've had.