USAN Interview Questions
& Process

A recruiter reached out to me on LinkedIn asking for my resume. I had a phone call with the recruiter, then a call with a VP a week after. Two weeks later I hadn't heard anything, so I followed up and they told me they went with another candidate. I guess that's fine, but I'd expect some basic courtesy to let me know I'm not being considered, especially since I never knew about the company until they contacted me, and then they wasted my time with two interviews. Super rude and unprofessional.

There were 2 interviewers, a manager and a co-worker/mentor. They started by giving an overview of the company, some of its history, and background on the position. Since the role involves DB analysis for different systems and customers, they showed examples of internal and external reports. They seemed to be looking for someone who could figure out the request and then research and solve it with minimal help, like using Google. Because my background was a bit limited, they asked about the skills and assets I could immediately contribute while I learned the different jobs and functions.

Okay, so for this QA Software Analyst job, there were three interviews. First was a phone call with HR. It took a while to hear back after applying, maybe 2-4 weeks. The recruiter was awesome, though. We chatted about the job, the pay, and they asked some basic questions about my experience. Then came an online Teams interview with the hiring manager and a team lead. They seemed really interested in whether I had the skills and if I'd fit into the company culture. It was a bit weird though, I was the only one with my camera on, which felt kinda intense, like being questioned. But they didn't know I felt that way. For future reference, I'd just start with my camera off. Lastly, I went to their headquarters for an in-person interview. The place was nice, easy parking, and they had a fancy coffee machine. I met with the hiring manager, QA team lead, and another QA analyst. We talked about how I work, handle stress, stay organized, and lead. I got to ask them questions too. Then, a QA analyst showed me what the job actually involves, which was helpful. After that, I had a quick one-on-one with the hiring manager and got two small assignments about call flows and testing IVRs. I really messed those up because I had another meeting right before and only had 15-20 minutes to do them, when I really needed more time. A week later, the hiring manager called with an offer, but the salary was $15k less than the recruiter mentioned. I asked about it, and they gave a small increase, which I appreciated, and I accepted even though it was less than I make now because I really liked the company and the people. HR was supposed to send a written offer. Another week passed, and HR sent the offer letter, but the PTO was only 7 days, and I needed 10 for my daughter's ballet trip. HR said they'd check if they could increase it. The next day, HR emailed to say they were rescinding the offer. Crazy, right?

So I had a phone screen with HR and then the hiring manager. After that, I came in for an in-person interview with the hiring manager and some other people. They said they'd decide in a few weeks, but then that same afternoon, they called my references. Weirdly early, but I figured it was a good sign. I ended up having to reach out to HR to find out they went with other candidates. My references said great things, so it's frustrating they wasted their time when they were still in the early stages with multiple people. Super unprofessional.