Beware of the Intel PSG (Altera Acquisition) Group.
I am an ex-Intel (original Intel, CPU group) employee. I worked with them for over 10 years before I moved to two different companies in last 4 years.
One week ago, on Friday, I got an email from hiring manager, saying he does not have my resume or phone number and asked me to send it to him. This sounded pretty strange, as I have only recently started using that email address specifically for job search purposes. And I never gave out that email to anyone except on my resume or positions I applied to. So if he had my email, he has to have my resume and phone number. I shrugged off thinking of it as a technical glitch.
After I emailed him my resume and information, without giving heads up, he called me at 3.50pm. I was in meeting and could not answer, he left a voicemail asking me to call him right away. Which I did after the meeting at 4.01pm and he didn't answer, so left him a voicemail and emailed him about it.
Complete silence for few days. Fast forward to Wednesday morning, he calls me around 9.30am, again without heads up, or email, or any reply to my previous email or voicemail. I tell him, I am driving and before I could finish my sentence, he says, I would definitely have a bluetooth or handsfree so we should talk!! We finish our conversation and within 30 mins, I get HR email for onsite interview. At first it sounded too fast. But then I thought, I have the skills he is looking for and being an ex-Intel employee he wants to speed things up as majority of my information would still be in Intel's database.
I go for onsite on Thursday for 10-12noon interview. 4 people, 30 min/person. This looked strange as generally its 45 min/person and at least 5-6 people interviewing. But again, good side of me thought, the HM is in hurry to hire, I have worked at Intel for so long before, so he can always check my reviews and talk to ex-managers and colleagues.
Thursday onsite interview goes great. He was second to interview of 4 people. And then suddenly he came again after 4th person finished. He said, he forgot to ask few questions which he has to fill-in. I was little surprised, "fill-in" where? I let go this another red flag. At the end, he said, I am first candidate he interviewed for the position and it will be 2-3 weeks before he talks to other candidates and make a final decision. The time line was little longer, but I said fine. Today afternoon, less than 24 hours after my interview finished, I receive automated email from workday saying the HM has decided to move with another candidate!!
So I was first one to be interviewed and in less than 24 hours, he phone screened, on site and offered another candidate? Thats impossible. Or another possibility, could be that he just passed on me, thinking he will find a fit from remaining candidate. No HM ever rejects the first candidate in 24 hours, whom he initially praised for background and skills, convinced for onsite on short notice, just with the hope that he will find a fit from remaining candidates, whom he has not even talked to, he does not even know they would accept his offer.
Turns out there is lot more to the story and all red flags can be connected. In reality, the HM wanted to hire someone he knew, but Intel HR won't let him hire without interviewing few more candidates and immigration wise also he has to interview some citizens and green card holders (I am US Citizen).
So my interview was just sham interview to document a "second", a "citizen" interview so he can hire his favorite. That was the reason for all the haste and just two hour, 4 people, 30 min/person interview and rejection in less than 24 hours.
Guess he picked a wrong person to play this game with. Having worked at Intel before, I have lot of colleagues whom I am in constant touch with. Through them, I found out the real story of him wanting to hire his favorite.
I hope Intel HR looks at this post and takes disciplinary action against the hiring manager. I am sure they would be able to find lot of digital trail of his misdeed.
If you guys think I should pursue a legal action against the HM, please let me know what resources I have.
Please keep this incident in mind, especially while interviewing with Intel-PSG. I am not saying all HM are bad, but look out for red flags and save yourself from the trouble.
