I applied for a Design Assistant role at Puffin in March and made it through to the final interview stage in April. While the process started off relatively smoothly, the aftermath was incredibly disheartening. I waited four weeks after my final interview with no update, despite having followed up via email, which was acknowledged, but not replied to for another two weeks.
When I was eventually contacted, the explanation given was that their calls had gone straight to voicemail, and they didn’t want to “pester” me with emails in case I’d moved on. I had been actively waiting, checking my phone and inbox daily, and received no voicemails or missed calls. This kind of excuse felt dismissive and lazy, especially given how easily an email could’ve resolved the situation.
The feedback I received also felt vague and rushed, especially in contrast to the time and energy I had invested throughout the process. I was left feeling like my efforts weren’t taken seriously, and worse, that because I was entry-level, I wasn’t afforded the same professionalism as more senior applicants might be.
For a company that prides itself on nurturing new talent and inclusion, this experience said otherwise. I hope PRH reconsiders how it communicates with early-career applicants, especially those they encourage to apply through initiatives and schemes designed to increase access.