If it was possible to give zero stars I would. Let me be abundantly clear, this is not a case of sour grapes. Sometimes there are more qualified candidates, sometimes positions close during the process, sometimes circumstances change. This was without a doubt the worst interview experience of my professional career. From start to finish, this was a two month process and the organization and communication is frankly, laughable.
1. Apply for the position November 22. I receive my very first communication requesting an interview screening at 3pm Christmas Eve. At the end of the interview I'm asked to come in for a face to face on January 4. Recruiter says she will email confirmation details.
2. Three days later, I reach out, saying I have not received a confirmation email. Recruiter apologizes and sends the confirmation. Asks if it's ok for me to drive 40 minutes away from the physical location of where I'll be working to interview face to face with the area manager. Fine I say. Dont want to inconvenience my future boss!
3. I receive an email at 4:16pm the day before the interview, first line says: There is a major update for tomorrows interview. The area manager will not be able to attend face to face. But we still want you to drive and do the interview. I respond back, I would be more than happy to be flexible, but is there any reason why it wouldn't be more convenient to just reschedule? I'm sure both parties would benefit from a face to face. Nonsense! Is the reply; we will just have you drive to the branch and phone in to the area manager. This needs to be today!
Well ok then, anything for my future employer!
4. I drive to the physical location. Oh, yea, we aren't going to have you phone in to the area manager, she's sick. Instead you're going to interview with your peer, another branch manager. (Again, this is genuinely fine. People get sick. But why couldn't we have just rescheduled so I could speak with the person who would actually be hiring me and why was I led to believe that I was going to be speaking with her via phone?) This isn't an entry level position, this is a decision that hopefully is being taken seriously as someone who would be responsible for managing people and resources.
5. Conclude the interview. Branch manager ends it by saying: "The area manager will probably call you either today or first time next week to do an actual interview. She will want to talk to you before moving forward." Well ok, why did we do this then if that's the case? Otherwise I thought the interview went well. The branch manager was very friendly and transparent. He seemed to imply I had a good of chance as any.
6. Day after interview-Reach out to recruiter to give and ask for update, recruiter responds with "not sure, awaiting to hear back on decision on moving forward. If you go to next steps you'll receive a phone call from regional executive (area manager boss). So I'm no longer going to have the interview with the area manager?
7. Over the course of the next two and a half weeks, radio silence. I sent four emails and made two phone calls to the recruiter. Did not receive one single response.
Again, I understand that recruiters deal with hundreds if not thousands of applicants. But I was selected for an interview and my experience was not at all what I was told to prepare for. Communication was always either wrong, last minute, or non-existent. A complete lack of respect for turnaround time (this was a two month, to the day, process from start to finish).
I personally can't see any reason why anyone would want to work for this company if this is what we are to expect when this is supposedly the time Suntrust is trying to put their best foot forward.
