The interviews themselves went well. I was recommended by someone who worked at VMWare for the position. I was working at a VMWare competitor during the interview. I interviewed with HR, senior management, the Hiring Manager & another Director in the Marketing Department. They asked me to do a sample presentation for them right before the July 4, holiday weekend. Even thought it was my vacation/weekend time, I did the presentation, and went in to present it. The presentation seemed to go fine. I presented to Product Management & a marketing director. They made me give them my sample marketing plan, in retrospect, I should've not given it to them and would advise other candidates to not give them a presentation. When I left they told me they had to check my references, and then they expected to get an offer out to me. But when they checked my references, everything went haywire. The hiring manager asked every single one of my references if I thought I was always the smartest person in the room, and if I think I am always right. My references, all former managers, called me and said, this is strange, I don't think you should work for this person. She (the hiring manager) talked to each reference for 30 minutes, which was frankly an imposition for those offering their time. I have never experienced anything like this in my time in tech. After talking to multiple references, who all were former managers who assured her of my competency--I didn't receive an offer. The amount of time to do a marketing plan for them, and then find references for them to talk to was significant and fruitless. At the end of a day, it was a blessing to not get an offer from them as the behavior of the hiring manager (who is no longer with VMWare) who checked my references was very concerning. I don't know if I had somehow offended her, but it was like she was trying to get each reference to say something bad about me. Each of my former managers who acted as references thought I shouldn't work for this person who seemed already threatened by me. Another odd thing, the hiring manager did the reference check, not Human Resources. I left this experience wondering if they ever intended to hire me, or if they just wanted me to do a free marketing plan for them, rather than pay a consultant. The position was never filled.
