So disorganized. I applied online for the position at one of the new soon to open stores. A few days later I get an email from someone at WFM saying to disregard his previous note saying they weren't moving forward and that they'll be in touch about scheduling a phone screening soon. Never got the note declining my app (and wasn't in my spam) so I was confused. Told him that and said I'll disregard if it comes through and thanked him. A few days later I received a voicemail from someone else at WFM saying she had tried to reach me via email to schedule a phone screening but hadn't heard back and to give her a call. Again, I had never gotten an email and it wasn't in my spam (I'm guessing they somehow had a wrong email, but still don't see how the first person got in touch with me via the right email to tell me to disregard the other one). Called her back and told her that and she asked me if I could do the screening right then. I said yes, but how ridiculous. It was nothing- she asked me why I was interested in the position. That was it. About five days later I was invited to interview in person and given two "homework assignments" to complete and present for my panel 6 days later (I have a full time job, so this was a lot to take on). They could not have been more vague. I was told to put together a 30 day action plan on a $10,000 budget focused on customer acquisition or basket building for the store. I was also asked to outline some potential community orgs to partner with and put together an overview of the first store event. The community partners assignment was fine, didn't need explanation. But no direction was given on the 30 day plan. I asked if this should be focused on the opening month. She said yes. I got started. I was given direction to reach out to the people on my panel - which I did within the first two days. Followed up with each person twice, and received no responses, so I truly had no guidance about what they wanted. Naturally I included digital and social advertising in my plan. It's a marketing position. Two days before my panel, I emailed asking how much emphasis they wanted to be placed on budgeting for events vs. advertising. It was only then that she told me the regional team handles all advertising for the stores and not to include any of it in my plan. Started from scratch. Still put together an extensive campaign book with 7 different marketing campaigns and events leveraging community partners outlined in detail. I went in and presented to my panel and they asked some thoughtful questions, some I answered well and some only okay. Mostly it seemed like they were going through the motions - like my interview was a formality and they had someone else decided upon already. That same day I received a call, which I missed as I was still at work, and they didn't leave a message. When they didn't try again within the hour I decided to cold call the number back. I've never received a more offensive rejection. I asked for feedback and was told I focused too much on marketing to the community the store will be in since there's already two other WFMs in that area and they don't want to pull sales away from them. (Then why open another store in the community? Also, this one is on the opposite side of the city and my plan focused on reaching the community members in that area and the bordering neighborhood.) He also told me that asking the alder of the ward the store will be in (a family friend of mine) for her input on the demographics/psychographics of that community was "a risky move." Perhaps if I had received any response from my panel, I wouldn't have had to reach out to additional contacts. The way he phrased everything was rude and demeaning. Very negative and time consuming experience.