Applied for a 6 month FTC editor position over LinkedIn.
Had a contact at the company so managed to get the current editor's email. Sent a message about notice periods, but no reply. Instead got a very automated email from them a week later inviting me to interview.
Two people sat in on the interview — the current editor and an editor from another brand. First interview lasted two hours where the two editors took it in turns to read out a pre-written question, while the other one typed the answer. They didn't deviate from the script once. Very dry and laborious — no emotion or feedback from the two interviewers. Felt distinctly cold. I must have answered over 20 questions in total.
Was told they were in a rush to hire and because of my notice period I would need to take a day's holiday at my current employee to come in and work an unpaid day of meetings with them (if I got the job of course), as well as ask my current employers for a reduction in my current notice period (they knew my notice period from my application). I agreed and the interview was left there.
A week later I was offered a second interview and given a task to do over the weekend. I asked whether this would be a final interview and they said yes, and that an offer would be made swiftly after.
The task involved me doing an audit of the current site, and present three ways the site was succeeding and three ways to improve. This took me around three hours. I filed and a second interview was organised with two completely separate people — another digital editor, and someone from HR. The interview was friendlier than the first, but the person from HR (they call it people and culture for some reason) didn't say anything throughout. Didn't quite understand why they were there, or why the current editor, and apparent hiring manager, wasn't sitting in.
A week later I had heard nothing back from them. I'd hoped that by this final stage I would have at least had a "sorry we've gone with another candidate".
Got in touch asking whether a decision had been made. Rather than let me know, the hiring manager/editor told me to get in touch with HR. I CC'd them in the thank you reply, and was asked by the HR person if I was free for a call in two days time.
I took the call two days later only to be told by this person I had never spoken to before that I had not been offered the role due to lack of experience. That was it.
Overall, a demoralising, impersonal and unprofessional experience all around. Especially frustrated at the hiring manager/editor. If only they had shown some human decency it would have saved a lot of worry. As it was I had to chase for an answer, and was offloaded to HR to get it.