Initial call from HR, leading to Teams meeting with Hiring Manager. Process took less than 10 mins. Apparently my CV was “standout” but he wasn’t interested enough to ask me any questions. I passed out the interview by asking my own. Terrible process, obviously going through the motions to satisfy HR when they have someone already in mind for the role.

Months after submitting a CV for a job, I received an email late at night from the hiring manager asking if I would be available for a virtual interview asap. I attended the interview in the following days, which was friendly and easy, but for a different job that I had applied for. I was invited to another interview, with a second hiring manager, which urgently had to be stuffed into the last hours before the Christmas holidays. The second call was more like a presentation of their work to me, and I agreed to go on-site first thing in January to give a presentation for which I would get instructions after the call. I didn't get instructions or any other reply until mid-January, when the second HM wrote me via another app, asking if I would be available to meet "after hours" on short notice. I could not make the time, and eventually the two HMs suggested a slot and presentation instructions. I spent half a day on-site, and the team seemed friendly and highly appreciated the expertise I had. The first HM seemed eager to extend an offer, but eventually, months later, I received a rejection from the second HM for some made-up reason. Another month later was the first time I heard from the HR representative when they emailed me another rejection.