I recently interviewed for a role and had a very negative experience. After investing a significant amount of time (48+24 hours) on two assignments, I was invited to a first-round interview with individuals who would have been my peers if I had gotten the job. Unfortunately, the interview felt more like an attempt to discredit my qualifications rather than an honest evaluation of my skills and experience. It was pure bullying.
Throughout the interview, the team made comments like "not convinced" and "but this is what everyone does" when I discussed my strengths, such as reliability. The tone was dismissive and unprofessional, making it clear that they weren’t interested in genuinely understanding my capabilities. It felt like they were more focused on undermining my confidence than assessing my fit for the role.
Thanks to the job market, I have actually interviewed a lot in the past month, and this was by far the worst experience I've had. Despite my best efforts, I did not get the job, which wasn't surprising given the nature of the interview. On a positive note, I added the assignment to my portfolio, and it has since attracted interest from other companies that appreciated the work I put in.
Overall, this experience left a bad taste in my mouth. I hope the company takes this feedback seriously and improves its interview process to be more respectful and constructive.