**Interview — very uncomfortable and immature hiring process**
I interviewed with ABP Group / ABP Securite Taiwan for a Marketing Manager position. The overall interview experience was not good, and I think other candidates should be careful before entering the process.
The role was advertised as a Marketing Manager position covering SEO / GEO, digital marketing, offline events, and regional marketing support. However, after speaking with the interviewers, the actual scope sounded much more like WordPress optimisation, basic SEO support, event coordination, and sales support. It did not feel like a mature marketing manager role with clear strategic ownership.
The interview tone also felt quite uncomfortable at times. At the beginning, one interviewer directly commented that my resume was “at a disadvantage” because some of my past experiences were shorter. But later in the process, they repeatedly asked whether I would accept the offer if they gave me one, even before the compensation package or formal employment terms were confirmed. This felt inconsistent and quite unprofessional.
The most concerning part happened after the interviews. Before any formal offer letter was issued, the company requested multiple documents and information, including education certificate, transcripts, latest 3 months’ payslips, reference contacts, gross salary details, employment contract salary page, and then continued asking about bonus arrangement / bonus letter from my previous company.
I had already provided salary payment records, reference contacts, and a redacted employment contract page showing my agreed monthly gross salary. However, they continued asking for more details about my previous company’s compensation structure. In my opinion, this is excessive and inappropriate before a formal offer is made.
Some of the requested information is related to my previous employer’s internal compensation policy. I also felt this may raise potential concerns under Taiwan’s Personal Data Protection Act, because the company was asking for detailed personal and previous-employer-related salary information without first providing a formal offer package, clear employment terms, or written explanation of data handling scope, retention period, and confidentiality arrangement.
Another uncomfortable part was that during the process, I was indirectly told that the company prefers not to hire candidates who are not currently employed, and I was suggested to present myself as currently employed when speaking with HR. This felt very inappropriate and raised serious concerns about the company’s hiring ethics.
Overall, I felt the process was sales-driven, immature, and not respectful enough toward candidates. The company may be suitable for someone who is comfortable with a very early-stage, sales-led, and less structured environment. But for candidates who care about professional hiring process, clear role scope, candidate privacy, and proper compensation discussion, I would strongly recommend being careful.
The issue was not that the interview was difficult. The issue was the lack of structure, the unclear role definition, and the excessive request for sensitive salary and previous-employer information before any formal offer was made.
