I applied for a different position online and was contacted by phone by the project manager. She mentioned the position I had no interest in as well as the RA position. We had a brief phone screen and then planned a 1:1 interview a week later. After that, I came in for a second in-person interview. Each interview went over the project extensively, and I was able to meet with the other research assistants to get a feel for the job. They seemed overworked and like they needed another RA. The office environment was relaxed, with the dress code ranging from jeans to business casual. Apparently the wait list for a parking spot is years long, but the office itself is literally steps away from the green line. It seems like a very work-oriented office, not obnoxiously relaxed but not super high-stress, either. They were hiring to ease up the workload and had a very keen sense of what needed to get done and when.

I reached out to the PI of the hiring lab in Brigham and Women's Hospital by email and attached my resume and cover letter. After a week, I got an email from the lab manager asking to interview the following week. My initial interview was with the lab manager and another research assistant. It went really well, and they told me I would hear back by the end of the following week. Two weeks passed, so I followed up with the lab manager. I got an email the day before I was supposed to meet the PI - I was informed that I was a finalist. During the meeting, I saw a woman near a pool in the background, which caught me off guard. I think the PI must have been on vacation, and overall, he did not seem that invested in the interview, which changed how I viewed the role. A couple of days later, their application portal system showed that I was no longer in consideration. A week later, I get a very short email from the PI informing me that they were still continuing their review. I followed up a month later, and they told me they couldn't offer me the role. Overall, the process felt drawn out, and the PI’s approach during the interview ultimately dissuaded me from wanting the role.”