Interview process felt like free consulting, and very poor but detailed feedback.
I went through multiple rounds, including an onsite where I was asked to build a new business strategy, create a custom deck, and present detailed ideas for their HR tech growth. The presentation was well received, and interview panel said the ideas were “very useful.”
Final feedback: They’re “looking for someone who has sold the exact same product in HR tech which I'm unsure if its real. That requirement was obvious from my résumé and could have been screened in the first call, instead of after using my time and work.
Overall, the process felt misaligned and disrespectful of candidate effort. If you interview here, clarify up front whether “exact prior product experience” is a hard requirement before investing heavily in a strategy presentation.
If you are being asked to present , please "RUN"
Note to the CEO and co-founder: Don’t waste people’s time if you’ve already decided you need a clone of your current vendors. Be clear about that up front or be bold enough to actually back the best candidate, not just the safest résumé.