I don't think this company has a good culture. In all my years in the corporate world, I have never had a screening as bad as this one. I normally do not leave reviews on Glassdoor for unsuccessful interviews, but this one warranted one.
Red flags:
*The recruiter did not remember our previous conversation regarding another position a few months ago (five months ago to be precise). This raises concerns about their record-keeping practices and preparation for interviews. It suggests a lack of diligence in tracking applicant interactions, which is crucial for effective recruitment.
*During our initial conversation, the recruiter seemed impressed by my experience and noted that she appreciated how detailed I was in describing my background. However, her attitude shifted when she suddenly remembered that we had spoken a few months earlier about another position. She mentioned that my voice sounded familiar, which indicated that they were not keeping records of previous applicants. In that earlier conversation, she stated that she knew the hiring manager and claimed that my background would not be approved, which was the reason I would not move forward. This rationale seems inconsistent and raises questions about the true basis for my rejection. Typically, in the interview process, recruiters provide feedback to hiring managers about all the candidates they have screened. This feedback usually includes insights from initial conversations, candidate qualifications, skills, and overall fit for the role, aiming to help hiring managers make informed decisions. Clearly, this did not happen in my case.
*During our conversation, the recruiter mentioned that the only reason for my potential rejection was my gap in employment since 2023 and my lack of recent experience in the travel industry, despite the fact that I have been in the travel industry since 2012. This overlooks the reality that many professionals in the travel sector faced disruptions due to the pandemic. Such remarks fail to take into account significant events like the widespread layoffs in the tech and travel industry and the impact of COVID-19. This reflects a lack of critical thinking and an unfair bias against applicants who may have experienced career disruptions due to external factors.
*If the recruiter was being transparent about my employment gaps as a reason for rejection, it raises the question of why she called me in the first place when these gaps were clearly indicated on my resume. This lack of foresight wasted both her time and mine, as well as the company’s resources.
*The recruiter’s approach leaned heavily on subjective judgment rather than constructive feedback. This led to a screening process that felt biased and overly critical, rather than one designed to fairly assess skills and qualifications.
*I politely sent feedback to the recruiter, and in her response, she misspelled my name, despite it being clearly signed in my email. This could have been a deliberate act or a sign of poor attention to detail—either way, it reflects poorly on her professionalism and the company. Additionally, she misconstrued my email as an attempt to convince her to change her decision, when it was merely intended as feedback.
Recruiters like this can harm a company by filtering out qualified candidates based on personal biases rather than objective evaluation. Such practices hinder the company’s ability to hire skilled individuals who could contribute positively to the organization.
