Atypical Brands interview questions

My advice...if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. This is how I felt about interviewing at Atypical Brands AKA NuMe Products. I applied online through Idealist and received a call from HR to schedule an interview. Cool. I had my interview with David (the CMO), who conducted himself very professionally and was asking relevant questions. However, what I did find a little jarring was his insistence for me to come up with campaign/social media/creative ideas SPECIFIC to NuMe products. This was after I had shown him numerous examples of my creative work within other arenas. It seems like he would have been able to get a sense of my abilities from that. I have to say something felt a little off. He told me because I "didn't have many ideas specific to NuMe products" to go home and generate some ideas to send to them. This is where I probably should have stopped and, after reading other reviews on Glass Door, DEFINITELY should have stopped. However, because I loved the idea of the position so much AND because David was engaging, I pushed that intuition aside and came up with one campaign idea that I emailed to them. I received a call from HR saying that David loved my work and wanted to call me in for a second interview. "Awesome", I thought. "This appears to be different than what people are saying on Glass Door." Unfortunately not the case. The second interview essentially consisted of David pushing me to come up with more and more content ideas, which because I was so into the position, I stupidly gave him. I knew it felt wrong but again I was so excited about the possibility. There are plenty of ways to gauge someone's qualifications and aptitude for a job outside of making them DO the job before they have it. Even so, I was hopeful. After the interview I did not hear back until I emailed them. HR told me David was out of town and to check back in 5 days. 5 days later, I checked in and still no response. Two days later I knew I had not gotten the position but wanted a firm rejection (I had after all come in TWO times AND completed a content assignment). I FINALLY received a response from HR saying that they had decided to continue interviewing for the position. Although this does not appear to be that bad of an interview process by itself, it shows sketchiness when put with the other reviews. Also, I gave him exactly what he wanted in terms of the content they were looking for (per his words). My guess is that, like other reviews indicate, they hold interviews to get ideas from people and then don't hire them. My advice is that if you do choose to interview with them do NOT give them tons of ideas specific to NuMe products. If they pressure you for more and more content, it's likely that they're squeezing you for ideas and have no interest in actually hiring you. Also, discuss salary up front. They'll try and make you negotiate against yourself.

Because of experiences like this, I am glad that a forum such as Glass Door exists. This allows people to call companies on their BS, and their rude insensitivity to folks who spend time going through a time consuming process only to be summarily rejected by an impersonal form letter. Yes, I know this is common and accepted, but not when you were practically offered the job in the interview. Read on... Ironically, I never look at company reviews until after I have interviewed and it looks like they consider me as a serious candidate. After looking at reviews for Atypical Brands aka: Nume Products aka: Hugbit, I probably would have passed unless I was given an offer that transcended at will employment. Lets just say the reviews gave me serious pause, and after the fact, my experience now makes perfect sense. I was contacted by their "HR" department (consisting of one person apparently) and invited to a face to face interview at their location in Van Nuys. Specifically, I was applying for Director of E-Com for their Nume Products brand. The interview was conducted by the CMO, and it seemed to go well. At the end, he seemed very pleased with me and started talking about setting up a second interview with the top brass, and since I was from San Diego and had not yet moved to LA, I could opt for a Skype interview if I needed to. Very accommodating. Said they would be wanting to check references (I interviewed on a Friday and he said their HR person would get back to me Monday morning) and move to the next step, which got me excited and made me feel not only that I was the front runner, but that he wanted to fast track me. I followed up with a nice, professional note to HR ccing the CMO who interviewed me, both thanking them for the opportunity to interview and to inquire about the next steps that had been suggested at the end of the interview. I got crickets. A few days later, I followed up again a bit alarmed at this point to let them know I had other interest (truth) and wanted to just get a read on whether I was still in contention. I got an email back from the HR lady letting me know that he was still interviewing candidates but letting me know she wanted to keep the line open, which was a far cry from where I thought I was. Then I get an impersonal, auto generated form letter THAT SAME DAY letting me know they had selected another candidate and thank you for my time. Based on the duplicity I experienced and multiple scary reviews on glass door, I can only imagine what the person who gets hired is in for. The only thing I really lost is the positive energy I wasted thinking this position was a strong opportunity based on what I was told and a couple hours of my time. I hope the person chosen does not damage their career or lose their soul.