TLDR: Chong + Koster will contact each of your references then completely ignore your follow-up correspondence - after requiring a two-hour assessment and three rounds of panel interviews. RUN, do not walk, away from this company.
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After sending my application credentials, I was contacted about 30 minutes later and asked for an interview, to which I enthusiastically agreed. I had done my research on this company and felt our values aligned. I was so excited about the possibility of working for an agency that seemingly honored my commitment to social good. After my initial interview, I was asked to take their two-hour assessment and took time off of work to do so. After passing the assessment, I endured three additional panel interviews, including one where their partners were present. These “partners” were…pompous…to say the very least, but after reading reviews about them here on Glassdoor, I wasn’t surprised. Because I cared deeply for the social initiatives this company championed, I continued through the interview process which then advanced to me being asked for references. Each of my references were to be contacted by HR. Days after sending their information, one of my references contacted me and said the HR rep was over 30 minutes late to their scheduled meeting. A glaring red flag. After my reference contacted HR to inquire about their whereabouts, they then called, did not offer an apology, and continued with the reference check as if nothing had occurred. Another red flag. Each of my references then called to let me know how their checks had gone and congratulate me on advancing through the application process. We discussed the questions they were asked, feedback given, and any additional red flags that were noted. Please note that the HR rep never responded to the initial email I’d sent to relay my reference’s contact information - there was no acknowledgement of receipt, or any correspondence to confirm that they would be in touch with them. I had no idea they had reached out until my references contacted me themselves. Once the checks were completed, I never heard back from anyone at Chong + Koster. Not HR, not the additional team member cc’d on my emails to HR, none of the partners or the 10+ team members I’d interviewed with… no one. I sent three additional follow-up emails inquiring about next steps, if any. To this day, nearly 6 months later, I’ve never received a response. Imagine what a joy it was to see the role I’d interviewed for reposted when this company couldn’t be bothered to respond to candidates who had already given hours of their time to advance through their unnecessarily rigorous interview process. Although I am 100% sure I dodged a bullet with Chong + Koster, the senior management there… “partners”, or whatever they consider themselves, should truly be ashamed of their blatant lack of professionalism and consideration for others. Always remember, how a company treats candidates speaks VOLUMES about their internal processes (or in this case, disfunction) and treatment of their actual employees. May the time they’ve wasted of mine save you from wasting your own. I don’t know you, but I do know you deserve better than anything Chong + Koster has to offer. Choose wisely.
