Most people are bright and nice. There is some top talent at Citymapper, no doubt about it. However, my interview with the CEO really killed it for me. I was constantly interrupted, and a review of my CV turned into him questioning my life decisions. He even said he didn't really see the need for comms when the product was so good... so then it was on me to defend why Citymapper might need marketing as a function of the business—what a waste of time? Everyone seemed to work late and appeared strained, stressed out, or downright just barely keeping it together. It seems like CEO's belittling style could have served him well in his former life in finance but if his management style is anything like his interviewing style then working with him is probably a nightmare.
Other warning signs:
- Person crying in the bathroom
- I was kept waiting up to 15-30 minutes before each interview
- lnterviews were spontaneously added on as the day went on
- CEO rolled his eyes and scoffed at my question about holidays and health coverage, saying he didn't know much about that stuff and it was "whatever the minimum was"
I 1) cried on the bus home and 2) sighed with relief when I didn't get an offer—pretty sure the environment would have skinned me. In a small company, the leadership can wield a huge influence on the culture. It is disappointing that such a cheerful, well-designed, humorous product would emerge from an environment so toxic.