I applied online. The process took 4 weeks. I interviewed at European Science Foundation (Strasbourg) in Apr 2025
Interview
Two rounds of interviews, short (30 mins, second one no more than 1 hour) and not difficult. First one online, second onsite. Both times, the same two staff members .
When it came to making an offer, they only then realised they were unsure whether they had the budget for hiring and filling this position and declined on those grounds via email, with no apologies. Not good... haven’t they got their finances in order? It costs the applicant's time and staff time to run an application process. Bizarre...
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Could you just… summarise your CV for us? This role has evolved a lot. We’re still figuring it out. You can adapt, yes? You’re okay with doing a bit of everything, right? Do you know about our company, it's great, right? What are your salary expectations?
I applied through other source. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at European Science Foundation (Strasbourg) in Sep 2024
Interview
While the process was fast and not difficult, it did not leave the best professional impression: of a company focused on urgent replacement rather than long-term development or transparency.
The hiring process was surprisingly fast: only two short rounds, both attended by the same HR representative (believe there is only one in this organisation, which would be a red flag). The questions were rather traditional and did not reflect current best practices in assessing skills or motivation. The process seemed designed to fill roles quickly rather than to identify the best fit. It became apparent that the company experiences high staff turnover, as they are frequently recruiting for the same positions, and would like to have an immediate start. Some information provided during the interview also turned out to be inaccurate or misleading. For example, certain benefits such as lunch vouchers and partial reimbursement of public transport costs were presented as company perks, when in fact these are standard legal or national provisions in France. The organisation’s name suggests a larger structure, but turned out it operates as a small Alsatian association, not a foundation. This discrepancy between advertisement and the actual set-up was disappointing and not comprehensible how this is okay and why they would not be transparent in the first place. Based on my experience, I would not recommend.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Why do you want to work here?
We need to have the position filled immediately, when would you be able to start?