My interview experience with Experian was disappointing and frustrating. It was scheduled for 1 hour and 30 minutes but dragged on for nearly 3 hours. Toward the end, I mentioned I had a hard stop because I was starting to feel overwhelmed since it had already taken so long. Despite this, the interviewer (a manager) insisted on continuing, saying "Oh, I have a couple more questions, it’ll be fast." This showed a complete lack of respect for my time and personal boundaries.
Early in the conversation, he questioned whether my name was actually mine or if I had written it that way "to be more noticeable." That comment felt completely inappropriate and unprofessional.
He also discouraged me from asking any follow-up questions during the conversation. When I tried to ask something relevant to what we were discussing, he cut me off and said, "I’m the one asking questions. Keep yours for the end." That not only created an awkward dynamic, but it also made the follow-up questions I had no longer relevant by the time we got to the end.
Throughout the interview, he repeatedly questioned my experience in a dismissive way, implying that what they do at Experian is far more complex. I’m not sure how he came to that conclusion from my CV, which clearly outlines a solid and relevant background.
There were also several uncomfortable questions about salary. After I shared my expected range, he kept pressing: “Can it be lower?” and “Is this really your lowest?” — clearly trying to push it down further. It felt less like a negotiation and more like an attempt to devalue my experience and worth.
In a way, it’s actually good that people like this are conducting interviews — because they give candidates a very clear picture of what kind of environment they might be stepping into, and what they should avoid.