I interviewed for a senior (Head-level) leadership role at Hoya Vision Care and would like to share my experience in a constructive manner.
The process was thorough and extended over two months, involving multiple interview rounds, including a panel discussion with senior stakeholders. I valued the opportunity to engage deeply with the team and invested significant time in preparing for each stage.
After completing the interview rounds, I was asked to undertake a Hogan assessment, which required several hours of thoughtful completion. This was followed by an in-depth one-hour discussion with a senior HR BP/ Director to review the results. During that conversation, I was informed that my assessment outcomes were strongly aligned with the role and that my profile demonstrated a good fit. It was also communicated that the hiring manager would reconnect with me to realign on expectations, given that our earlier discussion had taken place several weeks prior.
Subsequently, I was informed that the search had been restarted based on feedback from the final interviewer. While I respect the organization’s decision-making authority, the late-stage change in direction particularly after positive alignment feedback and completion of advanced assessments was difficult to reconcile.
For leadership-level hiring, strong upfront alignment among key stakeholders is essential before progressing candidates through time-intensive assessments and senior-level review discussions. Advancing to those stages typically signals a high degree of internal consensus. When alignment shifts at the final stage, it can create avoidable uncertainty and diminish the overall candidate experience.
I would also like to sincerely acknowledge the Talent Acquisition representative who managed my candidacy. She demonstrated professionalism, responsiveness, and genuine commitment throughout the process.
I hope this feedback is received in the spirit intended as an opportunity to strengthen stakeholder alignment, sequencing, and communication in what is otherwise a structured and rigorous selection process.