I started out with a phone interview with the manager of the department and then I had a face to face interview. Both went very well. We had a rapport and I was told I was overqualified, which I hear more often then I'd like to, considering the fact I've been a CFO. I'm an overachiever. I started college at age 16, have 2 3/4 Mater's Degrees at the moment, and have engaged in high impact projects including averting over $7 million in P&L risk, streamlining, policy and procedure setting, and getting organizations out of cash flow crisis.
The final interview was with the President of the company. It was the most horrible, demeaning experience in my life. I've frankly never met a more arrogant, judgmental, or miserable individual. He obviously didn't read my resume, where I had a record of the last ten years, and since I have had the bad luck of getting laid off due to mergers and acquisitions, I clearly put that on there. He came into the room looking angry and frustrated. His sole purpose seemed to be to diminish everything I said. He criticized me for not being at companies long enough, although I explained the layoffs and why I was at two companies 3 years a piece and then had to pick up contractual work. He criticized me for wanting to move closer to the area of the position. Since I had a preference to move towards accounting that is related to real estate and this position dealt with acquiring new offices, he decided to raise his voice and yell "THIS IS NOT REAL ESTATE!" I was so taken aback by all his criticisms, I was not expecting him to give me an Accounting test next on the white board, making me come up with a decision about buying a building within 2 minutes. Everyone is different, and I do not decide that quickly. That is the whole point of being analytical, thorough, and detail oriented. I would hope he would want his employees to follow a process rather than being hasty, but because I did not answer his questions on the spot or understand a few of his questions, he made the most condescending face I have every seen and I was walked out. I have never been to an interview like this in my life. I spent the ride home crying. The manager of the department just sat there smiling and did not stand up for me at all. He did not reply when I followed up afterwards and explained how shocking this interview was to me. I'm so glad I dodged a bullet here.