Two meetings via Zoom, one with a current Account Executive and one with the Sales Manager. One in-person interview with Sales Manager and Hiring Manager - tasked to do a 10 minute presentation. I was told there MAY be a cold calling element to the in-person interview. After arriving, Chief Sales Manager essentially disregarded the presentation I had spent a couple hours preparing for and wanted to go straight into a 15min demo cold call. This was after I was informed this MIGHT be part of the interview. They ask candidates to create and prepare a 10 min presentation but then disregarded it and then 'surprised' them with a mock cold call you said might not even be a part of the process? Doesn't really set candidates up for success and the whole thing felt very pointless and a waste of time. Then got ghosted by the company after we discussed that this was an issue in the current job market - which they agreed with. Quite ironic.

The interview process demonstrated a concerning lack of regard for professional boundaries. I was unexpectedly confronted and questioned about why I had not watched preparation videos over the weekend, despite having received no explicit instructions from the team to do so. Expecting candidates to dedicate unpaid personal time to non-allocated tasks, and then feeling pressured about weekend priorities, suggests an unhealthy management culture. Additionally, when I inquired about whether the role was hybrid or fully on-site, the interviewer responded dismissively, implying I should have already reviewed the job description. Clarifying workplace expectations is a standard part of any interview, especially when online summaries conflict with the official listing; using this as an opportunity to belittle a candidate is entirely inappropriate. The company appears to adopt an aggressive interrogation approach rather than fostering a respectful, two-way dialogue. The tone and conduct of this interview suggest a culture that prioritises strict compliance and boundary over professional expertise. Consequently, I have decided to withdraw from the process.