Start of this story is back before covid and has me interviewing at a small tech consulting company. Coding mostly and then they had an 'emerging' app and advisory services areas they were hiring for the one role I applied for (advisory).
Standard interview show up, sit in a conference room, their largest, I guess to impress me with a bottle of water. First person in is the CEO. This pompous ass after initial greetings goes on and on about the right type of people they are seeking who have the right kind of mindset, approach, style and background to back that up. I have my best I am enraptured with you face for the 20 minutes and then he stops. Not with a question, just stops like he ran out of pompous thoughts to spew.
Knowing it is a 30 minute interview, I respond with a 5 minute pitch of how I am that 'right' type of person and why. He nods and then states we looking for two roles we thought you might be a fit. One is the advisory role, the other a sale type role for the app. I state I would prefer the advisor role I see my contributing more to that role with my ability to grow a clients business by identifying the areas we can help. He nods.
Two other people interview me, a director and a VP. They are both normal interviews – background, why are you interested, what can you tell me that is not on my resume – yada yada. Vibes from both were good, left with confidence.
Next day sent this BS test case they said they wanted me to read and craft a response to the client as if I was retained by them. I stated it would be difficult to craft a real response as I would have a host of questions about the context, the mood of the client, the role of the stakeholders and more. Told if I wish to participate, I can have a 30 minute call with the director I met and they would play the part of the stakeholders and answer any questions.
Sure, WTF. Get on the phone and immediately can tell said director wants no part of the fucking phone call. Getting one work replies, following asking for more detail and just ignoring my question. Ends call telling me I have to the end of the day to email my submission.
Well, fuck sure again. Figure be bold. In short, the case was about a tech project that went south and the client is pissed, demanding it be corrected and back on the original budget and timeline. Not fucking something you send an email to fix. But, my take on it is this client is bad client and not worth keeping. The note to the client I state the facts, the real pathways for the project (including killing it) and my recommendation which is to take a week to do a lessons learned and restart it. My note to the firm is this client is not profitable and if the answers from the director reflect the conversations with the client to let them go as the cost of support, unbilled project hours and headache is not worth it.
Apparently not the answer they wanted, but I rolled the dice. There email to me was the title “We find you are very qualified, but not the 'right' type of right we are seeking”. Again WTF does that mean. I did follow up asking for specifics and their response was we believe we gave you that feedback during the in person interviews. No, they did not. As I specifically asked at the end of each person, is there anything they I can improve on to help with their decision. All 3 literally said no.
There is a part 2 and a 3 with a happy ending I will post when I get around to it.