HR Recruiter in Buffalo scheduled a window to call me for phone screen which I confirmed. Waited for the full 2 hour window next day, no call. I sent an email asking to reschedule. Several hours later I received a call back with a new time for the next day. The next day came and no call from recruiter, so I called both her office and cel numbers, left messages. Several hours went by and I finally received a call back. Did a brief (but now unscheduled) phone screen, and set up an in person interview for the following week. The interview went great, it seemed that the hiring manager did not want it to end and after 50 minutes they began telling me about vacation, benefits, working from home, perks...super good sign right? I was confident, qualified and now a good match with manager's personality. The next day the same recruiter called me and asked me how it went. After letting me gush about how great I thought it went, how I really clicked with the hiring manager and was really excited about taking the next step, the recruiter proceeded to tell me the manager was going to continue interviews as I did not have the specific experience they wanted. HUH? I was totally shocked! I asked her to please reach back out to the hiring manager for more specific feedback as the reason she just provided didn't make any sense based on the interview I had. However, I was ready to accept/move on - I understand that's just how the game goes sometimes. But then recruiter then told me she would like me to interview for another position along the same lines but at a level lower. Ok, I was willing to take a cut for a foot in the door at HSBC, so we discussed the salary and agreed on a range. I then had two more in person interviews on separate days, the last with a Sr. Manager. After a grueling 45 minute psychological examination, the Sr. Mngr asked me what salary I was expecting. I told them the figure already agreed upon with the recruiter. The Mngr then told me the "correct" range which ended up being so far out of the ballpark I was speechless! No negotiation could take place as we were that far apart. And it's really hard to negotiate salary during an interview when you haven't been offered the position! The Mngr was understandably aggravated with the recruiter and the interview ended abruptly. Two days later I received the generic rejection email without a word of apology, explanation OR follow-up from the recruiter. One of the worst experiences I've had with any potential employer. I was extremely excited about working for HSBC but if this is how they treat people there, looks like I dodged a bullet.
