Met with the VP and had a great call letting me know that she was going to schedule me with the hiring manager that week. Scheduled me at 9:30pm the night before, undiscussed, for an interview at 10:00am the day. I saw the invite and responded within minutes to her to email reached out and explained that I had been called into jury duty that and would not get out before 12pm and needed to reschedule... Both she, and the hiring manager did not read my note with the invite and she reached out asking if I wanted to reschedule of which I replied yes and referred to my note with updated availability moving forward.
Then when I had not heard back by before the weekend, I sent an email in the afternoon following up to ask when we might be rescheduling (with my availability again). Then I just receive an automated rejection email. "After reviewing your experience and qualifications, we decided to move forward with other candidates. We wish you the best in your job search and invite you to regularly check our careers page for other openings." with no explanation as to why we were no longer rescheduling for a role that I was very excited and still interested in..
I don't normally write reviews, but this one stuck with me given my TA background.
A strong candidate interview experience isn’t a “nice to have”—it’s a core business necessity.
In today’s market, candidates are evaluating companies just as much as companies evaluate them. Every interaction—from the first recruiter message to the final decision—shapes how a candidate perceives the organization’s professionalism, culture, and leadership. A disorganized or impersonal process signals internal dysfunction; a thoughtful, well-structured experience communicates clarity, respect, and operational excellence. At its core, investing in candidate experience is about respect for people’s time and effort. Candidates often spend hours preparing, interviewing, and following up. When companies match that effort with transparency, communication, and professionalism, it builds trust—even before day one.
Something for that team to think about...