Similar to another review, I made it to the third and final interview for a director position, and was asked to make an annual plan for the department. I was given 3 weeks to complete the project, but a couple of days into it, decided that asking for an annual plan was way too much of a request for someone in the interview process, even though I really wanted the job. The simple truth is that successful plans take weeks, if not months, and open lines of communication on a regular basis from all departments - and companies should know that. And at this point in the process, the only person I had communicated with was HR - not anyone in the actual department I was applying to. I would have been happy to show them previous plans I had created in my other roles, or set up a comprehensive campaign with my recommendations. Perhaps I could have pushed back and asked for a different assignment, but I politely declined to move forward in the process, addressing my concerns in the email. They wished me the best. From start to finish, the entire interview process would have been just under 8 weeks long. Companies - please stop asking candidates to map out your annual plans. It either shows that you do not know how involved it is to create an annual marketing plan, or that you do not value the candidates' time. Candidates - do not spend more than 2-3 hours on any project from interviewers, unless you are being compensated for your time. This is NOT industry standard and is unnacceptable. This job has been reposted at a manager-level position, with the same job description.

interviewed for a director-level position. Was told the search was narrowed down to myself and one other candidate. They gave me the assignment to create an annual business plan for the department I was potentially going to run. They offered to answer any questions I had to complete the assignment --which of course I had several. The day of the final interview/presentation of my proposed business plan, the hiring manager apologized for not being able to answer my questions before the presentation because he was on vacation. I guess it must have been a surprise vacation. I put at least 20-25 hours into the preseantion. I let a week go by before asking if they had made a decision. No reply. from HR manager. Two days later I email the individual who would have been my supervisor. No reply. One more email up the food chain and I finally get an automated response 2 weeks after the 4th interview/final presentation telling me that i had not been selected to advance to the first round of interviews. tight ship they are running