I was referred by an internal employee for a member host role and was excited about the prospect. The role required 1 year of experience in hospitality. As I have 4 years experience in hospitality at Team Lead level, and 8 years total in hospitality, I felt I was a great fit. I completed an initial assessment and was called to interview with the internal recruiter. Following this, the recruiter recommended that my level of experience aligned better with a more Senior role – Senior membership host. I was therefore called to an in person interview with two hiring managers for this role. I researched the business, familiarised myself with the values and behaviours of the business and thoroughly prepared myself for the interview. Following completion of this process, I was only given feedback when I actually chased for it, and the recruiter then did not contact me at the time agreed. When we did speak, I was informed that I was unsuccessful in securing the role due to ‘not enough experience’ but was better suited to the member host role! Having completed by then a 3 stage recruitment process, I was not then offered the more Junior role but asked to start an entirely new process and was asked to attend a recruitment day -in person, again, in London. Despite my candidate experience to date– I obliged – attended the day and felt it went well. I was then informed that I was unsuccessful and that I was better suited to a Head office role, a role they don’t even have open! Despite now completing an assessment, two interviews and an assessment day – the recruiter has still not managed to ascertain exactly where I may fit with the organisation or articulate to me what role I am actually suitable for. What a dreadful candidate experience, draining my time and financial resources. I fully understand that sometimes, candidates are unsuccessful in recruitment processes but PLEASE – if you set a recruitment process to assess skills, cultural fit and alignment with the values of your business, please trust in the integrity of your own process. It seems that my 10 A*-A Grade GCSE’s, 3 A-Levels, 4 years experience at Team Lead level in Hospitality – thorough interview preparation are not a fit for FORA – the irony is, the entire process has been about how I demonstrate at all times “an outstanding customer experience” – my experience in your recruitment process has been anything but. Please practice what you preach – candidates/job seekers - are people. We do not have infinite financial resources. We deserve proper feedback and recognition for the time and money that it takes to invest in your “process”.