Multi-tiered and very involved. Communication was lacking and the process slow. After submitting my resume and application, I was contacted by a hiring specialist by email and asked to fill out a brief questionaire. Next, I was contacted by email to set up a phone interview. After the phone interview I was sent a link to an online critical thinking assessment. Each step took several days for them to respond.

I recently applied for a role for which I was significantly overqualified, and the hiring process left me questioning what employers are actually evaluating. The initial “interview” consisted of a timed virtual desktop exercise requiring applicants to locate files, send emails, and perform basic cut-and-paste tasks—skills that were already demonstrated by successfully completing the online application. To make matters worse, much of the text on the virtual desktop was difficult to read within the allotted time. The next stage required candidates to record video responses to predetermined questions, effectively conducting an interview with themselves rather than engaging in a conversation with a hiring manager. Advancement to the next round depended largely on performance in these artificial assessments rather than experience, qualifications, or the ability to perform the actual job. At some point, hiring processes stop measuring talent and start measuring a candidate’s ability to navigate unnecessary obstacles.