I applied through a staffing agency. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Insource (UK) (Reading, England) in Sept 2018
Interview
A short SQL exam followed by a 3 stage interview of phone, group in person and a one to one with the CTO. I found the fact the CTO took an hour to meet with me to gauge if I was a right fit for the company and team very positive as it showed that they are looking to build a long term culture within the company.
The key focus of the interview seemed to be testing logical reasoning and communication skills. My answers weren't always perfect but I explained how I got to them and why, which was more important than being correct at times.
Slightly longer than most, but understandable considering the nature of the work.
During 2016, I attended an interview with Insource after going through an awful, disorganised recruitment agency. During the interview, I was asked personal questions which I didn't want to answer. To give some examples, she wanted to know the name and job title of my former manager and colleagues, my previous salary, etc. Of course, the interview was supposed to be about ME not about others, so such questions were completely irrelevant. Also, she lacked the basic understanding that one should not disclose details of past colleagues without permission from them. Such questions made me wonder if they wanted to cheekily contact my former employer without my permission.
The disorganised agency failed to notify me of my application, forcing me to continuously chase them. The consultant I had to deal with was so disinterested that he had no idea why my application was unsuccessful, so I waited for him to check his emails before he said I was deemed "unprofessional" because I didn't drive! How silly is that! One's professionalism should not be judged based on whether you can drive, especially by a mere stranger incognisant of OTHER, more applicable measures of professionalism!
Not a pleasant experience.
