I applied for the position through an agency. The first-stage interview with their Head of Operations was quite pleasant. However, when I attended the second-stage interview at their Hammersmith office to meet one of the partners, I was taken aback. It felt as if my interviewer would rather have been somewhere else; he frequently looked at his watch and questioned why I was interested in certain hobbies, even stating that he didn’t have time for them. He Googled IT-related questions—even though the role was supposed to cover only the basics—and repeatedly asked the same questions. He even used my CV to take notes but hadn’t reviewed it thoroughly, as he questioned, “Why don’t you have this on your CV?” when, in fact, it was there on a different page.
The experience felt pressured and left me with a negative impression. It didn’t seem like a healthy environment to work in. I think it’s crucial to remember that the people representing the company shape its image.