Email 2 days after application overnight asking me to pick a 15min slot (for screening call due to number of applicants) within the next few working days. I chose a slot the very next day in the morning and then got an email confirming they had booked me in for a different time! Went with it but not great if you need advanced notice to plan your schedule. After call, a text later that day asking me to attend a second interview with a few timeslots offered (the following week or so). It wasn't clear whether this would be in person so I queried this in order to give my availability to travel. The following day received 2 txts letting me know that it was in person, then that 'running out of slots so I secured you X date' . Before having chance to read and reply, 2 hrs later I received 'apologies we wont be proceeding with your application, call me when convenient'. When I called back I was told I 'passed' the first interview but due to a comms issue on they had mistakenly asked me to progress with interview but now they actually wouldn't want to proceed unless I had flexibility on salary expectation (they told me I was 1K above their budget for the role!) and in office working (there was no option for flexible hybrid working despite a 2hr+ commute). Disorganised and unclear communication left me feeling glad I hadn't wasted my time with a second interview! Didn't seem to value my time or perhaps a hiring in a rush. I couldn't help feeling that the 1K line was a bit of a con! Odd that they aren't using the online recruitment portal but instead relying on last minute emails and unclear text messages.

The process was smooth and efficient. The interviewer was well informed on the needs of the position and spoke about the team structure. It was a professional operation involving compensation discussion.