I'd been waiting until the entire process was finished before I posted a review, but this was the absolute WORST interview process I've ever had. I'll try to keep the review as detailed as possible without sounding too long-winded, but forgive me in advance....it's long.
I applied for the position online in April. I heard from a 3rd party recruiter the next week, requesting a pre-screen interview. Here's a summary of that interaction:
1) Quick prescreen phone interview
2) I followed up with an email a week later
3) They scheduled a more in-depth prescreen phone interview (~20 minutes) a week later
4) I followed up with an email a week later after not hearing anything
5) Another email two weeks later asking for a status update
I get an email from a different recruiter, explaining that Progressive had dropped the third party recruiting agency. They requested a new series of prescreen interviews, this time with their "general" recruiter. Here's a summary of that interaction:
1) Quick prescreen phone interview
2) Follow up email a week and a half later
3) They send me an update (the update is "no update")
4) Follow up two weeks later
5) They send me an email (the update is "I'll have the HR recruiter get a hold of you")
The HR recruiter emails me, and she is my only positive experience through the process (of all the people I talked to, she's the only one that emails and calls when she says she will, which is usually the same day). She says that she wants to schedule a phone interview with the person who currently holds the position (as they're being groomed for promotion).
I interview with that person (the current Information Systems Security Analyst-Lead), who offers some hope in explaining that she's aware of how "grueling" the interview process is at Progressive, and advises me to "hang in there".
1) After the email, I send follow up "thank-you" emails to the HR recruiter and the ISS Analyst that interviewed me.
2) After two weeks, I email them requesting a status update
The HR recruiter emails me and says she wants to have me talk to the IT recruiter (the one who originally emailed me about dropping the third party agency). We schedule another phone interview. Here's a summary of that interaction:
1) He rambles for about 45 minutes about reorganizations, with no information about me or the position.
2) Says that the next step from here is an on-site interview, and he'll get back to me tomorrow about setting that up.
3) He emails me the next day and says that he doesn't have the information he needs to set up the next step, and that he'll call me tomorrow.
4) A week later, I email him, no answer.
5) Two weeks later, I call him, no answer.
6) A week later, i email him, no answer.
I email the HR recruiter, just to find out if the position is even open anymore. I then finally receive a rejection email from the IT recruiter, citing "improper fit for role" as the reason for rejection, despite confirming both verbally and via email that I would be flown out for an on-site interview soon.
It basically reached a point where I had given up on the job itself, but I was simply determined to see the entire process through just to see where it would lead. Today, I found out.