The overall process felt disorganized and unprofessional. I was unexpectedly called for a phone screen without prior notice, it wasn’t scheduled in advance, which made it feel rushed and impersonal. After that, I was scheduled for two formal interviews.
First Interview:
The first round went fine, though it felt fairly scripted. The questions were very basic and didn’t go beyond surface-level prompts. There wasn’t much effort to understand my background or how my experience might fit with the role.
Second Interview:
The second interview was poorly handled. It was originally scheduled for a day when the manager (Zara) wasn’t even on site, so it had to be rescheduled. When I arrived for the new time, she didn’t know I was coming and seemed visibly frustrated about having to conduct the interview. It started 10–15 minutes late, and her demeanor came off as cold and disinterested (completely opposite of the friendly, engaging energy Trader Joe’s is known for). The questions again were very generic and didn't give me a real chance to showcase my skills or personality.
No Follow-Up:
After the second-round interview, I was told I would hear back either way—but I was completely ghosted. No email, no call, no message. Just silence. For a process that advanced to a second round, this is unacceptable. There was also no formal email contact at any stage, everything was done by phone, with no paper trail or clear point of communication, which made following up impossible and felt unprofessional.
Final Thoughts:
Being ghosted after a second-round interview reflects poorly on the company’s hiring practices. Clear communication, respectful follow-up, and a more thoughtful interview process would go a long way toward improving the candidate experience.
After going through this process, even if I were offered the job, I would most likely decline it due to the disorganized and impersonal experience throughout.
A poor candidate journey doesn’t instill confidence in what it would be like to work there.