I was recommended to apply to iCIMS by multiple people. I researched the company, liked the product and applied online. The next day I received a response to schedule a phone interview. Let me start by saying, I've had several phone screen interviews recently, and this was by FAR the most disappointing. The recruiter sounded annoyed from the moment I said "hello" and I felt like the conversation was inconveniencing her afternoon. At one point I wasn't even sure they were on the other line. Awkward. When I finished giving my background information, the recruiter tried to weasel herself out of explaining the role by asking if I read the job description and heard about it from a friend. Obviously, I did not let it slide and asked for an overview. She rushed through it so fast I jotted down a few follow up questions. Little did I know my questions would irritate her. Every question I asked the recruiter seemed surprised and asked me to repeat the question. I’m talking about your standard interview questions, i.e., how is success measured, does the team have a target to hit. I was told “I don’t know” or “you need to ask the hiring manager” almost each time I asked a question. I’m glad I at least did my due diligence. Finally, I asked what makes iCIMS stand out, her response “we’re the best.” Very convincing. I was asked to complete a cognitive test (IMO, they are not always reliable for hiring talent) and five days later received an automated email telling me it was a ‘no’ for them. Shocker. I was so hyped to interview with them, especially coming from a tech background and they discouraged me from ever applying again. It’s ironic how they sell an HR product, yet my experience with HR was equivalent to getting a root canal. My advice: be friendly, act interested, do your homework on the roles YOU’RE hiring for.