I recently interviewed for the position of Data Governance Architect at Cisco, a role that promised to be both challenging and rewarding. The interview process was extensive, involving three individual one-hour interviews, followed by a 90-minute panel session with two interviewers, including the hiring manager. The team's primary focus was evidently centered on security, which I found to be a bit limiting considering the broader scope of data governance.
While the interviewers were polite and professional, I noticed a significant gap in their expertise beyond the realm of data security. This limited the depth and breadth of our discussions, particularly in areas of data governance that extend beyond security concerns. I was looking forward to engaging in more comprehensive conversations about various aspects of data, but found the opportunities to do so were somewhat constrained due to the team's focused expertise.
Another aspect that impacted my experience negatively was the conduct of the recruiter managing this role. Their approach lacked professionalism and responsiveness. This not only made the communication process challenging but also left a lasting, unfavorable impression of the company's recruitment practices. It was disheartening to encounter such unprofessionalism in what I expected to be a sophisticated and well-managed process, especially in a company as reputed as Cisco.
Overall, while Cisco remains a leader in its field and the role of Data Governance Architect is undoubtedly critical and exciting, the interview experience did not meet my expectations in terms of depth of discussion and professional handling by the recruitment team.