Scene I – I applied for a role at GD, and after a 5-step recruitment process reached the final stage. For the assignment for the evaluation, I aced it and even noticed errors in some of the data which I pointed out. Also, in the interview I shared some important insights how to tackle certain situations and you could see one of the senior staff delighted. A week after the final interview I got a regret call from a senior employee (not email) that they hired someone else! I find this questionable because 1. At a later stage finding out who the hire, I feel I had a stronger profile in many aspects (hint: LinkedIn) and 2. One that breaches one of the criteria of the equal-opportunity statement which is really hard to prove by an applicant! Scene II – the senior staff who called for regret wanted to refer to me another role in GD and I said yes please do so. 14 days after giving my nod, I get my first interview for this different role. I asked the interviewer if he was aware that I had reached the final stage and was interviewed by a C-level staff, he said no. Which means I wasn’t referred, on hindsight and flowing my gut instincts I applied for this role on their website without waiting for GD staff to refer me (referral means no need to apply for this online, GD staff has put a word for you and sent your CV so that respective team should pick it up). I also asked the interviewer if I had to start the process from scratch and he said yes! 9 days after I had the first interview for this role, I get a regret email from the same interviewer mentioning his team had already filled the position while interviewing me as other interviews were on-going! I also find this questionable because 1. The interviewer had mentioned that there were two hires for this managerial position plus VP for the department and 2. Even as of today, 8 days after the second regret, this role is still up on their website!!! Who is fooling who here? This is very dishonest and unethical of them. What came out clear is that GD departments work in silos and can’t refer applicants in time, or some don’t act on it. Where is the applicant’s fault in this? Plus, this role is still being hired for! GD need to realise their staff get paid to interview you, whereas applicants don’t and go through their very lengthy recruitment process. I found this tossing around of a qualified and experienced African applicant by GD very discriminatory. GD have the absolute right to hire whoever they want though that doesn’t really mean it’s a fair process. GD is an international organisation but not a professional one!