Pros
• Technical assessments were fair and relevant to the role.
• Structured interview process with multiple stages:
- STAGE 1 = Behaviour & Managerial Interview telling about ourself, why choose Tara, Understanding on climate and Tara, Theory on automation, AI ChatGPT, RAG grounded, System Integration (1-2 hour)
- STAGE 2 = Technical Assessment and Interview (2-3 hour), 2 home assessment including system analysis and design streamline diagram based on the given use cases, and also assessment to decoding the programming language and translate it to system and functional specification. A piece of code block was given to me and i need to understand and specify / explain the flow function also giving the suggestion for a better and robust coding. my use cases is using python. This 2 assessment was given 1-2 week before the actual second interview. During second interview, i need to present and Q&A this 2 assessment for about 30 minutes. Finally the third assessment is i need to do live custom prompt GPT based on the given use cases and from the custom GPT it must use a JSON schema to link to external tools like zapier to further perform action like adding / update / delete record from database, or using python to generate random number for ticketing, and sending emails. my use cases is to create a custom chat GPT for IT helpdesk a.k.a IY support assistant to help user submit ticket for any issue related to IT services like PC corrupted with helped pre defined prompt messages.
- STAGE 3 = Deep behavioral, culture, managerial skills assessment. You really need to be passionate about renewable and clean energy. So meaning that during interview you need to mention your skills and utilizing clean energy. Question including (A) how to utilize skills to manage climate situation and how you can contribute to climate initiative; (B) How you translate technical and communicate to business user; (C) There is a use cases given like you need to present one technical project to business user.. panel is a business user, so you need to present it directly. (D) The most challenging when working with business user and how you overcome it (1-2 hour)
- MORE STAGE MAY SCHEDULE DEPEND ON HIRING MANAGER
Cons
I progressed through several interview rounds with Tara (July–September 2025) before withdrawing from the process (before round 4 of interview) due to unprofessional feedback which for me is a “red flag!” While the technical assessments were fair and matched my expertise, I encountered several issues:
1. Unprofessional feedback – I was labelled “too desperate” simply for sending polite follow-up emails after each interview, despite this being a widely recommended best practice on platforms like JobStreet and Foundit. Feedback after the 3rd round also included inappropriate wording, which came across as disrespectful rather than constructive.
2. Unrealistic expectations – Although I successfully passed the technical assessments (the core requirement of the role), the process placed excessive emphasis on business communication skills without recognising that these are trainable and often developed on the job. Industry research from Hays Malaysia, EY, and JobStreet highlights that employers typically prioritise strong technical skills first while supporting growth in soft skills.
3. Compensation concerns – The role was offered with only a basic salary, no bonus, and “your local market value” pay. More concerningly, the package excluded 13 month bonus
Overall, the recruitment experience left me disappointed. Candidates deserve respectful communication, realistic expectations, and compliant, competitive compensation packages since the interview level is difficult.
