Strange interview process dragged out over 2 months. Typing test, then HR screening, completed a timed task, presented said task to Creative Director, then an in-person interview with head of creative and then video call with CEO. Positive feedback the whole way through and kept emphasising the work load, expectation of overtime and current ‘low vibe’ from the team. All that to receive a rejection email with positive feedback saying I didn’t fit their current needs? I was later called by an external recruiter who wanted to put me forward for this job, I had to explain I’d been through the whole process and she was also confused by the outcome.
I applied through a recruiter. I interviewed at WITHIN (Long Island City, NY) in May 2026
Interview
Had an introductory conversation with the recruiter regarding the position and team, completed a series of assessment tests, and was subsequently assigned a take-home project to demonstrate my creative thinking, problem-solving, and AI execution skills.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Would you be able to work from the office four days a week?
I was contacted by a recruiter and told the team was moving quickly to fill the role. After an initial conversation, I was scheduled to meet with the Creative Director on short notice, which I was happy to accommodate given the urgency.
While the process was efficient in terms of timing, there seemed to be some misalignment in preparation going into the interview. It wasn’t clear that my background had been fully reviewed in advance, and the conversation itself was more focused on an overview of the company than on a two-way discussion of fit and experience.
Following the interview, I was told I would receive an update on next steps, but instead received an automated response without additional context.
Overall, the team was responsive and moved quickly, but a bit more alignment and communication throughout the process would have made for a stronger candidate experience.