First round of shortlisting and interest check was a phone call on a Sunday.
The first interview was online as it was during Covid period. Ended with asking me to complete a 2000-word essay on a random topic and to be submitted within 15 minutes after the interview.
Second interview was face to face with the CEO and Director of HR. Right from the start, CEO penalized me on my English writing skills and said that his COO (PhD level) spotted some mistakes in my essay and that it was unforgivable. In fact, he told me that I was actually kicked out after my first interview, because apparently, I did not meet their standards. But they got me in for second interview because of my personality fit.
Well, throughout the second interview, the DoHR kept quiet while the CEO kept grilling me. Mainly was to ask, "why do you want the job?" repeatedly. I guess he ran out of questions to ask and kept blowing his own trumpet on how he built the business singlehandedly, how his staff tenures are more than 20 years, etc.
Well, I didn't get the job, but I keep seeing them advertising for this position on and off throughout the years.
I guess they wanted Elite level candidates for the peanuts that they wanted to pay.