I interviewed for a Head of Marketing role at Hearst Media, and it was one of the most disorganised and underwhelming interview experiences I’ve had. To start, both interviewers (Head of Product and Commercial Director) joined around 10 minutes late with no apology or acknowledgement. It set the tone straight away. The Head of Product, in particular, looked completely disengaged—barely present, low energy, and at times seemed like he was struggling to stay focused. What was more concerning was the complete lack of depth. For a senior role, there were no meaningful or technical questions. It felt surface-level at best, with no real attempt to understand capability, experience, or strategic thinking. The process itself was also incredibly inconsistent. I was told there would be a task, there wasn’t. I was told I’d meet the owner during the process, that didn’t happen either. It felt like things were being said without any real structure or follow-through. Overall, it came across as poorly organised, lacking accountability, and not reflective of a business that knows what it wants from such a senior hire. I left with very little confidence in the leadership or the process.