Overall, I found the process disappointing from beginning to end. At the start, I was contacted on LinkedIn even though I had already applied and an intro call had already been booked, which immediately gave the impression that the process was not being handled very carefully.
The end of the process was even more disappointing. It felt quite obvious that the team was waiting for another candidate to accept an offer, and that the decision was already largely made before the final stage. I had to be the one asking when I would hear back, and even the hiring manager seemed to be checking with the recruiter rather than actively moving the process forward.
The final interview reinforced that impression. After my business case presentation, there were almost no questions, and although the meeting was scheduled for one hour, it ended after around 30 minutes.
What I found most frustrating is that I spent significant time preparing the presentation and business case. If the process was already leaning clearly in another direction, it would have been more respectful to cancel that step and save everyone the time.
I applied online. I interviewed at FORMEL Skin in Nov 2025
Interview
Process lasted 3.5 months. Six stages: recruiter screen, hiring manager, case study, growth manager, CMO, and founder.
Positives:
- Warm, professional team throughout
- Well-designed case study
- Compelling mission and growth plans
Areas for improvement:
- Long timeline: 3.5 months made it hard to maintain momentum
- Role ambiguity: uncertainty with role definition persisted throughout, making it difficult to position myself clearly
- Communication gaps: CMO didn't attend case study despite briefing doc stating they will as well as no response to follow-up questions after the interview
- Feedback disconnect: Very positive feedback throughout from multiple people, then final rejection, would have been helpful to hear concerns earlier
Bottom line: Thorough process, talented team, but be prepared for a long timeline and some ambiguity. Positive feedback throughout doesn't necessarily reflect final decision-makers' assessment
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
What’s your super power and where do you see yourself in 2 years?
Interviews were nothing outstanding, however it looks like the company might be playing games - they never hire for number of jobs they post. It’s totally sucks how they waste everybody time!