eFemme Inc. interview questions

Applied online with a rapid email response back with an email interview. After answering their questions, I was promptly scheduled with a video interview with the CEO. I felt in the interview he wasn’t really listening to my answers and the interview went on for 45 minutes (only because I said that’s all the time I had). He seemed young and eager to get other passionate people on the brand, however the identity and meaning to what it was trying to be wasn’t clear. It just seemed like another Haircare product with terrible packaging/ disorganized website. I was then emailed the next day about doing a ‘task’ for them which was them giving me a design brief and asked me to make them an email marketing design and some social media advertising. RED FLAG. Nobody should be asking creatives for free work. It felt as though they use these interviews to get cheap materials and idea for their company without hiring or paying for it. When I declined to do that, they still invited me to an in person interview anyways the following week. For a long interview process they seem to demand my time for very immediate interactions. I interviewed the 2 founders ( one was on video call and the one I already interviewed, then their marketing director) This interview went on for almost 2 hours of questioning and prying about my life- it was very invasive but my answers seemed to impress them, however the more I got to learn about what they wanted from me the more I felt that they didn’t have a clear picture of their needs/ didn’t sound confident about what their goals were. Another thing I didn’t like was their false sense of female empowerment- nothing they have done as a company embodies that at all and whatever their intentions are towards that came off as artificial. I wasn’t impressed when I asked what social issues their brand stand behinds, they said they wanted to do for people and not for causes and that includes office Haircare appointments? Anyways, they were excited to see my portfolio but had very stupid questions about my process. It seemed to me they are very clueless about how design works and have yet to find someone to cheapen and manipulate. A day later I was notifyied I wasn’t chosen for the role.

Voir Haircare’s parent company is MMF/efemme. I was interviewed by 3 people (2 co-founders, 1 HR). Interview style was a rapid-fire of many questions and lasted 1 hour and 15 minutes. Some questions were standard interview questions. Was also asked brainteasers, math questions, and situational questions. Some of my answers were questioned and/or looked down upon, some reactions and facial expressions were rude and meant to intimidate. One interviewer had good questions, seemed positive, and mostly remained quiet. I declined to send references so I do not know if I would've received an offer. For the most part, the interview seemed like it was meant to put me on edge so they could see how I operate under stress (known as a ‘stress interview’). They had little interest in making me feel comfortable or seeing me at my best. Interviewers reflect their company culture, and unfortunately, by the end of the interview I developed a negative perception of the company and the people that work there. Voir did not show any awareness of their negative impact or show any sensitivity towards me as an interview candidate.