I applied online. I interviewed at Mace (Londres, Inglaterra) in Mar 2024
Interview
Terrible interview process and hear me out as I go into the detail on why below…
In this day and age, they still use a job application system that was probably designed in the 60s. For example once you apply for a role, through the very odd application portal, and hit submit, your application is then just gone into a black hole never to be heard again. It’s so bizarre that you don’t even get an acknowledgment email to confirm that your application has been successfully submitted. Please note that this is a trend that is very common in this interview process and you will see more of this later on.
You can however chase them up on telephone like I did, only to be served with a very generic switch phone operator
who just asks you to email another generic careers email to get an update. Anyway after a few back and forth, I managed to get a first round teams interview with two members of the marketing team. They were professional and asked very relevant questions. Passed the first round interview as they were really pleased with my performance and was then asked to complete a task. I completed the task and once again I was successful, as they asked me to come into the office for a final round Interview and presentation. I attended the interview promptly, delivered the presentation and answered all their interview questions. I left feeling fairly confident.
However, I was unsuccessful and this was informed to me via a generic email. For someone who passed the first round interview, second stage task and attended a final round Interview, I would have expected a basic courtesy of calling the candidate to inform them of the reason why they were unsuccessful and some feedback so that the candidate can perform better for next time. But at Mace, that’s something that’s unheard of.
Although disappointed with the news, I accepted that there may have been a better candidate or that my presentation wasn’t what they were expecting or my original task wasn’t good enough or any other such variables. This thought kept me up at night and something any candidate would go through during the job interview phase, when they can get served with rejections after rejections. I decided to chase this up by calling the HR person who helped set up my interviews. I was hoping to get some very simple feedback to which they replied “oh I actually didn’t get any feedback on why you weren’t successful”…. :/
I asked for some feedback so I can get some closure and the person promised that they will get some feedback in 2 days’ time. However, this is where the earlier black hole analogy comes back into play as I have never heard back from them again. I called multiple times only to be served with their voicemail. No common decency of a call back, even after leaving multiple voicemails!!
It’s pretty evident that the construction industry has a major skills shortage across the UK and a company like Mace is not helping their own situation when they have such a poor interview process.
Instead of “redefining the boundaries of ambition”, how about you realign your interview processes?
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
There were many marketing related interview questions. Nothing that was too difficult
I applied online. I interviewed at Mace in Mar 2024
Interview
Pretty simple
Application
Video interview
Assessment centre
Assessment centre online, three stages :
1) group exercise. Men was separated from females, two team members sit with their camera off whilst you discuss a topic to present on after about 15 minutes.
2)Interview with one of the people who sat on your room, and they ask how you think you performed and some usually star type questions.
You get to ask them questions after
Roughly 40 minute breaks throughout all stages.
Meet with current mace grads and ask questions.
3)Final case study- 40 minutes to read through and decide on a project and 10 minute presentation to another senior team member this is an individual exercise about why you would pick your project.
Can also ask questions after.
Debrief and the day is done.
Experience:
Recruiter / HR wasn’t the friendliest and for that to be the first person you meet really sets the tone for how you experience the assessment centre.
The usual over talking you’re told to avoid in assessment centres, in this instance seemed to mean you’re contributing more, didn’t understand why male and females candidates were separated in the group exercise. If you are analysing how well people work in teams best to make it realistic and mix genders.
Didnt think the process catered to those with neurodivergence as you’re assessed / graded on the same things across the board, it should be imperative for HR to be hiring candidates who can balance out the workplace rather than be the same across the board.
Positive and negative feedback was via phone and recruiter/ HR rushed off the phone pretty fast after providing the bad news. Considering the amount of time and effort going into the interviews you would hope someone would have a little compassion.
Overall interview felt cold, maybe would’ve been better in person and where candidates can relax.
I applied online. The process took 4 weeks. I interviewed at Mace in Jan 2023
Interview
Initial interview which is basically a screening call - don't lie on your CV. Second interview which is technical to dig into what you and at the end comes the onboarding process which might take much time than expected.