I would like to provide candid feedback on my recent recruitment experience for the Executive Assistant position. The initial stages of the process were well-structured. I had an introductory conversation with the recruiter, progressed to the first-round interview with a very engaged panel, and subsequently completed a 1.5-hour assessment. I was then invited to a second-round interview, which I attended on site. Following that stage, communication ceased for approximately two months. I was later contacted by the recruiter, who informed me that I remained under consideration and that further updates would follow the following week. I took this as a positive indication and continued to engage with the process in good faith. However, no further communication was provided, and instead I received an automated request to complete a candidate experience survey. Upon checking my application portal, I discovered that my status had been updated to “unsuccessful,” without any direct notification. Given the significant amount of time invested—over ten hours of commuting for two on-site interviews, plus preparation for the assessment—this manner of closure felt highly misaligned with the professionalism one would expect from Macquarie. Transparent and timely communication is a fundamental part of a respectful candidate experience, and the absence of it reflects poorly on the overall process. I hope this feedback is taken constructively, as enhancing communication practices and ensuring candidates are informed directly and promptly would materially improve the experience and reflect the organisation’s values more accurately.

Applied online, received first email from Talent acquisition saying they would update me (found it strange right then already), then spoke with a more senior Talent Acquisition team member, who sent me an online psychometrics test, then eventually a date was found to meet the HR manager in Paris office and additional interviews scheduled with hiring managers. Which were subsequently cancelled when they realized my salary level was above their package. How utterly unprofessional to treat candidates that way!

The face to face was good but then they make you do an assessment which is ridiculous in measuring how you perform in an office environment. It is timed and stressful.