I had two interviews for a cybersecurity engineer role at Mirion Technologies. The first interview was with the cybersecurity hiring manager, who asked technical and role-specific questions. This interview was straight forward and I left feeling confident about the process and excited for the second round.
The second interview included the cybersecurity hiring manager the manager of software engineering, and the manager of hardware engineering. An HR representative was also supposed to attend but did not show up, which gave the process a disorganized feel.
The second interview was far more challenging, and not always in a productive way. The cybersecurity hiring manager maintained a professional and respectful demeanor, allowing me to explain my answers fully. However, I had significant issues with the hardware engineering manager. On multiple occasions, I was interrupted mid-sentence while answering questions and was told I was "hesitating" during scenario-based questions. As someone with ADD, I sometimes take a moment to pause and carefully articulate my thoughts, especially on complex topics. Being interrupted repeatedly and criticized for "hesitation" made the experience frustrating and uncomfortable.
The software engineering manager also caused frustration. They ignored my calls when I was in the lobby dead on-time for the interview, checked me in about 10-15 minutes after I showed up prior to the scheduled interview time which also caused frustration. They misunderstood my extensive experience with configuration management tools because they were unfamiliar with acronyms for widely used software. Despite explaining my years of hands-one experience with SCCM, MDT, Meraki, Citrix Endpoint Management, and Citrix Virtualized Infrastructure, they seemed to dismiss my qualifications because the tools I mentioned didn't match their limited understanding.
After the interview, I learned that Mirion Technologies hired an engineer I had been training in my current role. While I was happy for him, this individual had less experience than me, and yet they were chosen for a similar position. This decision left my questioning the fairness and consistency of their hiring process.
By the end of the interview process, I felt like I had been grilled rather than thoughtfully evaluated. The frequent interruptions, mischaracterizations of my expertise, and lack of opportunity to fully explain my answers left a sour taste.
While the cybersecurity hiring manger stood out as professional and engaging, the other managers detracted from the experience. The hardware engineering manger needs to allow candidates to complete their answers without interruption, and the software engineering manger should familiarize themselves with industry-standard tools relevant to the role.
Ultimately, the experience left me feeling disrespected and undervalued, particularly given the time and effort I invested in the process. Mirion Technologies could greatly improve their interview experience by fostering a more professional, organized, and respectful environment for candidates.
