Interviewed at TSYS - Cayan. Applied, got phone "screening" a day or two later with no scheduling. Phone screening was a bit ridiculous. I was asked to attend an onsite interview, nor me or my experience/CV was discusssed and this trend would continue with the onsite interview. The onsite interview took roughly 2 hours.
The onsite interview, while very professional and the company has lovely staff, was a waste of my time as well as the interviewer's. I was given a competency question interview that was 100% based on recalling anecdotes about experiences in a call centre and qualitites of a call centre, while I had none, I attempted at recalling anecdotes from other customer facing roles and attempting to explain what I would imagine you would do in the situations probed but they were not impressed which I can fully understand. I knew after the first question that I wouldn't be hired.
Afterwards the competency interview I was given an online and technical test of the tracking/merchant contacting software and device. Was also given a great tour of the office by an amazingly helpful member of staff who was very informative about the different departments etc, seems unusual despite the previous interview performance but I imagine the tour is standard and I appreciated it irregardless.
After the tests I had a mock phone call, where in all honesty, I have no idea how you could pass this without a verbal explanation? You are given two pages to read for 5-7 minutes and then are called by a mock customer and are expected to explain higher than expected charges. I was lost in this and honestly envisioned it as more a phone call etiquette test rather than literally having to know the different processes that can affect a bank statement (5-10 minutes simply not enough time especially when I didn't know what the call would be about). After that I was whisked away (politely) out of the building knowing full well I'd be rejected, if you pass chances are you'll be told onsite hence why they ask to bring your personal identity documents with you. I got a rejection the next day with no feedback or chance to follow up (email non-repliable).
The interview itself was a bit too impersonal, no interest was placed on me as the candidate or my experience, it was straight into the competency questions and that was it (both interviewers also scribe what you say, so you might as well stare into a wall as you speak). The only solace was that they were extremely respondant to questions about the company, progression etc, which I appreciated, the interview as a whole though was just strange. I've never heard of a job interview where you're not asked at least one personal question e.g. tell us about yourself?
Phone screening is pointless, nothing was asked but my schedule and preferred times (come to find out the shifts don't even matter until you're past probation of 6 months, so it's core shift hours until you request other hours, makes sense sure, but why ask my preferred shift on the phone AND include the shifts in the job description?). There may be a disconnect between HR and the hiring team's wishes for a successful candidate, why was I given an interview when there is obviously such a clear necessity to have experience working in a call centre? The other candidates there, from my brief interactions from them had worked previously in a call centre, so why was I there?
The online test (literacy and numercy) was reasonably straightforward and the competency questions while reliant on having experience which I did not have in a call centre, were bog standard behavioural type questions. The mock phone call was poorly explained (no fault of staff, I just feel it's a bit too hands off, especially for a CSR I role!) and I would imagine people with call centre experience would also struggle with it.
I'm grateful I was given a chance to interview but at the end of the day I should not have been there and the screening of candidates on the phone should be more rigorious. Also I have a bit of an issue with the role title which implies some level of IT Support when really it is simply a customer service rep role like any other call center role, it's mainly the products you work on that differs. Job description also said CSR II when the role was for CSR I. Generally a negative experience, mitigated by very polite and welcoming staff and an organised interview process
