Interview experience: The recruitment process was polite, but several essential aspects of the role were not disclosed by those involved in the hiring process. What was not communicated during recruitment: The position included taking over EU-funded projects that were already significantly behind schedule and operating with very limited resourcing, including minimal or no project management office (PMO) support. What happened in practice: After starting in the role, I was assigned these delayed projects. I stabilised them and received positive feedback from external partners for improved coordination and collaboration. When another employee in a comparable role returned from parental leave, the project responsibilities were reassigned, and my employment was terminated during the probation period. Outcome: Because I left a permanent and stable position based on incomplete information and was then released during probation, I lost my previous job and became unemployed. The actual circumstances of the role differed materially from what had been presented during the recruitment process. Summary: The lack of clarity during the recruitment phase created a significant, unexpected professional risk and led to what, in retrospect, became a highly detrimental career decision. Candidates should ensure they receive full and transparent information about project responsibilities, available support structures, and any upcoming organisational changes before accepting an offer.

The interview process was comprised of different meetings with direct managers and colleagues, HR representatives and C-level executives, prior to the final meeting in which the offer was presented. The main goal of the interviews was to find out the interest on the position, the skills of the candidate and explain with more depth the role and the expectations. Interviews were very open and they allowed a lot of questions from the candidate, becoming more a conversation than an interview.