At first I was very impressed with the process; a call with HR that was positive and ended with an understanding that I would speak with the C- suite & a Regional Manager. A zoom meeting was set up and it was very positive all the way around. I was then invited to the next phase, to present an RFP Pitch. The PDF included instructions with client goals/KPIs- the usual. Also included was a media planning sheet. I asked ahead of time if this was to be filled out or was just a guide. I was told I could fill it out if it would be helpful for me but wasn’t necessary. The numbers in the sheet were different than the budget for the exercise so I used it simply as a guide. I filled it out sufficiently to speak to that slide and paint the bigger picture when I got there. They then contacted me to move up my pitch by one day- that was one day less of prep for solutions/ mock clients that I have to learn on the fly. I did the pitch and was asked after 26 slides, why I hadn’t entered CPMs. Meanwhile I had gone into great detail about what particular channels would be best suited to meet client KPIs , illustrating that I know how to parse information and talk about the difference between first/3rd party data. So, why didn’t I enter CPMs? Because I don’t work for your company and I’m not privy to your rates. Answer “ You could have used standard market rates or backed into them dividing the dollars by the impressions” Well yes, I certainly could have done that had the worksheet reflected the CORRECT impressions against budget- which it did not. Another critique was that the mock client was not supposed to be savvy about ad tech- NOT in the script. It was very apparent that this interviewer, the CCO had zero interest in my candidacy, had gone into the meeting looking for a way to eliminate me . I was appalled at the lack of courtesy extended to me, and the way in which I was critiqued as though I already work there and should know all of their methods. 1) Don’t supply candidates with insufficient / unclear information and pad the story later. 2) Don’t ask candidates to reorder slides in a PDF format While minor, that inconveniences me- and isn’t something I should have to ask you about. 3) Don’t expect candidates to take time to prepare a pitch with multiple complexities unless you are really interested in their candidacy and their approach. 4) I have been in ad sales for over 15 years and have never “presented” an RFP. Sales pitches? Yes Product Demos? Yes. Q& As ? Yes If you have already decided on a candidate, halt the interviewing process for others. Don’t make anyone jump through hoops for your due diligence.