I interviewed for one of two Product Manager roles within the Digital space. I applied mid-October and received a call from HR in late November to schedule an interview. The HR person and I spoke specifically about current salary and my expectations in this conversation. The interview process itself was relatively positive, if a bit light - there was only one hour-long formal interview following the availability chat with HR. The questions were straightforward, including a brief case study, and I got a positive impression of the team leads despite the brevity of the interview. I received an offer a few weeks later via email, with the salary figure, a location, and the bullet point list of possible benefits which "vary according to business area". The salary was 30k lower than my current role - a total surprise, given I discussed my current salary with HR, it was on my application, and the job posting listed the role's salary as "competitive". The offer email contained no mention of the actual team/role I had been hired into (as there were 2 product manager roles available), car allowance, potential bonus figures, or actual benefits related to the role, making it difficult to fully assess the total package value. I replied to HR with a bulletpoint list of questions around the package, requesting a view of the benefits, bonuses, work from home policies, and querying the base salary/room for negotiation. I received a reply with a PDF overview of the benefits (unsure why this wasn't shared originally), no direct response to my question around WFH policies or applicable bonuses/car allowance, and a request for a view of my "salary expectations". I replied and received no response. I followed up in early January and was told the hiring managers were on holiday and had not replied yet - no view was provided as to when they would be back. I followed up two more times with no response- all said, more than 1 month after receiving the offer - before I finally gave up. Despite being interested in the role and the team, I had other offers on the table and needed to move on. This was a substantial waste of time and incredibly negative HR experience. I did not feel valued or taken seriously as a candidate and was confused as to why they would bother interviewing someone completely out of the salary ballpark.

I did a 20 min pre-screening online call. Last year, I interviewed directly in the office. Both times the impression I got was that it is a white dominated environment with very strong, outdated views and very competitive behaviors. After my interview last year, the role was cut but I had a follow-up call and I was asked if I would be interested in essentially the same role but under a lower salary band. This year, the senior managers were eventually interviewing for two roles. I am a seasoned PM with corporate experience and felt that they were looking for someone who had less experience, therefore, would accept a lower offer. I guess I wouldn’t apply for TFL again as it’s not the right environment for me.