The interview process consisted of a recruiter interview, a hiring manager interview, a team panel interview, and a case study deliverable. The interviews were straightforward touching on cultural fit, position fit, and industry and role-specific questions. I dropped out of consideration upon receiving the take-home case assignment. The case was the completion of a deliverable that the position would be assigned to complete- in this instance a five-page strategy and implementation plan with details for a function that the role would be directly charged with.
I completed the interview process for two of these same positions. In the first instance, I was told that I was too broad in my case study and they wanted something they could actually use. For the second position, I offered to complete a verbal case or to provide the deliverable I completed for the other position so that the hiring manager can assess my knowledge and abilities. The impression I got is that the hiring manager was fishing for pro-bono professional deliverables and not sincere about hiring for an open position on their team. When I said, I could provide work examples or complete a verbal case, I was told by the recruiter that the hiring manager specifically wants a completed deliverable. They cancelled the case interview when they realized they would not benefit from free consulting work.
I strongly suspect Charles Schwab is engaging in some less than ethical practices here and I won't be considering them for future employment. I would suggest job candidates be advised about this employer and keep an eye out for suspicious practices.