I applied for a Field Account Manager position at Sartorius and went through five interviews over a period of three months. During the final interview, the manager indicated that I could also be considered for a Bioprocess Solution Field Account Manager role. HR subsequently requested my ID, which reasonably suggested that the process was progressing toward an offer.
After that, there was more than two weeks of complete silence. I had to follow up twice to receive any update. The first response was that they were still awaiting the manager’s decision. Shortly afterward, I received a brief email stating that I had not been selected, with no explanation or constructive feedback provided.
When I called HR for clarification, I was told they had chosen a candidate who speaks Dutch. From the very beginning, it had been clearly communicated that Dutch was not mandatory for the role. I had also explicitly stated my willingness to learn the language, which was presented as a positive. Changing the criteria at the final stage of a three-month process is highly questionable.
Regarding the second position that was proactively suggested to me, I was told they would proceed with an internal candidate. Months later, the position still appears to be open.
Overall, this experience was poorly managed, inconsistent, and lacking transparency. Requiring five interviews over three months only to provide vague reasoning and minimal communication reflects a recruitment process that is unnecessarily prolonged and misaligned internally. Unfortunately, it raises concerns about the company’s professionalism and decision-making culture.