I applied for this position through the Biogen career site and received an email directly from the hiring manager the following day to set up a phone interview. The initial interview was very easy, and felt more like a conversation between two colleagues rather than an actual interview. I got off the phone feeling confident and excited about the possible opportunity. A few days later, I received an email from a woman in HR updating me about my upcoming on-site interview and asked me to choose an option for lunch and fill out a few forms. This caught me off guard since I was never informed that I was chosen for an in-person interview, but I just chalked it up to miscommunication, which is common within big pharma.
The following day, I was sent another email from HR. This time a man, who asked me to
complete the same information that was requested by the initial HR woman. Again, no communication between employees. After providing all of the necessary info, I set up my interview date, scheduled my travel plans (including flights and hotel since I live more than 300 miles away), and was even provided with my interview schedule.
Less than a week before my interview, I was notified via an automated email that I was no longer being considered for the position, and was given a generic "we're pursuing other candidates" explaination. Although I was confused, I again assumed it was a miscommunication. I immediately forwarded the automated message to the (second) HR employee I had been in contact with, asking him if it was a mistake and to confirm that I was still scheduled for an interview in a few days. The next morning, I received a voicemail from HR informing me that the position was no longer open and the my interview had been cancelled (yes, that bluntly).
To say that I was shocked would be an understatement. I have never experienced such an uncoordinated and incompetent process, as I did with Biogen. It is disappointing that the HR department has such little respect for potential employees, definitely a wake-up call.