I applied at an Apple booth set up at my university during a hackathon. A week later, in November 2015, I received an email asking for an interview with the Siri team. I had applied specifically to AI-based roles and was delighted. I sent in my details, including availability and phone number.

After that, there was no response from my recruiter. Three weeks passed, and I emailed her. I received an automated reply informing me that she had gone on a month-long vacation and that I should contact another recruiter. I contacted him, and he finally fixed a date for the interview.

It never happened. He scheduled and rescheduled, but it never occurred. I was asked to contact my initial recruiter once she returned from her vacation. I contacted her in early January 2016, and she replied a week later, informing me that the interview would not be happening because someone else had been offered the role.

I lost my chance at Apple because a recruiter did not check her emails properly. It's understandable if they overlook emails from candidates requesting an interview. However, once a recruiter has given a candidate a chance, they must be responsible enough to ensure the candidate proceeds through the process. I was extremely disappointed with how the recruiter corresponded with me.

When are you available for the phone interview?