I usually try as much as I can to be objective and always leave positive reviews, but unfortunately, I have to explain my experience with PAYCOM.

I was contacted two months ago on LinkedIn by a PAYCOM recruiter (I won't mention names because my aim is not to get anyone in trouble). He said he was pleased with my resume and would like to know when I would be available to set up a 20-minute phone call interview. I replied immediately and said I would be available all day the next day. I never heard from him until two months later, after I reached out to him expressing my interest in a position that had just been opened.

This time around, he called me and, after the call, sent a link to take an assessment test, which I took that same day. He called me the next morning and said I passed the test with a score higher than 80 (which was a good score, according to him) and would like to set up an interview with me and a lead architect and the Director of Development.

I went to the location and did the interview with the lead, answering a few technical questions. Everything about the interview went smoothly and really well. I could tell the lead was pleased and satisfied with the interview because he had said so. Unfortunately, they couldn’t get me to meet with the Director of Development because he was in a meeting.

The recruiter was ready to move forward with the process by setting up an interview with the Director. I had driven two hours to that location. Even though I didn’t have a problem driving back again another day, I would have preferred to complete the interview process as soon as I could. So, I told the recruiter that I was still going to hang around the city for some hours or even till the next day. He promised to send a text or an email within the next 15 minutes regarding a potential interview with the Director based on his schedule. The text was also going to inform me if the interview would be a phone screen or an onsite interview.

That would have been the perfect plan if he had actually come through with his promise. I never got that text. I stayed at a friend’s in the city until the next day, hoping to get the text or email. I also sent an email and left a voice message reminding the recruiter of the agreement and letting him know I was still around. I never got a reply, not even an acknowledgment or confirmation that he received the emails or anything.

Since then, I have sent a couple of emails and tried to call, but there has been no response from him. It’s been almost three weeks now, and not even a word from PAYCOM. I don’t even know where I stand with them. I don’t know if they want to move forward or not. Due to the fact that I’m not sure about my interview progress, it’s harder to make other job decisions.

Inasmuch as I would love to work for PAYCOM, I would have appreciated it more if he had told me that they decided not to move forward because of my race, height, clothes, or because my wife is active duty military, or something. I’m sure it’s not my GPA because I have a GPA higher than 3.8, rather than ignore me like I never existed. What I am saying is that any excuse would have been better than radio silence.

I just started looking for jobs, and most companies have been very clear and would tell me, “We are looking to employ in 3 months’ time,” or “You may not hear from us until after 3 weeks,” or “The position has been filled.” But this behavior by PAYCOM is by far the most unprofessional behavior I have ever experienced.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m sure it’s a wonderful company to work for, and I’m sure there are better recruiters at PAYCOM. I may just have been unlucky to have been contacted by this particular recruiter. But then again, he is a representative of PAYCOM.

Based on your work experience or from a school project, describe a situation where you faced a technical problem and how you dealt with it.

There were technical questions about SQL, hashing, arrays, etc.