
Urgent, need your opinion on a job interview situation - lylah_shaw
1. Had an in-person meeting with a CEO of a start-up. We spoke for 2.5 hours in total. He offered an interesting job proposition - to lead a new project from scratch. And asked me to speak to his Director for Product Strategy - who was originally hired for the same role and has run some pilots for the same.<p>2. The Director of Product Strategy insisted for a telephonic interview. Asked few questions and I answered all questions. This interview lasted for 20 minutes. He advised me to followup with CEO.<p>3. Followed up with CEO and he said maybe you are not a good fit for this role and we can explore some other roles for you in alignment with your past experiences. Introduces me to VP of Sales.<p>4. Meanwhile, I request for another meeting for the original job proposition and send across a presentation for the  project. CEO likes the presentation and agrees for a meeting later in the week.<p>4. VP of Sales calls me the same evening - interviews me - and concludes that I am overqualified to become a Account Development Manager, lack identical experience of a Account Manager, finds me to be a good fit for a Partnerships role but he doesn&#x27;t have a job opening at the moment. Concludes the call saying, let&#x27;s keep in touch and see if we can have you on-board in a couple of months.<p>I am nervous and confused. I want the original job and I could turn the tables in getting another meeting with the CEO, hopefully. Will this rejection from the VP of Sales create a negative bias in the CEO&#x27;s mind? Can I still expect to meet him? And secure the job regardless? Please advise. (Email: lylah.shaw@yandex.com)
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fuzzfactor
From my point of view, it looks like the Sales VP is correct, you are
overqualified for his team since you likely are better qualified than the
Product Strategy guy himself and they both know it.

Especially if the CEO had anything good to say to these guys about you after
your lengthy 2.5 hour powwow that resulted in the desired offer.

Product Strategy and Sales don't want the internal competition from someone
else with a direct line to the CEO who is capable of the New Project which no
one else has been able to move forward on.

Those two guys don't want you, I would never work under them. But if I was
completely confident I could do the Project from Scratch, I would emphasize
that to the CEO, agree to report directly to him, plan to outlast the
flunkies, and hire their replacements later on.

Be prepared for back-stabbing, and if the CEO ever drops his complete support,
be ready to leave at any time.

