I applied online. The process took 4 weeks. I interviewed at Mastercard (London, England) in Jan 2018
Interview
Submitted application online, was contacted by HR Recruiter within several days. Was invited to a f2f interview in the Canary Wharf offices.
The hiring leader was nice and friendly, asked competency and experience questions and was happy to answer any role-specific questions. Was told that someone would come back to me with an outcome. Had to chase a few times before getting a response and an invite to a second round.
Second round was with another director who was equally nice and engaging during the interview. Was told that someone would definitely contact me either way within a week. After 3 weeks no answer. Turned out they made an offer to someone else and kept me guessing about the outcome. Was told at the end that it wasn't their way of doing things and that someone forgot to contact me with an outcome.
Would have been nice to have an automated notification system via email similar to what is triggered when you first apply online and that sends an update for an outcome. Had to chase a few times after waiting a reasonable amount of time.
I had a positive experience with most interviewers, who were professional and engaged. However, the overall recruiting experience was challenging due to long gaps between interview rounds (approximately 3–4 weeks), inconsistent communication, and limited updates even after follow-ups. One interview felt less structured compared to others, which made the overall process feel somewhat uneven. While the role and work itself were compelling, clearer and more timely communication would significantly improve the candidate experience.
Structure process. Interview through video call which make it easier to plan. Sometimes there were delay as the interviewer were traveling which is understandable. They will response to you on why you did not get the offer, the pro and cons and the selecting process.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
What would you do on the first 100 days if you are offered the position?
Speaking from my own experience, Mastercard’s interview process is quite structured and consistent. It began with a quick conversation with the recruiter, more of a logistics alignment around my background, motivations, and salary expectations rather than anything deeply technical. The real assessment kicked in during the hiring manager round. That’s where I was tested on how I build long-term relationships across markets, negotiate commercial terms, and influence senior stakeholders.
