I applied for a job online and a week later, the recruiter reached out to set up a screening call. During the call, I was surprised by how much he rambled, and even more taken aback when my answers seemed to make him uncomfortable. His reaction felt a bit jealous, and he dismissed my creative ideas by saying they'd be too costly. I walked him through my plan, explaining which tools I would use and clarifying that they wouldn’t require any paid resources. After that, his tone changed, and he became a bit confrontational. I then tried to ask him about how the organisation handled fairness in hiring and promotions, but he seemed completely confused by my question about pay equity. I rephrased my question three times, yet he still didn't grasp the concept and provided a vague answer, shifting the responsibility to another team. Feeling insulted and uninterested, I ultimately decided to withdraw my application, as I realised I had higher standards.