After completing the first-round online interview, I was invited to the office for a second-round interview. I was informed that the role I originally applied for was not the right fit, and instead, I was offered a junior position. Although the junior role was well within my capabilities (I have over 5 years of relevant experience), I accepted the proposal in good faith. The second interview, however, was shocking. The CEO and the sales leader brought out actual freight invoices and asked how I would reduce costs. They also showed me forecasting data and asked how I would optimize operations and reduce inventory. Despite the limited information provided, I did my best to contribute meaningful insights—and they took notes of my ideas during the interview. Later, in a follow-up meeting, they proposed a low base salary, saying it would be offset by performance incentives. Since the KPI structure wasn’t clearly explained, I sent a follow-up email asking for clarification. After receiving no reply for three business days, I followed up again—this time suggesting a more appropriate base salary and revised incentive structure. Their response was: > "Based on the interview and the following correspondence, you are not the best match." At this point, I honestly felt we were in the offer negotiation stage. If the company had simply said they couldn’t meet my salary expectations, I would have understood. But to say I wasn’t the right fit based on the interview—after requesting strategic input and discussing compensation—felt like a convenient excuse. Overall, this experience felt like free consulting disguised as an interview, followed by a compensation offer that didn’t match my level of experience. It left me feeling tested rather than genuinely considered—and ranks as one of the worst interview experiences I've ever had.