Overall, my interview experience was not very positive. While I appreciate the opportunity to interview, I felt there was a lack of engagement from the panelists during the discussion. I clearly explained my current role, responsibilities, and work processes, yet several questions were repeated multiple times, which made the interaction feel less effective. Additionally, professional interview etiquette could be improved. The interview began with cameras on, but one of the panelists later turned their camera off. As a candidate, it is helpful when interviewers remain engaged throughout the discussion, as body language and interaction play an important role in creating a comfortable and professional environment. I also felt that some of the responses and interactions from the panel did not encourage open communication, which affected the overall interview experience. I hope management considers this feedback and continues to improve the candidate experience and interview process.

The interview process for the role felt entirely performative. Before the interview, I researched the team's structure and was struck by how homogenous its demographics appeared, from the director level down to the individual contributors, with the ONLY exception of one member who, notably, seems to have been hired before the current Director took over. During the interview, that dynamic felt very apparent. The hiring manager (Director) came across as disengaged and largely indifferent to my relevant experience and track record. The one moment of real enthusiasm and emphatic nodding came when they landed on a single niche tool I hadn't used yet. I fully understand that rejection is a normal part of any job search. But the way this interview was conducted made it hard to shake the impression that the criteria had little to do with the role's actual requirements. It felt less like a genuine evaluation of my skills and more like a search for a reason to filter me out. That impression stuck with me when I later saw that the person ultimately hired appeared to fit the same profile as the rest of the Director's team. I can't speak to what drove any of these decisions, but as a candidate, it did not leave me confident that everyone gets a fair shot here.

It was a very nice and smooth interview and onboarding process. There were 3 rounds, first a phone screen with HR, second 1:1 with supervisor, third a 1:1 with director-grade supervisor. Everyone was friendly and professional. Negotiation of salary with HR was also done professionally.