During the interview, I was asked a range of questions related to my resume and technical topics in systems engineering, including my understanding of device classes. I interacted with several team members, and one conversation in particular stood out.
One interviewer—a middle-aged man—was heavily focused on employee retention. He expressed strong concern about candidates potentially leaving for larger companies, even if offered significantly better compensation. His tone and reasoning suggested that he expected absolute loyalty, which came across as biased and unrealistic. He emphasized that he did not want to hire anyone who might ever consider working elsewhere.
Initially, I assumed he was the founder or had spent his entire career at this company, which might have explained such a rigid perspective. However, after checking his LinkedIn profile, I learned this was actually his fifth job—he had moved between several companies himself. That made his stance feel not only contradictory but also unfair.
While it's reasonable for companies to value loyalty, expecting candidates to completely disregard future opportunities for growth—especially in a fast-evolving industry like technology—is not realistic. Ironically, the interviewer's own career history highlights the same professional mobility he seemed to criticize. I believe that such individuals should not be leading interviews, as their approach can come across as narrow-minded and potentially off-putting to strong candidates.
