The interview process moved along pretty quickly and professionally...until the in-person interview itself. Not only did it start 10 minutes late, but the founder (who would be the direct manager, I presume, of whoever got the job because of how the team is set up) was an additional 10 minutes late without an explanation., he barely introduced himself. During the interview, he was texting on his phone half the time, which made it hard to focus. Very unprofessional and made it feel like me being there was an inconvenience. I got the real sense that it was the stereotypical (in a bad way) vibe of an arrogant, self-important startup. Perhaps they feel like the good they do entitles them to treat ordinary people like they don't matter and without common decency. Very ironic.

The interview process was a bit drawn out--from the first interview to the rejection was over two months. During that time, I had four interviews and was asked to complete multiple writing tasks. I was interviewing remotely for the role, as I would have been relocating myself for the position if it was offered to me. The first three interviews went very well and were pretty standard in terms of what I'd expect based on the job description. There was certainly a "getting to know you" vibe. I definitely got the impression that everyone liked each other; it seems like a collaborative and encouraging environment. I felt confident as time went on that it would be a mutual fit. My last interview was where things got a little uncomfortable for me. In the first minute or so, the interviewer told me she didn't have long, and from then on, I felt like she was rushing to get off the phone. This was unfortunate to me because by that point in the interview process, I'd gone from "I'm not sure if I'd actually leave my current company" to "I really want to be part of this team." I also was uncomfortable with the fact that she asked me if I was married, if I have children, or if I'm planning to have children soon--all of these may have just been her being friendly and chatty, but in the context of a job interview, they seem inappropriate. Overall, I think this company sounds like an incredible place to work. Everyone I spoke to not only spoke highly of the company and culture, but also of their peers and passion for the work they do. But I can't help wondering what the outcome would've been if my final interviewer hadn't been so pressed for time when she called me.