I arrived early, reviewed my notes, and was soon greeted by Sarah, the hiring manager. The interview began with a discussion about my background, followed by behavioral questions like handling a difficult colleague, where I highlighted my problem-solving skills. Next, I tackled a situational question about managing limited resources and presented a plan for a technical exercise, which Sarah seemed to appreciate. After asking about team dynamics and success metrics, I left feeling relieved and optimistic. Sarah mentioned I’d hear back about a second-round interview in a week. The process was challenging but fair, and I felt confident.