I went through two rounds of interviews: The first round was with HR, which went smoothly. They provided a clear overview of the company and role, and asked standard questions about my background and interests. The second round was with the hiring manager. Unfortunately, this round felt disappointing. I was barely asked any questions, and the conversation was short and disengaged—it ended in under 50 minutes. It seemed like the interviewer was unprepared or uninterested. The second interview felt like a formality rather than a genuine conversation. If I wasn’t a fit, I would have appreciated being filtered out after the first round, rather than being invited to a second round that lacked engagement or clear purpose. Ensure that hiring managers are prepared and invested in the interview process. Even if a candidate isn’t a perfect match, they deserve a respectful and thoughtful experience. First impressions go both ways.