Referred by a friend, and I was contacted by a recruiter about two weeks later to schedule an interview directly with the hiring manager (a Director of Data Science). There was no recruiter screening call beforehand.
Unfortunately, the interview with the hiring manager was one of the most frustrating experiences I've had.
From the start, the interaction felt off. She opened the call by asking me to introduce myself, but didn’t introduce herself or offer any context about the team, role, or company — which felt like a red flag. Based on the job description, which emphasized the importance of healthcare domain knowledge (e.g., “Master understanding of various claims payment policies and healthcare concepts” and “Deep curiosity about healthcare”), I began my self-introduction by highlighting my relevant experience in clinical trials and insurance.
She interrupted me almost immediately, saying that domain knowledge only played a small part in the role and told me to focus on my experience as a data scientist. I adjusted and began discussing my technical skills, but was again interrupted before I could finish. Instead, she moved on and asked what I was looking for in my next role — again with no feedback or conversation.
When it was my turn to ask questions, I tried to learn more about the team and role:
1. I asked about the impact of the recent acquisition — she gave a standard answer.
2. I asked what models the team uses and what problems they’re solving — no specific examples were shared; she just said they "solve business problems."
3. I asked whether there’s a preferred programming language or toolset — her response was curt and dismissive. She said something like, “We don’t care what model or language you use — I just don’t want people choosing something because it’s fancy.” While I actually agreed with the sentiment, her tone felt unnecessarily condescending.
The entire conversation lasted only 15 minutes, despite being scheduled for 45. She showed little interest in learning about my background and left me with no real understanding of the role, team, or company culture.
Overall, the experience felt unprofessional and disrespectful. There was no introduction from her side, no overview of the company or team and the interview did not reflect the priorities described in the job posting. The hiring manager interrupted me multiple times and came across as dismissive and impatient. I left the conversation with more confusion than clarity.
It was disappointing because of how I was treated during the process, not the rejection. I don’t feel she is a person I can work with, and I do not recommend anyone to apply this position.
