I had a great experience speaking with the hiring manager, who was knowledgeable, engaging, and clearly well-suited for their role. They asked insightful questions and made me feel like the company valued technical expertise and problem-solving skills. The initial steps of the process were well-structured, and I was excited about the opportunity. Unfortunately, the experience took a turn when I interviewed with the CEO. While his passion for the company and product is evident, he dominated the conversation by talking extensively about the product rather than evaluating my fit for the role. The interview felt more like a one-sided pitch than a meaningful discussion, making it difficult to establish any real connection or demonstrate my value. It became clear that he wasn’t approaching the interview with an objective mindset to assess candidates effectively. Advice to Management: The interview process would greatly benefit from removing the CEO from candidate evaluations. His role should be to trust the team he has built and allow them to assess talent based on their expertise. If the CEO still wants to be involved, his conversation with candidates should be more structured and focused on culture fit rather than an extended product overview. This change would create a more objective and effective hiring process, ultimately bringing in stronger talent.