I recently interviewed for a director-level position and spent over two hours with the CEO. Unfortunately, the experience was deeply disappointing and unprofessional. Throughout the conversation, it became apparent that the CEO had no real intention of considering me for the role and was more interested in extracting ideas than genuinely engaging in a recruitment process. The tone of the meeting was condescending, and at times dismissive. Despite investing considerable time preparing and participating in the interview, I never received any follow-up — not even a basic acknowledgment or thank-you afterward. This level of disregard speaks volumes about the organization’s leadership culture. It’s clear from both my experience and the organization’s reputation in the community that leadership struggles with employee retention at the management level. Strong leadership inspires, respects, and communicates — and unfortunately, I did not witness any of those qualities during my interaction. Based on this experience, I would not consider employment with this organization in the future.