The interview process lasted more than four weeks and involved multiple rounds with HR, the hiring manager, and other team members. Every interaction prior to the final interview was professional and left me with a positive impression of the team. Unfortunately, the final interview with a VP was a stark contrast. Rather than discussing my background and how it aligned with the role, much of the conversation focused on why I supposedly would not be successful in the position. When I attempted to explain relevant experience, I was frequently interrupted or my responses were dismissed. The interview felt adversarial and combative. The VP also spent a significant portion of the discussion talking about the former employee who held the role, emphasizing that there had been reluctance to replace the employee. What made the experience particularly frustrating was that this occurred in the fourth and final round of interviews after weeks of preparation and discussions with the team. By that stage, a candidate's qualifications and background were already well known. If there were concerns about fit, they should have been addressed much earlier in the process, or not advanced a candidate through multiple rounds only to be repeatedly interrupted during a final-stage interview. Advice to Management: Consider including HR or another high-level executive in final-stage leadership interviews to help ensure a professional and respectful experience for candidates. There needs to be checks and balances in place and some level of oversight.

Everyone was nice, and shared a lot of experience. Whenever I encountered problems, the hiring people provided hints. The HR that contacted me was also nice. It was a bit awkward talking to a camera sometimes (some people talked to me online but didn't turn on the camera).