The interview process started off on a positive note. A recruiter reached out to me directly and conducted the initial phone screening, which went smoothly. I was then moved on to a second-round interview with the hiring manager and a team lead. Unfortunately, this round felt quite impersonal and rigid—more like a rapid-fire Q&A session than a genuine conversation. It lacked the kind of engagement or curiosity you'd expect from a team seriously evaluating a potential colleague. It honestly felt like I was the tenth person they had spoken to that day and they were just trying to get through the list. After that, I didn’t hear back for five weeks. Eventually, someone from HR reached out, suggesting they’d be in touch the following week to schedule another discussion. I took this as a good sign—perhaps a chance to have a more candid conversation and clarify mutual fit. But a week later, I received an email saying they had decided to move on, with no further explanation. Overall, the process felt disjointed and a bit dismissive, especially considering they had initiated contact with me. It’s frustrating to invest time and energy—especially in preparing for a second-round interview—only to be met with poor communication and a lack of closure.