The interviews were well organized, and the HR contact was courteous. The firm seemed genuinely interested in my background and the alignment between my student-loan expertise and their “Mission Forward” initiative. However, communication became inconsistent after the final in-person interview. I was invited to travel to Santa Barbara from out of town and at my own expense for a third-round interview, which included a lunch and a formal office meeting. After being told there were no remaining concerns about my background, I later received a boilerplate email that they had decided to move forward with another candidate with "more experience" without even an offer to reimburse my travel costs. When I followed up with a request for reimbursement for my train fare and lodging — which they acknowledged was reasonable — they approved it but have not yet followed through with payment, even several weeks later. Mission Wealth presents itself as a values-driven firm, and the team was pleasant in person, but the follow-through on professional commitments fell short. Candidates who invest their personal funds and time deserve clear communication and timely reimbursement. In my opinion, the real test of integrity is how an organization behaves when there’s nothing in it for them. Once they’d "chosen another candidate," reimbursement offered them no strategic gain — just a chance to show respect. The fact that they dragged their feet implies they only prioritize relationships when it benefits them. That’s small-minded leadership. If this is even a small reflection of how they treat people, I would not recommend this firm.