I had amazing conversations with both the recruiter and hiring manager. They were thorough in explaining the role, expectations, and asked thoughtful questions throughout the process. However, after progressing to a third-round interview, I was told that most of my experience did not align with the role. This was surprising given the positive feedback in earlier stages. It felt like there may have been some internal misalignment on candidate expectations, and that should’ve been identified way earlier in the process. It’s a waste of both of our times. Overall, the team was professional, but the experience could benefit from being more aligned on what teams are looking for from the start to avoid extended interview processes for candidates who may not be the right fit.