The interview process consisted of four stages: an online assessment, an initial call with a recruiter, a CV- and skills-based interview with two members of staff, and a final interview with senior leadership. I invested over three hours across these stages but did not receive any feedback or follow-up after the final interview, which was disappointing. The first two stages were straightforward and professional. However, the final interview raised some concerns. I was asked to complete a DISC assessment beforehand, which was described as a “talking point.” While I understand the intention behind using personality assessments, I had already communicated that I am neurodivergent. Although I don’t require workplace adjustments, assessments like this can oversimplify how people work and don’t always reflect real-world behaviour. Coming into an interview where the interviewers already perceive you as lacking empathy and being rigid, when this is not the case, is a very difficult position to navigate. In the interview itself, the DISC results became the primary focus. The conversation felt less like an open discussion and more like a requirement to justify or defend myself against the assessment’s conclusions, some of which did not align with my professional experience or feedback I’ve received throughout my career. This created a defensive tone from the outset and limited my opportunity to properly discuss my strengths, achievements, and suitability for the role. There was also a strong emphasis on academic performance earlier in life, which felt disproportionate given my more recent experience, and achievements. Additionally, the role and client environment were presented in a way that felt unusually negative, particularly around how consultants are treated. I also felt uncomfortable with the power dynamic within the final interview, the interviewers were both white men with around 40 years of combined tenure at the company, I am a junior interviewing for an academy role, this is again a very high pressure way to interview a candidate. I recognise that Answer Digital has many positive reviews and offers strong opportunities, which is why this experience stood out. I also appreciate that it it’s important to see how candidates perform under pressure and in stressful situations. However, for me, this was one of the most intense and uncomfortable interview processes I’ve encountered, and I felt it did not allow for a balanced or representative discussion of my capabilities.