The interview was conducted by one engineer and one manager. My experience and skills matched the role about 130%, and I confidently answered almost all questions — except for a few theoretical ones like SOLID or KISS, where I simply explained the concepts in my own words rather than quoting definitions “by the book.” The interview lasted around an hour and felt rather easy. From the QA-related questions, it was clear to me that the company’s processes were underdeveloped, and QA knowledge within the team seemed limited. None of my answers were challenged during the interview. A few days later, I received perhaps the most hilarious feedback I’ve ever gotten: “The team saw that you are very experienced and knowledgeable, but they need a strong theorist.” This phrase instantly became a meme among my friends. The story didn’t end there. About six months later, another recruiter reached out to me — for the exact same position. Which means they had been searching for their “strong theorist” for half a year. Either they have significant team issues, or they’re just simulating recruitment to burn through the company’s cash.