The interview process was fairly standard. There was an initial virtual meeting with three staff members followed by an in-person, on-site interview with three individuals, including the CEO. During both interviews I was able to share my experience, knowledge, and background while also asking questions about the organization and the role. Having more than 15 years of experience in animal welfare and emergency and disaster management, the conversations were engaging and provided an opportunity to discuss operational challenges, preparedness strategies, and organizational needs in greater depth. After the interviews, I was told I would receive an update within 10–14 days, but I was ultimately ghosted despite reaching out and left to assume that I did not get the job. Fortunately, I was able to find another opportunity in a similar field, but it was disappointing because someone with both animal welfare and emergency response experience is fairly niche and I felt that I could have hit the ground running and made an immediate impact. While I understand hiring timelines and real-world priorities can change extending the hiring process, more transparent and consistent communication throughout the process would have created a much more positive candidate experience, particularly regarding timelines, next steps, and status updates. Even brief follow-up communication would have helped set clearer expectations and demonstrated greater respect for the time and effort candidates invest in the interview process.