I applied through the company website. The initial phone screening interview process was typical. (If you have ever done any of these perfunctory inspections, then you know the standard shenanigans that I'm talking about) Most of the initial questions were related to my background, why I was interested in Medidata, and why I was looking to leave my current position. The phone screener then moved on to ask several questions that were intended to determine basic privacy law competency and subject matter experience. Following this, the screener asked several pre-scripted questions that required greater subject matter knowledge. Unfortunately, several of these questions were very broad and/or lacked sufficient detail to permit a respondent to provide an accurate and/or targeted response without assuming additional unstated facts. As a result, I asked for additional context or details, however, it became obvious that the screener had little or no subject matter knowledge. I felt like it was a bit ridiculous, but you have to play the HR hoop game. Right? After completing the dog-and-pony telephone show, we progressed to a phone interview with Chief Privacy Officer (CPO). The interview with the CPO was scheduled to last 30 minutes. We wasted about 10-15 minutes with: 1) the CPO's complaints about the new Trump tax bill and how it would negatively affect the his/her tax burden, 2) a short diatribe of gloating and chuckling about the CPO's recent promotion and the accompanying pay bump that comes along with the newly acquired title, and 3) a generous slathering of statements describing the corporate product/culture in a disgustingly aggrandized and quasi-condescending view (only to be apologetically followed-up with an apology for speaking in "corporateze" or "corporate speak"). At this point, I genuinely felt that this was not the place for me. I completed the CPO interview with a request for a response time-line, as I have found most HR departments to be either hot or cold. The CPO said that I would hear from him shortly and a few weeks later I received the standard canned auto-generated email response that I wasn't selected and they wished me the best. I have been through numerous interviews. However, I am always left feeling that when a candidate is interviewed by a C-Suite level executive the candidate should receive the courtesy of a phone call to inform him/her that they have not been selected. After all, as candidates, we have spent the time and energy to prepare for the interview in addition to researching you, the product, and the company. Those of us applying for positions at this level are generally seasoned professionals and most of us can accept that decisions are made based on a multitude of factors and we also understand that we may not be the proper fit for your needs. Business is business and decisions have to be made. We know this because we have had to make these types of decisions before too. But in the end, the informal and sterile rejection email is an unrefined blunt instrument that lacks corporate elegance and etiquette. It speaks to a weakness of character that often hides behind the veil of "too busy to make five phone calls" or, rather, a fear of confrontation. If you advertise that you treat your employees exceptionally, then please consider starting it during the interview process. I was interviewing you just as much as you were interviewing me, and you failed to pass my criteria as well. As always, best wishes in your future endeavors.